


True Love got you into this Mess. It better get you out.

by HideawayB3



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-18 18:23:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 473,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5938420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HideawayB3/pseuds/HideawayB3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina never expected to be here. Hell she never expected to be apart of this asinine plan, but here she was, and she was the scapegoat. How? She'd no clue, but Emma claimed True Love and now they were both in this mess. </p><p>Or the one in which Emma completely lies about her happiness and brings Regina into her hair-brained lie and claims Regina is her soon to be wife and that she's pregnant with their True Love baby. Regina is surely not about to go through this without being as difficult as she could possibly be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. True Love got you into this mess, you better hope to hell it can get you out.

In all her years of existence, Regina honestly never expected to be here of all places. She avoided the stench of homeyness and grease on a daily basis unless she strode in there, particularly in need of a kale salad, which she herself was surprised to see was practically immaculate in presentation and taste. But now, she was back in there and away from her son, who was God knows where with that damn wolf. _Granny’s,_ she sighed to herself. _It’s only Everyone’s favourite sardine can,_ she rolled her eyes. She never thought she’d have to be put through the most irritatingly long ‘meeting’ between Emma Swan’s parents- idiot one and idiot two, or as they prefer, Snow White and Prince Charming. She could’ve sworn she’d done everything in her power to avoid this cell frying sit down, but alas, here she was and sitting next to the insufferable blonde no less. She only chanced a glance at the blonde who had managed to keep her head hung low, more so to avoid Regina’s glare more than avoid her parents’ reprimanding words. Them, she could handle, but Regina was a completely different story alltogether. Regina sighed just as much as she groaned internally at the fact that Emma had her wedged between the wall and herself. If she could just escape, if she could only- Wait- she can poof. Why in the hell didn’t she think of this sooner. _POOF!_

 

“Why did I not think of that sooner,” she reprimanded herself as she sighed heavily, kicking off her heels and toeing them to the side before waltzing into her kitchen and setting the tea kettle. After what was.. only God knows what that was, she needed a cup and quite frankly a bottle of scotch or bourbon. Something dark and something burning. She exited her kitchen, in search of either of the two and settled into her study at her desk. Regina pulled open her drawer that she kept not just her spare alcohol in, but cookies or chocolate if she was ever in need of a sugar fix, which was rare. She pulled out a half a bottle of bourbon, cinnamon flavoured at that and hummed excitedly as she rose and went back to her kitchen. What she did not expect was who would be waiting for her when she got there.

 

“What the hell, Regina! Why the hell did you just poof away like that?” Emma yelled as she spun around to face the brunette and the woman eyed her as if she were stupid. _Who am I fooling, she is stupid!_ “ You had my parents thinking I did something to upset you and then that just got them started on why we’re not a good idea! Can you just give me a heads up before you literally decide you’re going to just poof out of nowhere! You left me there looking like an idiot because I couldn’t explain to them what was wrong and why you just up and disappeared. I thought we agreed on this!”

“Miss Swan, last time I checked, I agreed to nothing of the sort. I merely made a noise of displeasure-NOT acknowledgment. This was your hair-brained scheme of idiocy. Absolutely no thought of consequences of any sort is your way of decision making. You decided to just jump and make a decision for someone else without their consent and their knowledge of the issue. You literally have no idea how much you lack consideration for another. And this- this, dear, was and IS _your_ fault- Not mine, so do refrain from believing that you have any- if all for that matter, reason to be upset with me when this. Was. Your. Damn. Fault,” Regina seethed as she stalked towards the blonde, poking her in the chest with each enunciation. Emma floundered at Regina’s words, but more so decided to remain quiet considering Regina was highly correct on that matter.

“You were the one that claimed true love which got us _both_ into this mess. You better hope for the sake of your miserable life it can get _you_ out before I fry your ass into the next millennia.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was Wednesday and the brunette mother’s usual morning routine consisted of her waking at the earliest hour that Emma would otherwise deem ungodly, take herself a nice shower and get dressed before waking her log of a son up and sending him off to do the same. She would make them both breakfast, him more so than herself and it was pancakes practically every morning, yet another thing that linked him to his blonde mother. That along with his angrily loud footsteps that he himself couldn’t seem to control or hear paired with his lack of ability in the whispering department, all screamed _Swan._ Regina would settle for a cup of coffee or tea in the morning followed by a light bowl of fruit and then she’d wash up their dishes and wait with him until he was completely done and ready to go. She would drop him off at the gate opening for his school, along with his overnight bag, on Wednesdays. He would spend Wednesday to Wednesday with them both instead of the one long Sunday to Sunday where he was most likely to forget half of his things at either of his homes.

 

It irritated her to no end how they had quickly fallen into a routine of that hump day to hump day ritual. It also irritated her how they functioned much like a divorced couple. One would get him up and dressed and off to school along with his needed things and the other would pick him up and ask him about school and his other parent and how his week was with her which would always receive a rather long and imaginative story by the boy. And as if the week they spent with him wasn’t enough, invitations to family dinners with just the three of them were extended when either had him. The olive branches were seriously trees by the time they cracked past the one year arrangement. But, as if that wasn’t enough, it nearly drove her mad that she found herself impressed that both she and Emma could be very cordial- practically social, when it came to Henry. They could literally cooperate well enough to not only discipline him but parent him in the simplest of forms and that didn’t go unnoticed by their teen son considering he was the one teasing them about it most. After Emma had asked him if he preferred that or the fighting, he’d quickly said he much preferred when they can communicate because he can’t stay organized if his life had depended on it, but he further said neither could Emma and the blonde groaned at him but Regina merely smirked because he was right and they all knew that.

 

Regina sighed to herself and got up mere seconds before her alarm kicked off and quickly silenced the blasted thing. She’d no clue why she invested in it, because she had her own internal clock and it always- without fail, woke her at 5:59 am each morning, didn’t matter if it was a weekend or weekday, she was up and she couldn’t just go back to sleep. Her light pattering of feet across the carpeted flooring in her room led her to her en suite and towards the tap for her shower. Regina, though she took many in the Enchanted Forest, hated baths. She couldn’t stand to sit in her own body dirt, but realized that every once in a while, she did enjoy just soaking in her tub, if nothing else. She turned the tap on and set the water for her usual temperature and climbed in after stripping gracefully. The warm pulsating jets of the showerhead beat down on her caramel skin, allowing her pores to open and breathe as well as ease the tension she usually had in the mornings. She showered and did her usual which was always an eight minute shower before she stepped back out and wiped the fog from the mirror. Regina then brushed her teeth in silence before she spat, gargled and rinsed. She pattered through her room once more and deposited her clothes in the hamper before she rifled through her drawer and pulled out her underwear and bra. They always matched and they were always either red or black. Never another colour to be seen in her drawer. She dropped her towel and put on her underclothes before she went into her walk in and sifted through her usuals and settled on her blue silk shirt with her tailoured black trousers and black pumps. Regina also pulled her tweed coat from the hangers and laid it out on the bed before she did a simple touch up with make up. She barely wore foundation, but never missed a chance to wear a light gloss or her red lipstick, but she was going to wear something simple and just tousle her ponytailed hair. She grabbed her jacket and exited her room to go to Henry’s. She gently shook him awake and was met by a groan which translated to I’m up but I don’t wanna be.

 

“ I’ll go make breakfast.. Pancakes?” she queried and he shook his head. She smiled because, what else would he possibly want to eat. “ Bacon and eggs?” He shook his head again and she rubbed his back. “ Okay,” she conceded. “ Don’t forget your overnight bag and your toothbrush,” she reminded and he groaned again, but it wasn’t an upset groan. No, this was the _I got it, mom_  groan. Regina patted his back once more before exiting, shutting his room door and descending the stairs.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina was barely even half way through beginning breakfast when her phone rang. She’d tried to figure out who it could possibly be, but quickly realized only one person would call and interrupt her in the morning and that was anyone from the Charming clan, more precisely, Emma.

“What is it, Swan,” Regina sighed into the microphone. She’d paused her attempts at mixing pancake batter for the moment as she regarded the blonde on the other end of the phone.

“Uhh.. umm, I was just calling to say good morning and, uhh I hope you have a good day and stuff,” the blonde sputtered out and if Regina could see her now she’d know Emma was probably kicking herself for the lack of proper english.

“Stuff,” Regina raised a critical brow. She sighed once more. “ Miss Swan, what have you managed to screw up this time,” Regina pushed and Emma quickly answered.

“Nothing- nothing...just- if my mom calls, ignore her,” she requested weakly, almost as if it was a question.

“You’re saying that as if I don’t on a regular basis, Miss Swan,” Regina bit out as she settled against the island.

“I know, but she’s a bit more… just avoid her okay,” Emma breathed heavily at her own request and Regina regarded it for a moment.

“Is she running around spreading her usual ignorant cheer or is she the hormonal mess she’s always been,” Regina teased and Emma whined.

“Seriously, just avoid her. I kind of.. upset her and she may come after you in the process,”

“Your mother does realize I possess magic and I can and will toss her several hundred feet away if I so please,” the brunette reminded and Emma gulped.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” the blonde said after a moment and Regina decided to return to her task at hand.

“Yes well, tell her to remain within said several hundred feet of me and she’ll be unharmed.” There was a moment of silence for a bit until Emma finally opened her mouth.

“So, what are you doing,”

“What I do every morning, Miss Swan. Make Henry breakfast,”

“Oh,” the blonde blushed. “ What are you making him,”

“The same thing he wants every morning. Pancakes,” Regina shook her head as she continued on in batter making. Emma somewhat grimaced at that.

“Shouldn’t he be stalled of that by now?”

“One would think, but no. Henry’s somehow managed to eat these for three years straight. Then again, he will usually only eat one or two, depending on his mood,” Regina acknowledged. She didn’t realize that she hadn’t managed to insult the blonde the way she usually would and Emma prayed to the Gods it would remain that way.. at least until she could sort things out.

“Hmm, kid’s got some serious habits,”

“Yes well, he’s much like you in that way,” Regina hummed as she sprayed the griddle and waited for it to heat up a bit more.

“I don’t think so,” Emma argued and Regina made a noise of inquiry. The blonde went on, surprised she hasn’t managed to crack yet, but she was definitely shitting bricks. “Well, I mean, he’s been around you for ten years and all he’s managed to do was be exactly the way you were and are,”

“I don’t quite follow,”

“Defiant,” Emma said as if that’s all that needed to be said and Regina laughed loudly.

“Miss Swan, _that_ trait, Henry did not acquire from me. You must have me confused with your precious Baelfire or yourself-,” there were footsteps. The heavy kind and they were descending the stairs two at a time. Regina sighed to herself and shook her head.

“I take it that sound in the back is our son,” Emma inquired and Regina nodded though she could not be seen.

“Morning, mom,” Henry spoke with a bit of a crack in his voice. That was to be expected since he was thirteen now.  Regina turned to regard him for but a moment with a smile.

“Good morning, sweetheart, did you bring your overnight bag down?” He nodded and she smiled. He tilted his head and pointed to the phone to ask who it was and she mouthed the name _Emma_ to him. He brightened at the mention of his blonde mother’s name and she wordlessly handed the phone over.

“Hey, Ma,” he grinned and was off and out of the kitchen which gave Regina the much needed time to finish breakfast.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Once she was done and plated his meal, she went to find him only to bump into him on the way out. A small oof left both their lips on collision.

“Careful, dear,” she said as she held him up,

“Sorry, mom,” he blushed and she stroked his hair from his face.

“It’s quite alright, now come. We need to feed you and leave so that you’re on time,”

“Kay.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Are you excited to stay with Emma for the week,” she asked as she sipped her tea and watched her son nearly devour his food. He did so with much less mess than Emma, but still, he was the blonde just the same.

“Yeah, but I’m always happy to see her. I’m always happy to see both of you,” Henry shrugged as if it were nothing, which to him it wasn’t. “ Oh, mom, before I forget. Did you sign my permission slip for the trip to StoryBuilders?” the teen asked with a slight grin on his face. His class was to go to the construction sites that the town’s one and only construction company kept business of. StoryBuilders was a place Henry had always dreamed of going to just because he knew they’d let them onto the tractors and forklifts and what not. Regina nodded.

“I did. Emma and I both did,” Regina smiled at him. “ It’s on the table in the foyer, don’t forget it, okay,”

“Trust me. I won’t,” he smiled wider as he finished his meal and for the first time in about a month, Henry offered to do the dishes which of course Regina declined, but she appreciated his effort and his willingness, even if it was only fueled by a full stomach or signed permission slip.

 

Regina washed up the dishes and waited for Henry to gather his bags and slip before they were out the door and driving towards his school. Before the boy exited the car he looked over at his mother and spoke.

“Hey mom, if anyone upsets you today, could you just like.. ignore them,” he tried, but he was sounding a little too much like Emma right then and there.

“Henry,” she began. “ What has your mother told you,”

“Nothing,” he answered quickly but her eyes narrowed in on him and he deflated. “ Okay, she said she told Grandma some things and Grandma might come and fly off the handles at you and she told me to try and convince you to you know- shrug it off,” he ended and had the decency to blush for lying. Regina’s mouth twitched for a moment, so many questions on her mind in that exact time frame, but she held them in. Instead she brushed back her son’s hair and kissed his forehead.

“I can’t make any promises, but I will try,” she gave him a small but reassuring smile. Henry sighed in relief and nodded before he told her goodbye and walked through the gate of his school. He knew damn well his mother’s version of trying is one warning and fireballs after. He quickly sent out a text to his blonde mother which read,

 

 _You are so dead!_ and that made the blonde groan at the screen. Emma’s head fell onto her desk with a thud as she thought about how royally she’d just fucked up.

“Why?.. why, why, why, why, why,” the blonde muttered to herself as she pounded her head against the desk with each question.

“Why what?” came the voice of her father as he raised a brow at his child. Emma waved him off, head still firmly planted onto the wooden desk. David took a seat next to her and rubbed her back. “ What’s the matter, sweetheart,” David asked. The term of endearment would usually make her feel.. confused, but right at that moment she just felt flat out uncomfortable. She still hadn’t completely come to terms with any of the mushy names they put on her, but she had managed to acknowledge and accept they were not only her parents but that they loved her and she loved them. Still, terms of endearment made her want to throw up.

“Nothing,” Emma finally got out. “ Just.. Regina and Henry. I called to check on them earlier, you know her. Sassy and he’s just a smart ass,” the blonde laughed but she sounded like she was in pain.

“Sounds like them,” David grinned as he continued to rub her back. “But they’re yours now and you have to love them no matter what,” David continued and she’d hug her dad if she didn’t feel like punching his naive ass right then and there.

“Uhuh, thanks dad,” Emma mumbled and rose from her seat with a sigh.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Good morning, Madame Mayor,” Regina’s assistant, Clara smiled as she handed Regina her files for the day. Regina smiled back because Clara was one of the few people who didn’t care whether Regina was the Evil Queen or not, she just liked her job and the benefits she got from it.

“Good morning,Clara. How is your daughter?”

“She’s doing much better thanks to the new family emergency insurance plan you set in place and I can’t thank you enough for that,” the woman grinned as she turned back to her work.

“Well, a mother should not have to sit back and watch her child suffer. I’m glad to hear she’s doing much better,” Regina nodded and Clara paused.

“Thank you, Madame Mayor.., you know, a few people may start talking about how you’ve softened up significantly since Emma arrived and lifted the curse,” the woman teased and Regina glared at her, but Clara knew it meant nothing.

 

The Mayor had been called at an ungodly hour on a weird Sunday morning and it was Clara on the other end. She was in shambles and sniffling, two things Regina could not handle, but what she’d managed to get out of the woman was that Clara’s little girl had a rare disease and they hadn’t gotten her any form of insurance. Regina had folded within herself because Clara was one of her most favoured amongst assistants. She’d quickly gotten dressed, found their location and took them to the hospital. Regina told them to go straight to the pediatric ward and let her deal with the other things. It took a while but she had managed to not only frighten those on call that evening, but passed a new bill that quickly became a law that everyone in StoryBrooke would have a parent-child insurance plan. Of course that meant that she would have had to have outruled other things and that came at Killian’s cost as well as Robin’s and a few others. Teaching the scouts how to survive- or as Regina put it-Squatting for the Merry Men was overruled and Killian attempting to launch a Spring Break cruise was as well. The insurance plan was more costly than the two combined,but all the more beneficial. Archie’s request to expand his practice by adding at least nine more therapist’s was also overruled as Regina stated he was perfectly capable to handle the small townspeople considering it never seemed to be more than thirty of them in existence. Whale- well, anything Whale ever requested was always shot down because he was just creepy as fuck.

 

“Back to Work, Clara,” Regina tried to sound demanding but she was smiling.

“Yes ma’am. Oh and your three o’clock cancelled. Miss Swan cancelled as well, but she’d said something about sending in Mulan to bring in the files you asked for,”Clara said and went to think if there was anything else. Regina nodded and wondered why Emma would cancel but shrugged it off. _Oh well_.

Regina went into her office and shut the door and let out a sigh she didn’t realize she was holding in until she relaxed.

“I am not soft,” she told herself and believed it for all of two minutes before she questioned it. “Am I?” she dropped her head. “Damn it, Miss Swan.” Her office phone rang and her head snapped up. She eyed it for a moment before picking it up.

“Yes?”

“Regina?” _shit!_

“ Yes, Snow. What’s happened now? Has that imbecile of a man you call a husband broken yet another pipe? Or have you forgotten your curriculum for the school year once again?”

“No and no,” Snow answered almost confidently. Both women sighed and Regina wondered why Snow was sighing. “ Why didn’t you tell us,”

“Tell you what,” Regina asked, already aggravated and it showed in the way her face pinched into anger and her voice rose in pitch. Snow sighed once more.

“Okay, I can tell you have too much pride about this, but you could have told us. We would have understood, Regina. I thought we were family,” Snow reprimanded and Regina’s face fell for two reasons. She sighed much more heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Before I hand up on you, Snow…You and I are _not_ family. I was your stepmother against my own will because you couldn’t keep your floundering flap of a mouth shut,” she spat and Snow made a noise as if to answer but thought better of it. “We merely share Henry and that is only through Emma and the physical signature of adoption. Second, what in the name of the Gods are you talking about? Have too much pride about what? And told you What?”

“Nothing, Regina,” Snow finally answered as the pixie haired woman felt there was no trying, but Regina genuinely had no clue what the woman was rambling on about.

“Right,” Regina answered unsure before she rolled her eyes. “Snow,” she called.

“Hmm?”

“If that’s all. I have work to be done,”

“Of course, Regina,” they hung up. Regina pinched the bridge of her nose once more before she fell into her seat and rested her head on the back of the chair. She eyed the roof and her thoughts ran rampant at why Snow was berating her, more importantly, what she was berating her for.

“Told her what? Who is we?” she asked herself in the quiet of her office. She shook her head. “ I have work to do,” she told herself and set out to do just that.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

About half way through Regina’s normal work day and a few small meetings here and there, she decided to go for a walk, the words of Snow White were still plaguing her poor mind and she hated it when things lingered. Regina hadn’t noticed where her feet were taking her until she ended up a few feet away from the Police Department. Regina thought for a moment about going in and figured since there were files that she needed she may as well go in and get them anyway.

 

As she was walking in, Hook was walking out, glaring at her as if she was the one who cut off his useless hand.

“Your Majesty,” he regarded her, but it wasn’t said with a nice tone. She rose and unimpressed brow at him.

“Pirate,” she acknowledged before she turned to go further into the office. She met David and Emma in conversation. David sat on Emma’s desk and the blonde with her feet up on said desk. Regina rolled her eyes and the click of her heels could be heard as she went along. Emma quickly yanked her feet off the desk and David turned his upper half to regard whoever it was at the door.

“Why is the one handed wonder staring at me as if I just murdered Milah? Why was he here in the first place?”

“I think that’s my cue to go,” David said before he slipped out of his position and handed Regina the stack of files before he exited. Regina held on to them but regarded Emma’s wide eyes.

“Explain,” she commanded as she walked towards Emma and the blonde stood up, fiddling with her already tucked shirt. She bit at her bottom lip and her head snapped downward. She mumbled something that Regina couldn’t hear and that made the woman upset.

“Louder, Swan, I truly do not have all day,”

“hewaskindaupsetaboutsomethingtodowithmeandyou,”

“Emma Swan, so help me God if you do not speak up and speak clearly I will roast your ass where you stand!” Emma’s mouth clamped shut. The blonde took a deep breath in.

“He was kind of upset over something that had to do with me and you,”

“And that would be?” Regina folded her arms and sat comfortable against the desk across from Emma’s. Emma sighed.

“Something stupid he’s managed to believe,” the blonde waved off and Regina rolled her eyes.

“Well if you deem it stupid then I am not about to sit here and listen to what idiotic thing he’s managed to believe.” Emma sighed in relief. She had just bought herself maybe a few more minutes before she would be skinned alive. Regina didn’t bother asking why Emma cancelled, instead she talked about something else.

“Your coded idiot of a mother called me earlier and questioned me as if I’d once again- killed someone. Please tell her to refrain from speaking to me as if I can read her mind because I clearly have not one idea what the hell it is I’d need to tell her or could have possibly not told her.”

“Sorry about that,”

“Swan,” Regina sighed. “ Unless it actually _was_ your fault, don’t…. wait- is that why you told me to ignore your mother?” Regina’s eyes narrowed. Emma nodded weakly. “ Would this have anything to do with the same thing that imbecile of a pirate thinks to be true?” The blonde nodded again. Regina rolled her eyes.

“I have no time for this. Rumours are just that, Rumours. Clear it up or you will be cleaning up her ashes if she calls to attempt in reprimanding me again.” Emma nodded once more and Regina stood before she pulled her shirt down and exited.

 

On her way out, she buckled into David and growled.

“For the love of all that exists, please watch where you are going, Shepherd,”

“Sorry, I was just looking through th-,” she held her hand up.

“I don’t care. Now you might want to help your daughter in clearing the air as it relates to your wife because I do not wish to be disturbed by her inability to say what she means or ask me something of actual substance. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” she shouldered her way past him.

“Regina wait,” David said and she turned back with a roll of her eyes.

“What is it,” she asked and David smiled at her.

“Congratulations,” he said before he turned and left.

“FOR. WHAT?” she almost screamed, but settled on yelling, still, she received no answer. Regina threw the files against the wall and left. “Fuck the files,” she muttered as she stomped her way back to her office.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hey, Kid,” Emma smiled.

“You are- so dead, Ma,” was the first thing Henry said as he climbed into the bug. He was laughing, of course he would be. Emma groaned and dropped her head on the wheel.

“I couldn’t think of anything else, Henry. They just.. wouldn’t stop asking me. I had to say something,”

“Yeah- but she’s still going to kill you unless you can clear it up before she figures it out, and she will figure it out before the day’s over,”

“How do you know that,” she asked and he looked at her as if she was stupid. _Who am I kidding, I am stupid.. sometimes._

“This is my mom we’re talking about. She _will_ figure it out and you better hope to hell you have a better explanation that sputtering because she’ll cook you and serve you to Gram and Gramps,” he grinned.

“You are enjoying this way too much,” she groaned once more.

“Not enough.. so, what’s the plan.. operation…”

“Not get my ass kicked,” Emma offered before she removed her head from the wheel. “ No animals, just operation not get my ass kicked,” she said and Henry shrugged. “ So, where are we going,”

“Well I’ve got a project to do with Mikey and Grace so.. you’re kinda on your own until I get back,”

“Library?” Emma asked, defeated and Henry nodded. Henry pinched his lips inward before he spoke.

“Maybe she’ll go easy on you,” he offered as he rubbed her back.

“Doubt it, but maybe,” Emma responded as she started the bug and drove towards the library.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina had made it back to her office with a scowl permanently etched onto her face. Clara just let her fume, neglecting to hand her anymore files that might just end up in her skull or up her ass. The brunette sat and huffed before she stood and paced her office.

“Told them what? Congratulations on what? What in the hell could Emma have told those blubbering idiots? Wha-,” she stopped herself because her phone was ringing. She went over and picked it up… _Robin._ Why was he calling? Regina answered.

“Yes?”

“Regina, hi,” he said and she did not keep herself from rolling her eyes.

“Hello,” she spoke and waited for him to go on.

“I was just calling to say congratulations.” _ON WHAT?!_ She breathed in and out.

“Robin, I’ve the faintest clue as to what you’re referring to and if it’s what I think it is, please refrain from saying congratulations as it’s not nearly a big of a deal as anyone has managed to make it,” she muttered and that was probably a bad thing to do because it just made the man believe whatever he’d been told even more. “ Excuse me, I’ve gotten another call,” she said. It was a lie.

“Of course, goodbye Regina,”

“Mhm,” she made a sound and hung up. She paced.. Could hey have found out already about the law change.. She’d threatened the nurses who were in the hospital that evening to not say anything until she spoke of it, but knowing one of them, they’d be stupid enough to defy her. “ Clara,” she called and the woman poked her head in.

“Yes, Madame Mayor?” Regina turned about ninety degrees to regard her.

“Has anyone found out about the insurance care plan that I’ve put in place?”

“No, not that I know of,” Clara said and Regina nodded.

“ You’re dismissed.. actually, just take the rest of the day off and cancel whatever else it is I’ve to do,” she spoke as she felt her temples begin to pound.

“Your schedule’s clear. Since your three cancelled you have nothing else to do,” Clara smiled. “ Would you like to come see Casey? I know she’d love to say thank you for what you did,” Clara offered with a blush and Regina smiled. The woman was.. cute, she could wholeheartedly admit that and her daughter was just as adorable.

“I wish I could, but there’s something going on. Something going around, and no one has enough common sense to just outrightly say it. Tell her I’ll come to see her this Saturday,” Regina thought and Clara nodded.

“Have a good day, Madame Mayor,”

“You as well, Clara,” she ended and the woman shut the door. Regina’s phone rang once more before she picked it up without even checking the CID.

 

“Regina, darling,” came the smooth and still frightening tone of her mother.

“Mother, why are you calling me? What’s happened, are you okay,”

“Yes, fine-fine,” her mother waved off. “ There’s just been, well, there’s been a few words that seem to have made their way to my ears this morning,”

“And these words would be?”

“You and Miss Swan seem to be getting along quite well, almost too well from the sounds of it,” her mother said bluntly and straight to the point. Regina rolled her eyes. Which idiot blabbed to her mother that she and Emma were getting along. Regina was already packing up her things at her desk and grabbing her jacket before she locked her office, the soft click of her heels on the tile before she hit the concrete pavement.

“Mother, I’m about to drive, I will call you back when I have reached the station.”

“Yes of course,” her mother said understandingly. “ Regina, dear,”

“Yes mother,”

“I love you,”

“I love you too, mother,” she said and in all her years she never thought those words would ring true. She never thought she’d actually have her mother back, with her heart no less.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

_“This, would have been enough.. My sweet girl. My beautiful little girl, you would have been enough..more- more than enough,” Cora wheezed out. “ You and your father.. would have both been so much more than enough.”_

_Yes Snow did try to kill Cora and yes Regina did quite frankly watch her mother die in her arms, however, before Cora slipped completely under, she had pulled her mother’s heart back out, that sinister glare glued to her face as she regarded Snow White who could only gulp and look at her painfully. Regina had laid Cora out gently and place her heart beside her before she stood and wrapped a hand around Snow’s neck and squeezed tightly._

_“Regina!” Emma had yelled but she flicked her hand and Emma was launched against the glass display case of Gold’s pawn shop. The blonde groaned and Regina gave no shits because Charming was the next person she tossed into yet another glass display case. She squeezed tighter and tighter until Mary Margaret actually cried out the words._

_“I’m sorry.” But those words went on deaf ears as she released her only to slap her across the cheek._

_“You. Will. Fix. This. Or you will pay with your own life,” Regina seethed and Snow had to keep from choking on the spit that rushed throughout her lungs. She nodded mutely as she held onto her throat and Regina along with her mother and Snow, vanished._

 

_Regina conjured four candles and a spell book. There was a black one, a white one, a red one and a blue one. She shoved the book into Snow’s hands and used her magic to force the woman into standing position._

_“Read,” she spat and with shaking hands and buckling knees Snow did just that._

_“Ro- cala, loch Mana lech, Hara hara hem Vala. Inno, Indo, Elwe. Cora,” she whispered before she lit the red and blue, blew out the white and black and blew out the red and blue. The ground shook slightly before Cora’s heart began to glow and change before their eyes. It was being purified and rid of every curse that Snow had managed to put on it. The heart froze over before it chipped and thawed in Regina’s palms to reveal a new heart, red and pure. Regina looked down at the heart and her eyes welled up furiously before she fell to her knees and shoved it back into her mother’s chest. They waited a breath before Cora gasped loudly and heaved a healthy breath. Regina wrapped her arms around the woman whose eye colour had even lightened at the newness inside of her._

_“Mama,” she whimpered and felt her mother’s arms encase her shaking frame in a hug._

_“My sweet child, Oh I’ve missed you,” Cora cooed as she rubbed her child’s back, her fingers stroking through Regina’s beautifully straight hair. Regina whimpered in Cora’s arms._

_“Mommy,” she choked out._

_“I’m here,” Cora managed before she looked up to see Snow White who was sat there, frozen. She pulled Regina from hiding her face in her chest and wiped away the woman’s tears. “Come,” she said before attempting to stand. Regina rose with her and they approached Snow White. Her face contorted into a glare, but before she could snarl and raise a hand to blast Snow, Her mother pinched her. She pouted because it hurt and she knew what that meant in any realm. Back down._

_“No more,” Cora whispered to her daughter. “ I have you back and that is all that truly matters.. you,” she regarded Snow as she turned and the woman back away. “ I’ve no reason to attempt to kill you any longer, this brought me my daughter and … it brought me a new beginning.. Thank you, for cooperating at least,” Cora regarded her with a pinched smile. It was genuine but she still didn’t know how to properly address Snow. Snow nodded quickly and went to apologise but Cora held up a hand. “ There’s no need. You can leave now, Regina,” she turned to her daughter. “I do believe we have a situation to deal with,” she said and Regina almost didn’t catch on._

_“Rumple,” she whispered and her mother nodded._

_“He won’t die, but he will be hospitalized for a while. Let’s go or the darkness will be released,” Cora said and Regina nodded before they disappeared in a cloud of smoke._

 

_They reappeared in the front of Rumple, Emma and David still groaning in pain as they looked each other over. David caught wind of them and unveiled his sword but Regina flicked her wrist and it went flying._

_“There’s no need for fighting,” Cora spoke calmly but he glared at her. “ Ah yes, Shepherd and his miniature flock.. Emma Swan I presume?” Emma nodded but tried to glare. “ Right, well, I have my heart back as well as my daughter, thanks to your wife willingly helping to reverse her death curse. I’ve not need to kill or harm either of you, I merely came back to prevent Rumple from dying,”_

_“Why would you do that,” Emma asked because it sounded hella fishy._

_“Put it this way, Miss Swan. If he dies, the darkness leave him. Where do you think it will go to manifest its powers once again?” Emma’s eyes pinched into thought as her brows furrowed and she was stuck thinking until she looked over to Regina._

_“The second most dangerous human for the potential of darkness,”_

_“Precisely,” Cora nodded. “ My heart has been cleansed which leaves me out of it and the other child your parents had neglected to tell you they’d sent in the wardrobe with you, was another candidate, but alas, she is not here.” Emma looked over to her father who avoided her eyes. That piece of information she would deal with at a later date. Right now, she had to figure out whether or not she believed Cora, and her lie detector was pinging off with truth. Cora was telling the truth._

_“Okay,” she said ._

_“Emma you can’t,” David tried but she held up a hand._

_“I don’t even wanna know which child you sent over with me, actually I don’t even wanna see you right now. Whenever I find you is when I will talk to you about this, but for right now- Cora, do it,” Emma said as she turned back to the woman who nodded._

 

_Cora did some weird ass incantation to freeze Gold’s heart where it was and managed to incant another that reversed the deterioration. She did yet another that would wipe his memory of those past twenty four hours and hoped to Heaven the last would undo his thoughts for power, at least for the time being._

_“You will need to take him to the hospital. He will only hold on for so long, his body will need the medical attention of this world, not magic,” Cora said and Emma nodded. She looked over at Regina who was standing quietly, just watching and she smiled a bit before she attempted to talk to the woman. Regina looked up at her and glared before she looked away. She should’ve saw that coming, but for right now, she had to get Gold to the hospital._

 

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

 

“Mother,” Regina spoke as she climbed out of the car and began up the stairs to the station. She passed the stack of papers she’d tossed against the wall and decided to pick them up all whilst she quietly berated Emma and or David for just walking straight past them. She waltzed right into the bullpen where David was along with Emma and Mulan. She regarded them for but a moment until her mother’s voice spoke once more.

“Regina, where are you,”

“Police station, Mother,”

“Is Miss Swan there,”

“She is,” Regina made a weird eye as she looked over at the blonde. She shooed David and Mulan with her hand and they took the hint, happily. Emma gulped as she eyed Regina on the phone.

“Hand it to her,” Cora said and Regina wordlessly did so.

“Hello… Oh hi Miss Mills.. yes ma’am… no ma’am.. uhhh that’s a kind of complicated thing and-.. no- no no I’m sorry, I..okay,” she handed the phone back to Regina.

“Darling,”

“Yes mother,” Regina smiled because she took joy in seeing Emma sputter.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine, mother, why?”

“No reason. Now I had originally called to tell you congratulations,” she said and Regina literally felt her brain explode. She couldn’t be mad at her mother because quite frankly it all seemed to come back to what Emma had managed to do and she was sure it was the blonde who she needed to be murdering right that second.

“Thank you mother, but I’m not exactly sure why you’re congratulating me,”

“Well, on your pregnancy of course,” her mother said and in that exact moment, everything muffled and Regina went dizzy.

“M-my what?”

“Pregnancy.. and engagement to Emma,” her mother continued and Regina’s head lolled back almost whipping. She stumbled against the desks and found herself sitting atop on.

“M-Mother. I’ll call you back.. thank you,” Regina gulped back a lot of things that threatened to come up and out of her mouth.

“Of course dear. I love you,” her mother said almost cheerily and she couldn’t help but think logically for that spare moment in time.

“I love you too, mother,” she managed before she hung up and limply dropped her phone. Emma didn’t need the phone to be on speaker to know that Regina had now been told exactly what it was Emma was hoping to avoid.

“I can expl-,” Regina held a hand up before she put that exact same hand over her mouth as if to muffle the slew of insults she had for Emma. She pinched her lips and shut her eyes but her breathing was not only ragged, but it was erratic and becoming heavier and heavier. Emma tried to slowly approach her and Regina sensed it, her eyes snapping open. Emma froze. She knew what was coming next.

“SWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNN!” the woman screeched and Emma flinched and ran behind her desk, not that it could do much. Regina stalked towards her.

“You IDIOT!” Regina belted before she stalked around the desk, Emma running in the process. “ How! HOW!” Regina yelled and Emma winced.

“I’m sorry,” she whimpered.

“You’re sorry! SORRY!? ARE YOU INSANE?! WHY WOULD YO-Oh my God!” Regina groaned as the pieces now fell into place. “ Your mother thinks I’m PREGNANT! YOU CARELESS IDIOT!”

“I’m sorry,” Emma whimpered again as she stared at Regina wide eyed.

“Stop with the useless apologies. That idiot pirate believes I’m pregnant- Robin believes me to be pregnant and your insufferable and dumb parents believe me to be pregnant. My own mother believes this stupid woven fallacy! How? How did you manage to incorporate my name, my womb and my life into your asinine scheme to pull one over on your parents and you better explain it now or I will blast your blonde ass into Oblivion,” Regina threatened.

“When you fall asleep,” Emma began to sing and Regina’s anger fumbled for a moment, “ with your head upon my shoulder-,”

“-EMMA!” she yelled. “Explain,” she growled and Emma gulped.

“Okay- okay.. but just so you know, mom doesn’t really believe it, dad does...”

“I can not believe this..,” Regina began as she rubbed at her eyes. She paced for a moment before she spoke once more. “The one time your idiot of a mother doesn’t believe it the shepherd believes otherwise. I suppose I should expect that considering she sees me as the villain amongst other things,” Regina muttered.

“Other things,” Emma eyed her confused and Regina sported a carnal smile, it was sarcastic just as much as it was carnal.

“Oh, did your precious mother not tell you. I’m infertile,” Regina spat and Emma flinched once again. “ So do tell me, _Saviour_ , how exactly did you manage to make your parents even remotely believe that _I_ would be pregnant, let alone, engaged to you?” Emma shrugged uneasily as she tried to smile.

“True Love,” she finally offered and Regina rolled her eyes.

“Explain. Now,” she growled out before she sat pointedly and eyed Emma.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was Tuesday night and Emma was honestly somewhat excited for the dinner she was going to have with her parents. Not just because it was her favourite meal, but because they’d managed to get to a good place after a while. She was also happy that she’d get to see Henry tomorrow, but that excitement could wait for after the dinner. If she was honest, her relationship with everyone was actually going rather well, no one wanted to kill anyone on a daily basis anymore and Cora was bringing out the sweetness in Regina as well as building a somewhat mother’s club relationship with Snow.

 

“Hey, Pumpkin,” her father grinned as he answered the door and invited her in before he took her red leather jacket, hugged her and guided her to the table.

“Hey dad, where’s mom,”

“She’s almost done with dinner. Let’s go set the table,” he nodded in the other direction and Emma shrugged and followed along.

 

Once they’d set the table and Snow set the food before them, they’d begun to talk about everything and anything. Snow and Charming had noted that Emma was significantly happier for the past few days- weeks actually and they’d wondered why.

So.. Sweetheart, do you have anything to tell us,” Snow smiled as she bit into her food and Emma instantly caught on to what she was referencing.

“Uhh, no,” the blonde raised a brow and ate her own food. Her father remained silent.

“Are you sure, because you’ve been happier lately, hasn’t she David?” David eyed his wife in a ‘why involve me’ way.

“Yes, she has,” he said not trying to dig a bigger hole.

“See, even your father noticed.. So, what’s going on, are you dating?”

“Umm, mom can we not do this,” Emma asked but Snow shook her head.

“You’re happy and I’d just like to know why, wouldn’t you like to know why, David,” she asked once again dragging him into the conversation. _Lord, why did I marry her again? Love, right!_

“Honey, I think if Emma wants to keep her love life private, she can,” he said and Snow glared at him.

“That would be sweet, if I actually had a love life,” Emma mumbled.

“Oh nonsense, you can’t just be happy for nothing,”

“I’m not happy over nothing. But I’m happy over something that has nothing to do with either of you needing to know,” Emma sighed and Snow pushed.

“It’s Killian isn’t it!” she nearly squeal, but if she could see Emma’s face contorting into an almost groan she’d realize the blonde was not even trying to entertain that. “ Oh, David,she’s dating Hook and they’re in love and-,”

“-MOM! Woah, can you chill, it’s not Killian,”

“Well who is it if not Hook- Oh is it one of Philip’s friends- Kevin- Joshua-,”

“-It’s no one,” Emma gritted her teeth and Charming sighed.

“Honey I think we should just let her breathe,” David tried as he placed a hand on his wife’s arm.

“But David she’s happy and she’s got a boyfriend or fiance and she won’t tell us who she’s in love with,”

“That’s because I don’t _have_ a boyfriend or a fiance nor am I in love with him,” Emma heaved a sigh.

“Honey-,”

“David, hush. Emma, who is it, I just want to know. Should I be planning for a wedding- I’ll get the birds and the forest animals to start clearing the woods and we’ll have a forest themed wedding and there will be all of these little twig crowns and-,”

“MOM! For the last time- I. Do. Not. Have. A Boyfriend and we are not getting married, nor are we in love. I’m happy for a different reason,” she almost seethed at her mother.

“Snow, let her breathe,” David pleaded but that woman was so damn hard-headed she just couldn’t and wouldn’t stop.

“I have a feeling I know who it is,” Snow grinned before she began rambling about some random guy Emma had never even heard about. All the things her mother said were absolute muffles and mumbles until she heard her mother talking about marriage and kids again and then she just snapped.

“OH MY GOD, OKAY YOU WANNA KNOW WHO IT IS,” she yelled as she rose from her seat. Snow and Charming froze, her mother’s smile fading and her father looking at her as if a nail went through him.

“It’s Regina,” Emma spat and she had no clue why that was the first name that came to mind, but it was too late now and she was going with it. “ I’m happy because I’m dating Regina- actually we’re engaged and she’s pregnant,” Emma went on and she knew she was digging herself one hell of a hole but what was a few more feet. “ Call it True Love,” Emma went on as she put on a smile, “ But I’m in love with Regina and I’m going to marry her and we are going to have a child.. a magical one,” Emma got that last part out in cane they wondered how. She remembered Regina explaining children conceived just out of love alone back in the enchanted forest even if the couple was same sex. She had no clue why Regina even entertained answering the question, but she was happy that she did. She was shaking and had finally taken notice of it. so she steadied her hands on the table and eyed her mother’s gaping mouth and her father’s well.. shock? Confusion? “We haven’t told Henry and I’d like it if you didn’t yammer to him about it,” she spoke once more and now she was beginning to realize her hole literally was a good thousand from being in Hades.

“H-how,” was all Snow could manage as she continued to gape at Emma.

“I don’t know, it just sort of.. happened,” Emma said as she walked away from the table.

“Em- wait,” Snow called out and she paused.

“If you’re going to tell me about how Regina’s evil and can’t be trusted and I shouldn’t have gotten her pregnant and all of that, then don’t. I love her and that’s all there is to it,” Emma found herself saying, but she knew none of it was true. She was literally just trying to make it all believable. David could see Snow about to say something possibly insulting or just outright dumb, so he spoke up.

“Sweetheart… we’re happy for you,” he smiled genuinely. He couldn’t speak for Snow, but he would make it appear that way. “ I’m happy for you,” he reiterated and Emma could tell he wasn’t lying. She felt bad now as she eyed her father, realizing that if they couldn’t produce a wedding let alone an infant in the next nine months- she’d be dead. Come to think of it, she’d be dead before that if Regina even caught wind of that, which she will because I included her- _Oh God!_ Her eyes sparked in fear as she froze. She just included Regina in her baby mama scheme. Baby Mama drama- she just put herself and Regina in a relationship, and engaged one- with a baby on the way! _FUCK!_

“ Thanks dad,” she choked out pitifully. “ Umm, I’m gonna go you know.. see if she’s okay and what not. David nodded and Mary Margaret just tried to not say anything because she honestly was too damn confused at that moment.

 

Once Emma had left Snow spoke.

“David, it’s impossible.. it can’t be,”

“What can’t be,” he eyed her.

“Regina.. pregnant, it’s impossible,”

“What do you mean, Snow,”

“Regina can’t be pregnant because she can’t…,” Snow made a motion with her hands but he just looked at her as if she was playing charades. She sighed. “ Regina can’t carry a child. She drank an infertility potion when she was married to my father, and I’d only found out because she’d told me after he died. I had always wondered why she miscarried the one and only child she did managed to become pregnant with. Regina’s barren, David. It’s impossible for her to carry,”

“But you heard Emma, Regina’s pregnant,” he argued.

“She can’t be,” Snow bit out and he sighed.

“She can’t be or is it because you don’t _want_ her to be?” he asked and he glared at him before she softened.

“Maybe, but she shouldn’t be able to conceive,”

“Yes, but Emma said it was True Love and we both know that True Love breaks everything, it overpowers everything and they’ve both got magic. It does make sense,” he said and she sighed once more.

“I guess you are right,” she finally conceded. “ But-,”

“-No buts. Emma’s happy and as her parents, we need to be happy for her,” David said.

“I am happy for her.. I’m just concerned about Regina.. and the baby,”

“I know- but True Love always wins. They’ll be fine and so will the baby, but Emma doesn’t want us telling Henry or anyone for that matter so we need to respect that,”

“She said Henry, she never said anything about other people,”

“Snow,” he said.

“I need someone to talk to about this, David,” Snow cried and he rolled his eyes.

“No, you want to gossip,”

“I do not,”

“Don’t you,” he challenged and she glared at him. David laughed at her and rubbed her back. “Thought so,” he grinned and she swat his arm. “ Come on, let’s clean this up and go watch a movie,” he said before patting her back. Snow nodded, but her mind was still running rampant. _Regina’s pregnant._

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina was pacing and that probably was not a good thing.

“Why,” was all the brunette managed to mutter. “ Why me?”

“If it makes you feel any better my mother almost had a heart attack,” Emma offered and Regina looked between her fingers at the blonde and sighed.

“Surprisingly it does not… you need to clear this up and you need to do it now,”

“I kinda can’t,”

“You can and you will,”

“No.. I actually kinda can’t.. I have to clear things up with Killian before I deal with my parents, that’s why he was in here earlier-,”

“-and glaring at me like I’d killed Milah,” Regina rolled her eyes.

“Yeah,” Emma nodded and scuffed her shoes and if Regina wasn’t so pissed at her she’d truly acknowledge how cute Emma was being even though she fucked shit wayyyyy up. Regina sighed.

“You better hope for your sake that Henry doesn’t know about this,” Regina said and Emma made an uneasy smile and the woman threw her head back.

“Please tell me that you did not tell our son about your asinine idea and _that_ was why he tried to convince me _not_ to flambe your mother?”

“If I say no, can I keep my hair,” Emma tried to joke but Regina snarled at her and she hid her face. “ He knows,” she whimpered and Regina found herself sagging at the look of the frightened woman.

“Why,” Regina shook her head as she paced. “Invite your parents to dinner. We are dealing with this tonight and you will tell everyone who thought otherwise that I am not pregnant nor am I engaged to you,” Regina commanded.

“I will, I promise,”

“You better hope you can. You claimed True Love and it got you into this mess. You better hope True Love can get you out,” Regina said before turning on her heels and exiting.

 

And that was how they found themselves here in Regina’s kitchen after Emma literally failed to clear anything up with anyone. She roundabout told Guyliner she wasn’t interested in him and brought out the lie about Regina once again and then she just sat there whilst her mother pretty much told them they were wrong not to tell them they were even dating or tell Henry for that matter and Charming was just there smiling at them like it all made sense though he did say a few things like ‘I never expected you two to even acknowledge each other that way, let alone an engagement and a grandchild on the way.

 

This was how Emma found herself one more step from hell and Regina was now in the hole with her by default.

This was how Emma found herself creating the deepest grave she had no idea how to get out of.


	2. Seeing Gold, Signing a contract, No more Alcohol!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as the title of the chapter suggests. The ladies go to see our loopy Uncle Rumple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to off suggestions or prompts and I'll be sure to consider them and or write your suggestions for future chapters

“You gonna drink that,” Emma finally asked as she motioned to the bottle and Regina sighed before rolling her eyes and walking over to the stove. Emma fidgeted out of the way and just watched the brunette before her. She wasn’t exactly sure as to what she was and was not allowed to say, but she knew she had a tendency for just saying things that came to mind without thinking them through. The brunette tiptoed and pulled another mug from the cupboard and took the boiling water from the heat source just long enough to pour the hot water in the mugs and drop the tea bags into it. Regina then poured the bourbon right into them and added a little sweetener before she walked away with her mug in hand. Emma looked at the mug and the retreating woman before she asked,

“So does this mean I can have this one,” for which there was a growl and Regina nearly yelling back.

“For the love of the Gods Swan, pick up the damn mug and meet me in the living room.” The blonde quickly followed orders and located Regina who was sat nearly sculling the entire cup of tea. Emma sat in the exact same couch as her and the woman only regarded her for a moment before she turned back to gulp another mouthful of bourbon and tea. “ Why couldn’t the stupid gene just skip you,” Regina muttered and Emma shrugged unsure.

“Product of True Love-,”

“-Enough with the _True Love_ crap, Swan. Those words are starting to make my head hurt and my ears bleed.”

“That’s impossible! Words like that can’t-,” she stopped as she saw Regina pinch the bridge of her nose. “ You didn’t mean literally, did you,” Emma looked on and Regina actually answered her.. less aggravatingly.

“No, but you will be if you don’t shut up.” And Emma shut up. Emma sipped her tea as Regina chugged hers and she knew it had to be bad if Regina was swallowing hot tea the way she was. She knew she had royally fucked shit up. _Haha royal- cus she’s a royal and I’m- well.. me- WAIT! I’m a royal too_.

“So,” Emma tried again and cheered when she was silenced. “ My mom kinda asked about us living together and.. how we managed to make the baby,”

“Oh!” Regina said surprised but it was laced with sarcasm. “ And tell me how much deeper you dug that hole, my love,” she cooed in a condescending manner. Emma just rubbed the back of her head before she tried to speak.

“I just kinda said we haven’t gotten there as yet and that the baby.. well, just sort of.. happened.” Regina looked impressed.

“Why is it when you’re threatened you can somehow manage to make up a logical enough excuse for your idiocy, but when you’re happy you just involve _me_ in whatever the hell it is you decide to conjure up?”

“You’re the first person that comes to mind,” Emma blurted.

“Yes, much like it was with your mother, and look where that got me,”

“The dead dude-,” she was slapped.

“He is not a ‘dude’ as you so crassly put it, _Miss Swan_ . His name was Daniel and had your ass of a mother kept her pretty little pale lips shut, he’d still be alive and I’d actually have my True Love- _and_ a baby. I swear to all that exists upon this doomed planet, your entire damn bloodline is just full of fuck ups and fucked ups. Your lineage is just doomed to idiocy and half-assed ideas and the belief that pieces of metal can slay and or destroy something that’s magical-MA-GI-CAL. Please let it skip Henry,” she sighed as she shifted in the chair.

“It did,” Emma finally said as she stared down at her cup. She felt bad, heaven knew she felt bad, and it was making her feel worse because just about every sentence consisted of Regina calling her an idiot or something she was doing- idiotic. Her eyes started to water slightly as she sniffled and tried drinking the tea only to burn herself and waste it on her shirt in the process. “ Ah Shit!” she hissed as she stood quickly and held out the now stained fabric. She placed the mug down on the table and began to rub at her shirt as if that would help get it out. Regina rolled her eyes and stood before placing her own mug down and walking out of the living room.

“Try to keep up, Swan,” she commanded and Emma took the hint. The blonde followed the woman into the laundry and Regina made a give it here motion with her hand.

“But I don’t have on a tank top,” she whimpered and Regina rolled her eyes once more. She opened the dryer of whites for Henry and handed Emma a shirt.

“Change. Bring that back and go sit down. Can you remember that,” She spoke in a condescending manner. Emma nodded as her face pinched into hurt and that didn’t go unnoticed by Regina, but she honestly could not bring herself to actually care right that minute. She was still upset that Emma said they were engaged and that she was pregnant. Two things against her will. Something she had tried to prevent for God only knows how long.

 

Emma trudged her way towards the bathroom and quickly changed before she looked down at her stained shirt and started to cry.

“I’m so stupid!” she berated as she sat on the closed toilet seat in the downstairs bathroom. She was there for a while longer until she heard Regina ask her if she somehow managed to fall down the toilet and drown herself and that just started a new wave of tears. _Why am I so hormonal?_ She wiped her tears and washed her face before she exited the bathroom and met Regina’s almost concerned eyes. “Sorry,” she sniffed before shoving it into the woman’s hands.

“Why are your eyes red, Swan,” the woman asked exasperated.

“Because I’m stupid,” she muttered. Regina knew exactly what she was trying to say even though it didn’t seem as though the answer fit the question.

“Yes you are,” Regina agreed and the blonde broke down again, this time she was actually vocally crying and Regina stood there with disgust on her face, more so because she was watching Emma wipe her nose with her arm. She couldn’t believe she was about to do this but she gently pryed Emma’s arm from her face and pushed her back into the bathroom. “ Wash your hands and your arm,” she said softly and the blonde nodded before doing so. Regina sighed to herself. _Am I really about to coddle her?_ the answer was yes. She rubbed unsurely at Emma’s back and pat it as if she didn’t know what the hell to do. Truth be told, she really didn’t know what to do. “ I was saying that yes you are stupid, but bravely so,” the brunette finally spoke once the silence was too much for her. “ Though I could incinerate you for all of the high class stupidity you seem to be capable of, I can’t overlook your reasoning for most if not all of it. Yes I’m upset with you but what else were you expecting me to be?”

“I dunno,” the blonde sniffed. “ It’s just. She wouldn’t stop asking and I kept telling her it was no one- Dad kept telling her to leave me alone and let me breathe, but she just… wouldn’t and I got upset. And since you’re the only person who has managed to get me to that level of anger- you were the first person I could think of- well, not think- blurt out.” Regina let that sink in for a moment before she spoke.

“Seems I have a special place in your right ventricle,” she joked and Emma managed a ghost of a smile. “You literally can only think of me when you’re upset and you use me as a scapegoat unconsciously to rid your mother’s hounding words… I’m impressed. Still pissed, but impressed none the less. Come,” she commanded. “I need to get this out before it truly ruins this God awful shirt you care for so much,” she tried to smile a little but Emma just pouted.

“I’m really sorry, Regina.. hey, maybe we can go to Gold tomorrow and see about a forgetting potion?”

“Oh, and what do you have in exchange for his deal? Your soul, the nonexistent unborn child?” she motioned to her flat stomach. “Sanity?” Emma shrugged and Regina continued. “ Gold won’t help- he can’t at least,”

“But why, he’s Rumple fucking Stiltskin, and he’s supposed to be able to fix everything-,”

“- No, you have him confused with a deity and heaven and hell. Rumple cannot _fix_ this as you so slowly put it. He only gives you an already mapped out template, it’s what you do with it that’s the ‘fixing’ as you deem him capable of. Not much past that but the man is probably about as lucid as a helium balloon right now. If there is even a sliver of hope, it’s all down the drain once again due to your bloodline and their hero code.”

“So what’s the next option?” Emma asked as she followed Regina into the laundry once more and watch the woman work on her shirt in silence until she was done, turning to the blonde and speaking once more. She flicked her wrist and they were engulfed in a purple hue and reappearing in Regina’s vault.

 

“Start reading,” she said before motioning around them. Emma eyed all the books wearily and Regina paused to look at her.

“What is it now?”

“I can’t read… Elvish,” she looked sheepish and Regina walked over her before waving a hand over her eyes.

“Look at it again,” she nodded towards the book and Emma looked down before she saw the words swirling and her eyes focused just as they did. They became like regular letters before her and she kind of smiled at that. “ This will only last a for a few hours however you will begin to learn Elvish along the way without my having to constantly check on you. Get to reading Miss Swan,” she said once more before turning and finding a corner to sit in. Emma nodded and found herself another corner to sit in before she began as well. Regina paused for a moment.

“Where is Henry?”

“With Ruby at her place, he had a project to do earlier and then with this whole thing I needed someone to watch him and Ruby offered.” Regina put her head back down as she seemed to accept that answer.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Hours of reading well into the next morning and dead end after dead end later, Emma had finally had enough and she threw one of the spellbooks against the wall.

“Calm down,” Regina scolded as she looked up from her own book.

“How can you tell me to calm down when we literally have to produce a child in nine months and then have to get married,” the blonde grumbled and Regina looked up at her with a serious expression.

“You do realize that I’m actually entertaining this notion of a child and an engagement in the first place, right?” Emma’s face fell and she started to think. Regina went back to reading, her legs moving in a rhythmic motion as she could have been humming in her head.

“Wait- why _are_ you doing that anyway?”

“I’ve not the slightest clue, but I’m trying to either find a way out of this or some way to make your fallacy, a reality.”

“Yeah, but you’re like really calm about it,” Emma pushed and Regina closed the book to look at the woman. “ And you’re actually trying to save my ass,”

“Trust me when I say that I am not calm about this in the slightest. I am merely trying to think logically instead of irrationally,”

“What’s the irrational side telling you to do?”

“Roast your pretty little blonde ass right this second and then murder your parents for actually believing that lie and then murder my own for being just as naive about it,”

“Okay, it probably is best if you think logically then,”

“It is,” Regina agreed. “ I’m no longer fond of murderous rampages. I’m a queen and-,”

“- a bit more refined. Yeah- I know,” Emma grinned and Regina smiled a genuine smile at her. The silence sat between them for a moment until Regina had a thought. She stood up quickly and placed the book amongst the others before she began walking out of her vault. “Wait- where are you going?”

“I think I need my mother for this one,” the brunette answered quickly as she engulfed them both in a sheer puff of purple. They reappeared before Cora who was sat on her porch somewhere out by the farms and away from the city. She was reading about sunsets whilst watching a sunset before she noticed two people create a shadow in said sunset. She sat up and removed her glasses to regard them.

“Regina.. Miss Swan.. or should I call you Emma now,” she smiled at the pair before her.

“Umm, whatever is fine by you Miss Mills,” Emma managed without sputtering too much.

“Stop with that nonsense. Call me mom, I mean, you are marrying my daughter aren’t you?” Cora waved off and Emma gave an uneasy laugh. Cora stood and walked over to both of them before she spoke. “ Regina, have you come to let me interrogate your soon to be wife or have you come for another reason?”

“Another reason, Mother,” she smiled, but the smile was one of pure fear.

“Well, what is it, darling?” She looked at her child with concern and intent.

“Mother.. I think you may need to sit for this one,”

“Why?”Cora asked almost petulantly.

“Well, because mother, I might need for you to do something.. pertaining to Gold,” she continued and her mother sat unevenly. Once they were all sat and Regina had finally gathered the breath to speak, she spoke. “ Mother I need you to undo Rumple’s lost memories,”

“Darling, why would I do that?”

“Because we need to speak with him.. about the baby,” she managed to almost lie, but she could tell her mother was about to figure it out. So Regina thought quickly. “ We want him to make us a deal so that the baby is protected against him and any other magical being that could possibly harm our child,” she said and put on her best worried face which consisted of a frown and her looking down at her flat stomach. She stroked the taut skin of her stomach as well just to sell it. “ If Rumple manages to come around and he finds out about the baby and we can’t protect her or him then-”

“-I understand darling… Okay, I will lift this spell, but the second you are done, inform me so that I may put it back,”

“We will,” Regina nodded and bent over to hug her mother. “ Thank you, Mother,” she smiled at the woman and was pulled in for another hug.

“You’re welcome. I’d do anything for you, you know that,” Cora whispered.

“I know,” Regina said sadly because well, she’d just lied to her mother and Cora believed her. Cora summoned Emma over and hugged her as well.

“Take care of my daughter and grandchild, please,” she whispered before she looked at Emma with serious eyes.

“I will. I promise you, I will,” Emma found herself saying and wasn’t surprised that she meant it. Cora nodded.

“Rumple will be back in his shop with no recollection of having been stripped of his memories. He’ll still assume that as far as he’s concerned I haven’t managed to come back through the portal yet. I will put a cloaking spell over your stomach to prevent him from trying to reach in and disrupt the baby. He had tried that before Regina was born and I had to bind it with blood magic,” she informed the pair and they nodded. _Don’t worry mother, he won’t get the baby, there is no baby._ “ Oh, but before I forget.. I’d like to spend a day with Miss Swan if that’s okay. I haven’t had much time to truly get to know her, but I’d like to considering she’s the cause for my daughter’s joy, but I will say I’m highly surprised about the like of affection you show one another.”

“That’s because we argue more than anything if we’re not around Henry,” Regina smirked and Emma nodded.

“She’s right. We can usually only really get along if the kid’s there to buffer the insults we’d usually toss back and forth,”

“And yet.. here you both are- engaged with another child on the way,” she smiled as she looked at them. “ I guess I would be the one to blame for Regina’s lack of affection because you seem like the type to hug, Miss Swan,”

“Yeah I’d say you’re right,” Emma agreed and was once again rubbing the back of her head.

“Mother, not to cut this short but we really must be going. I’ll call you later tonight,”

“Of course, sweetheart, but first. Come,” Cora commanded and Regina stepped forward. Cora recited a blood magic protection spell over Regina’s stomach and the brunette figured she’d feel nothing considering there was no baby there, but she felt a sting and tug and a twist and it felt as though someone had tied a knot in her stomach. “ That means it’s working,” her mother reassured her. “ This spell protects not just the womb of those after they conceive, but those who wish to or are on their way to,” her mother continues. “ It’s an all around blood lock. Gold will not be able to sense the child and even if he does manage to, he will not be able to disrupt your womb.” Cora finished and Regina sighed in relief.  “ Now go, I’ve just brought Rumple back, but you must work quickly,” she said and Regina nodded before they vanished.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Gold’s bell clung melodically as the pair walked inside to the man who stood behind the counter in his usual place. His cane was set aside as he looked up from a book and quirked an interested brow at the pair.

“Ah, and to what do I owe the great displeasure of seeing the useless saviour and the long forgotten queen?” he sniped and both had to keep from jumping him because they had other issues to deal with. Emma breathed in and out a few times to calm herself as Regina just stood there with her hands locked before her, fingers itching to just roast Rumple’s ass.

“We need to ask you about something,” Emma said and Gold smiled.

“And what- pre tel is it that _you_ need to ask of me, Saviour,”

“True Love babies,” she said because she really had no time to roundabout it now.

“And what of them,” Gold asked as his face contorted into thought.

“How are they made,” she asked before she realized he might think her stupid, but Gold seemed to realize what she was trying to say.

“Right, well, aside from a usual evening filled with rose water and baths towards.. well, you get the point. Children who are the product of True Love can only be conceived if both are in fact In Love. There’s no other way through it or around it. However if one claims True Love to another without any actual bond of True Love, both will cease to exist,” he almost laughed but thought better of it. Emma looked at Regina wearily who looked extremely pale in that moment. She had to keep going.

“What if.. let’s say, they did claim that this person was their true love without their knowledge and or consent and claimed that they were en route to having a child as well as a marriage, what happens then,”

“ Miss Swan, if I may ask, is it you who had claimed such a thing to whom I’d assume it be your less than mentally capable pirate, and now you are in need of my assistance to ensure you do not somehow spontaneously combust?”

“If I say yes will you just answer the damn question,”

“Mmm, for a price of course,” Gold smiled his most deviant of smiles.

“Name it,” she said quickly.

“Oh no no no, Miss Swan. See if I name my price- _you_ may suffer the consequences greatly and I leave without what I was promised, so here is what I will do. I will give you this bit of information and in exchange you will do whatever it is I ask for in due time. Do we have a deal,”

“We do,” she began and he smiled but she continued. “ But only if you make me a deal that you won’t come after our baby or request anything of this child or harm him or her should you go on your quest for vengeance,” she ended and Gold was silent for but a moment before he laughed, actually laughed.

“Dearie, I’ve no use for a half cast of a child. You may be the product of True Love, but your smelly pirate is of no noble name. More so, I would only be interested in your offspring if both of you had contained magic, which only you do. Now, as I was saying, that is our deal,” he snapped out a long contract out of nowhere. “ Sign on the dotted line,” he sung before a pen appeared before her. Emma reached forward and held on to the pen and was about to sign until Regina swatted her hand away.

“The information first,” Regina said as she’d finally decided to speak.

“Ah, she speaks. I was beginning to think you’d fallen mute, Your Majesty,” Gold teased and Regina rolled her eyes.

“Emma may be stupid enough to sign before hand, but I’m not. Information. First,” she barked and he nodded.

“Very well then. Miss Swan, having claimed..,” he waved off, “ as your True Love without consent and or knowledge now binds you to that person forever,” he said and she looked at Regina who was just staring at Gold almost as wide eyed as the blonde herself. “ This means that you have created your own ‘contract’ with this person and you must now hold up to your end of the… bargain. Furthermore, you will have to conceive a child within the allotted time frame of a natural pregnancy, which in turn will speed up your own to match that of said time frame. You will need to live with your lovely suitor as well, as it helps to create a nest so to speak that will house your growth.”

“In other words, it’s like a cocoon and all the already manifested work towards True Love has to be contained within one place,” Emma caught on and Gold smiled at her. She was catching on, so he continued.

“Neither can break the contract by engaging with another and if it is broken…” Gold trailed off with a devilish smirk.

“If it’s broken?” Regina pushed and he smirked at her.

“Give me a moment,” he addressed Emma before turning to Regina. “ Madame Mayor, why are you so adamant about Miss Swan receiving answers? I thought you would have been excited to realize that this may get rid of her once and for all if she were to break this contract in some manner or another,”

“If you actually said how she could possibly break it instead of running us around in circles she may be able to prevent it and I only care because Henry is so fond of her,” Regina managed confidently and Gold smirked. If he figured it was something else, he didn’t say.

“Fine. It’s rather simple. Follow through on exactly what you said and all will be fine,”

“That’s it. No loopholes? No fineprint? nothing?”

“On the contrary there are other things, however I’m not a manual, neither am I a fortune cookie. Follow through and you live. Don’t follow through and you die bound to this person until you do,”

“What about after… like, if we marry and do have the child, what happens after,”

“Your contract would have been fulfilled and you may part ways, however the child will lose all magical ability he or she would have once possessed.” Regina paled even more at those words. “ But that only happens if the child is of True Love and the child _has_ to be of True Love. If not, he or she will die in the womb, or if they somehow manage to survive- upon birth,”

“What?!” Emma almost shouted but she was so torn up about this she couldn’t control her reactions.

“Did I leave out that bit of information. I do apologise,” Gold flashed his teeth and Emma had to keep from not only throwing up but throttling him through something. She watched Regina stagger away and move about the shop and she knew Regina wouldn’t survive through the death of a child, she couldn’t… Emma didn’t know how she knew that but she could just sense that Regina wouldn’t be able to.

“What if I’m sterile- Infertile,” Emma stuttered and Gold seemed to flash her some sympathy for all of two seconds before his usual mask was back in place. She had to ask every single question she could because she and Regina would be hitting roadblock after roadblock if she didn’t get every answer she could possibly need in that moment.

“That wouldn’t matter in the case of True Love. True Love- is the most powerful magic, Miss Swan. The only magic that is powerful enough to transcend realms and break any curse. It’s its own form of magic. Its own nature and its own curse well within its right to be so. Every magic comes with cost and in the case of claim of True Love you will be faced with those obstacles. You’ve only nine months, no more, no less, I suggest you begin figuring out how to make your..,” he waved off again, “ your True Love. You claimed that it was True Love and that created this little fiasco you have here. It better be able to get you out of it, dearie,” he smirked and she sighed.

“Yeah I get it. You don’t need to be yet another person letting me know I did something stupid,”

“Oh, and who would be the first,”

“Regina,” she sighed and Gold smirked.

“Ah, yes, Her Majesty. Well I do believe we have a deal, do we not?” Gold questioned as his eyes shifted to the contract.

“Yeah, just let me read it first,”

“Very well,” he said before he turned and went to the back. Emma picked up the contract and sifted through Gold’s shop in search of Regina who she found fiddling with what appeared to be some offset jewel on a necklace. She sighed as she got closer before she spoke.

 

“I got the contract,” Emma bit her lip but Regina didn’t turn around. “ Gold says that even with the infertility you can still conceive so that’s a good thing, right?” she asked in an uneasy manner and Regina merely nodded and muttered,

“I suppose.” Emma walked closer and placed the contract before the woman’s eyes and continued.

“I didn’t wanna sign it yet until you read it so that we both knew what exactly it is that’s being promised on this thing.”

“What does it matter.” Regina spat as she turned to stare Emma in the eyes. Emma held her gaze and didn’t back down, instead she was trying to be a support system and that just made Regina feel even shittier. Emma really wanted to actually do this and had no clue of Regina’s history with miscarriage and infertility.

“It matters a lot because for the past what- eighteen hours no less, all I’ve managed to do was make decisions for you, not with you and I think if we’re both going to deal with this since we now actually _have_ to, why not start here.”

“Because we will never be True Love’s, Miss Swan. You and I will never be able to convince anyone, hell, we won’t be able to convince ourselves that we can and will be True Love’s and what of a baby? If I do somehow miraculously become pregnant and the baby isn’t of True Love, just some random romp in the sack, he or she will die, Emma. Did you not gather that? A child will die if we can not bring this to life somehow.” Regina grinded her teeth and turned away from Emma’s gaze. “ Just when I think it couldn’t get any worse and your idiocy couldn’t cause more damage and harm- it does,” she muttered and her eyes began to well up with tears. She sniffled and her tears dripped onto the contract that was staring back at her, taunting her very soul. She was now going to be bound to two of them just because of a vocal claim to True Love.

“I’m sorry,” she heard the words be whispered to her and honestly it actually made her feel somewhat better. She sniffled again but did not move. “ Regina I am so sorry about this and about what this could do to you, but I promise you that with every single last piece of me, I will prevent anything and everything that could harm you or our child. I promise you that we will figure out some way to get through this or out of this. I will, or I’ll die trying,” she said and felt her own heart clenched at the admission. She wasn’t about to let Regina suffer for her mistake and she was damn sure not about to let it cost the woman her life or the life of an innocent child they may have somehow magically made. Regina felt another twist and pull in her stomach but shrugged it away as she nodded towards Emma. She did not expect the blonde to hug her and bring her in tightly, but she had no time to react to that when she was too busy crying against the blonde’s shoulder and burying her face in Emma’s chest. She sniffled and she sniffled and teared up and whimpered in Emma’s arms as she managed to choke out.

“I-I had a-mis-miscarriage,” and Emma froze like a block of ice. Emma felt her eyes sting with Regina’s sputtered admission and she hated herself that she included this woman in it.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered tearily into Regina’s hair. “ I will fix this. I will fix us and I will give you a child with no worry of death. Regina I will fix this, you have my word- you have my word,” she continued to whisper before she pulled the woman in tighter and kissed the top of her head. They stayed that way for some time until Regina pulled away and gathered herself, her mask slipping back in place.a

“I need to call my mother so that she can reverse his memories,” she said as she picked up the contract to read it and dial her mother’s number.

“Why now, shouldn’t we get him to sign it first?”

“No,” Regina said. “ You’ll see why in a minute.

“Hello, mother,” Regina said as she quickly spoke to the other woman. “ Yes.. no. No not yet, we need you to reverse it. I’ll explain later, but we need you to reverse it.. yes, yes of course.. I love you too mother. Goodbye,” Regina hung up. “ We need to get to the hospital and have Gold sign this,” was all Regina said before they were engulfed in a cloud of smoke.

 

They once again reappeared before Gold and he was just as Regina said, about as Lucid as a helium balloon.

“Regina?” he questioned light-heartedly and both probably would’ve taken great joy in his state but they needed to do this quickly.

“Yes Uncle Rumple it’s me,” she quickly soothed.

“How’s your mother doing,” he hiccuped a grin and Regina twisted her mouth to maintain a straight face. She put on a fake smile before regarding him.

“She’s absolutely wonderful, she said to tell you hello and that Alice and Hatter have finally managed to get along,”

“Oh that’s just great!” he cheered and sat up in his hospital bed. He looked around and looked back at her.

“What is this dreadful place, dearie,”

“It’s a special place that’s keeping your heart from failing. We wanted to make sure that your were here for a long time. Mother wanted to make sure you didn’t leave us too soon,” she pat his shoulder. “ Uncle Rumple,” she called and he smiled up at her.

“Yes, dear girl,”

“My friend Emma wanted your autograph on the special scrolls you used to tell me about,” she smiled and he was confused.

“Special scrolls,”

“Yes, the ones you used to teach magic with. Mother had acquired one for me and Emma thought it would be nice to have an autograph from my favourite uncle,” she tried to sound as happy as possible and it seemed to work before his eyes drooped and his smile got bigger.

“Of course, of course. Where is it?”

“Right here,” she said before she put it before him.

“Ahh those dotted lines. Always were my favourites,” he smirked and Regina gave a pinched smile.

“Mine too,” she managed as she watched him sign without a second word.

“Here you are,” he smiled and she smiled back.

“Thank you, Uncle Rumple,”

“There’s no need, dearie. Now I’m feeling a bit tired. We’ll talk another day, yes?”

“Oh but of course,” she grinned and it bordered on that usual evil grin because this was surprisingly going as planned.

“Be safe, sweet child,”

“You get some rest,” she said back and he nodded before he dozed off quickly.

“We need to go. Now,” Regina said and Emma nodded before they hauled ass out of the hospital and teleported back to Cora’s.

 

That only served to make the old woman jump at the intrusion and nearly set fire to her book.

“Son of  BIT-,”

“-Mother!” Regina reprimanded and Cora glared at her.

“Next time, use the damn bell, would you, dear,”

“Duly noted mother,” Regina deadpanned. “ We have the contract,” she finally said with ease and Cora perked up.

“Oh! Give it here,” she commanded and Regina handed it over. Cora skimmed through the actual contract, reading and re-reading every single line and pulling out all fineprint. The contract was solid.

“The Imp actually made a rather impressive contract,” Cora eyed it before handing it back to her daughter.

“Yes well, he figures that Emma is with Captain Coatrack-,”

“-Who in the bloody hell is Captain Coatrack,”

“Hook, mother, Hook,”

“I thought you called him.. what was it- Guyliner?”

“That too. I’ve many names for him but I’m becoming fond of- Why the hell are we talking about names for the idiot pirate? We have the contract. We need to sign it,” Regina said, shaking her head. She pulled the pen from her pocket and handed it to Emma. Emma quickly signed on the dotted line before she slid everything over to Regina. Regina breathed in deeply before she felt Emma’s hand to the small of her back. A whispered.

“It’ll be okay,” was what brought her hand up to the parchment. The words.

“I promise,” came after and that’s what set her hand in motion. Emma’s kiss to her temple is what sealed her signature and Regina felt a twist, tug and pull in her stomach. That was the third or fourth knot of the day. The three signatures glowed in hue of gold before it began to float and completely disintegrate before them. The contract was sealed. Their unborn and un-conceived child, was protected.Her mother having taken noticed needed to question her.

“How many knots have you felt?”

“Three or four,” she winced and Emma eyed her wearily.

“Good. Each knot is a protection for each month. After the ninth knot it will go away,” Cora said before rubbing Regina’s back. She placed her hands on Regina’s still flat stomach and rubbed. “ You make me proud, little one,” she cooed before she rubbed once more. “ This baby will be beautiful and well loved and protected beyond all bounds. I will ensure that,” Cora announced and Regina nodded thankfully and they sat down.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cora and the pair had talked for a while until Emma said something about getting Henry and Cora simply flicked her wrist and he appeared. He was disoriented and stumbling until he caught himself.

“Nana?”

“Henry!” she said cheerily before she rose and pulled him in for a hug.

“Hey, Nana. What’s up,”

“Nothing. Just your mother’s being protective over your little sibling,”

“They went to see Mister Gold, huh,”

“Yes dear. Contracts and protection aside, he will never be able to touch this child for as long as he or she lives,” Cora said happily and Henry realized she did not know that none of this was real. He’d thought her senile if he wasn’t positive it was his blonde mother who’d started this whole tale.

“That’s good,” he breathed as he tried to play along and she bought it. “ So.. what’s for dinner? Can we stay at Nana’s? I kind of missed seeing her for a while,” he blushed and Regina and Emma pretty much shrugged along with it.

“Why not,” Emma smiled and Regina nodded.

“That’s a lovely idea, sweetheart,” his brunette mother smiled and he grinned.

 

“Very well, now that we have this settled. Swan, I require your assistance in the kitchen. Regina, rest for now. Henry you’re on setting the table,” Cora ordered. “ Chop chop,” she smiled and made her way towards the kitchen. Emma looked at Regina with fear and Regina just smirked at her. She didn’t know why she felt the need to reassure the blonde, but she went with it. She rubbed at Emma’s arm and leaned in to whisper.

“You’ll do fine. She’s going to love you. She’s not the queen of hearts anymore. She’s literally your mother without the animal language and hard-headed flabber mouth thing,” Regina grinned and Emma managed to smile.

“Thanks,” Emma smiled before squeezing Regina’s hand.

“My pleasure. Now go,” she shooed and Emma got up happily and made her way to the kitchen.

“Mother,” Regina called and the woman poked her head out. “ Go easy on her,” Regina smiled because she needed some way to make her mother believe she and Emma truly are together. Cora mock gasped and returned without an answer and Regina just shook her head. The brunette flicked through the channels on the tv until she realized one thing that she would literally not be able to do. She groaned internally as Henry watched her with an odd face.

“What is it mom?”

“Nothing,” she sighed. “ except I just realized I won’t be able to drink anything alcoholic for the next nine months,”

“Mom you do realize none of this is real, right?” he questioned with an odd face. She sighed once more.

“Come here,” she said to him before he sat in the same chair as her. She then told him what she deemed important for him to know and watched as his eyes lit up in excitement and everything else. The only thing he’d said in conclusion was.

“This is so cool,”

“So, you’re not uneasy about this,”

“Uneasy? Mom you realize I get to have you both in the same place so that I don’t have to be back and forth and living with Gram and Gramps who make me watch sports and the knitting channel. I get that she’s a grandma now, but she’s still only like thirty one, she shouldn’t be aging that quickly. Nana doesn’t even watch that stuff and she’s almost ancient.”

“HENRY!” Cora shrieked from the kitchen and he laughed.

“I think she heard you,” his mother smiled and he blushed.

“So, does that mean you guys are gonna try- like try- try?”

“Whether we want to or not, yes we have to try and will try and Emma will be staying with us and .. yes, just yes,” she said and breathed out heavily.

“It’s still kinda weird, you guys having to be True Love’s and all that, but I get my moms that’s all I care about,”

“I’m glad you’re so open minded,” Regina rolled her eyes but smiled at him. Regina brought the boy in for a hug and he accepted before he placed his ear to her stomach.

“I hope you do come, little sib,” he whispered but didn’t count on his mother hearing him. Regina smiled down at the boy. If this was something that would make Henry happy and ease Emma’s guilt and quite possibly even make her feel better, wasn’t it worth the chance? The risk?

 

“It is,” she whispered to herself as she smiled and turned her attention back to the tv.


	3. The morning after, Nana shenanigans, Two kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as the title suggests it follows those three events and the kisses aren't what you think them to be ;)  
> Do enjoy as I've been on a very inspired burst and decided to treat you all as well as hold you over because I have work tomorrow. Ehhhhh I die now. Jk,
> 
> Thanks for the kudos Cupcakes You guys are such sweet people
> 
> Hugs and Love,  
> Megan

So after a rather eventful evening, a good dinner, one short interrogation and a family movie at Cora’s home later, the pair bid the woman good night. Henry had chosen to spend the evening with his grandmother and she’d quickly materialized a few of his things for him as well as his school supplies. Emma had asked him if he was sure he wanted to stay and he claimed it would be good to see how his grandmother lives that far away from the city.

“Oh- moms, before you go. My class is gonna need a chaperone for the field trip tomorrow, I know it’s short notice, but do you think one of you could come?” he asked with a hopeful smile on his face. Both his mother’s softened as they looked at each other and back at him.

“Sorry, Kid,” Emma said as she stroked his hair from his face. “ I’ve gotta get to the station early tomorrow morning and I’m stumped the entire day.. Regina?” she looked over at the brunette who shook her head sadly.

“Seeing that whomever it was had cancelled today’s meetings, they’ve pushed everything I’d planned to get done, back, which requires me going to them and bridging the gap,” Regina explained and the boy deflated.

“But, without another chaperone.. we can’t go,” he pouted and Cora had an idea.

“I’ll chaperone,” she said as she put a hand up and Regina looked at her with concern.

“Mother, are you sure you can do this,”

“Oh for heaven’s sake, Regina, stop treating me like I’ve lost control of my bowels. I’m fine. I can chaperone, Henry and the other flitlings. You two deal with your duties and I will be sure to keep you updated,” she shooed and his face lightened at the prospect of seeing his grandmother threaten to set people’s asses on fire, then again, with her pure heart, she probably wouldn’t bother. Emma shrugged and Regina sighed.

“Okay, but check in every hour on the hour,”

“Sweetheart the last time I checked, I was the mother,” Cora grinned before she kissed the side of Regina’s head. “ Go. I need to get Henry prepared for tomorrow and he’ll tell me about this little trip for tomorrow,”

“Very well. Good night mother.. good night my little prince,” she cooed when it came to Henry. She kissed his head and Cora looked like she was glaring at Regina.

“Where’s mine?” Regina rolled her eyes before she kissed her mother’s head. “ And my nickname?” she pushed and Regina hung her head.

“Well, I can’t very well call you queen now can I? I’ll seem conceited as if I’m referring to myself. I’ll think of one, Your Grace,” Regina mock bowed and her mother grinned.

“Your Grace fits rather well,” Cora clapped.

“Good, now, we’ll be going. We need to get a few things for Emma from the apartment and figure out the rest of the living arrangements,”

“You’re engaged, you sleep in the same bed. It’s that simple. I mean, my grandchild is the result of your doing the deed.. frequently might I add,” Cora shrugged and Regina’s eyes blew wide open. “Regina, don’t be such a prude, now! You’ve been post coital for how long and you’re already putting dear Emma here in the dog house,” Cora lightly scolded and Regina blushed so hard she had to cover her mouth. “ As engaged adults you sleep in the same bed. As far as I’m concerned you should have been a while ago if you decided to get married. Best way to learn about someone is to live with them, right?”

“What’s post coital mean?” Henry asked as he looked between the women.

“Something you do not need to know about right now,” Emma said quickly as she pushed him away from the group but he just came right back. Regina dropped her head once more before she began to talk to her mother

“I’m sorry, mother, you’re right. completely right. We’ll call tomorrow- Henry you know your bed time, do not think that because you’re staying with your grandmother you can trick her into thinking you go to bed later than ten, nothing sweet before you sleep and brush your teeth before bed, are we clear?”

“Yes moooom,” he whined and she smiled.

“Good, I love you. You too mother, no staying up late,” Regina said and Cora regarded her with an ‘are you serious’ snarl.

“What am I, living in a home? Regina dear, I don’t require naps and or medication, I’m perfectly full functioning. You should know that considering your father and I made you-,”

“-Dear God, Mother- just no, Emma, let’s go. Now,” she turned quickly and literally slammed the door on the way out.

“Hey Nana,”

“Yes, my dear boy?”

“Can you teach me how to scar mom like that?”

“No, that’s only for parents to do to their children. And it’s not something one is taught, rather, it’s learned,” Cora grinned and Henry rolled his eyes with a smile.

“Alright, now tell me about this so called ‘field trip’. Are they going to allow you to roam amongst the cows until you’ve fallen or have I gotten this completely wrong,” Cora asked genuinely and Henry had to keep from actually laughing at her. She took it literally, way too literal.

“No, nana, it’s nothing like that. A field trip is….”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“So, that was.. eventful,” Emma said after she and Regina had teleported to Regina’s house. Regina just hummed before she spoke.

“I don’t think that word fully defines my mother- or tonight, or rather the near fourty eight hours,”

“Sorry,” Emma muttered but Regina shook her head.

“There’s no point in being sorry anymore. We now have a goal to reach and that’s creating a child born of True Love as well as a wedding,” Regina said and didn’t realize it until that moment, _I have to fall in love with Emma Swan!_

“What’s wrong?” Emma asked as she stepped closer to the brunette.

“Nothing,” Regina quickly shook her head.

“No, that’s your thinking face. You did your thinking face. What’s wrong?”

“I have to love.. you,” Regina whispered. She felt the knot the twist and the pull in her stomach once again.

“What?” Emma asked and Regina gulped and blinked quickly.

“I have to love, you,” she said a bit louder. “ I have to love, and fall in love.. with you,” she said and her octave rose with every word.

“Yeah, shit. I just realized that.. against your will.. Regina I-,”

“-Swan, just.. stop.. just-stop,” Regina shook her head, a pained expression on her face. “ We have to do this.. we will do this.. a child can not suffer if we don’t do this. We are going to do this so just… kiss me,” Regina commanded.

“What?!”

“I said kiss me,” Regina said sharply and Emma shook her head.

“No,”

“No?! Now you know the word no? What about when you decided to tell your parents I’m pregnant with your daughter and that we’re going to have some forest wedding?” Regina growled and Emma grinned. “ What the hell is so funny,”

“You said daughter,” Emma grinned wider and Regina seethed.

“No I didn’t,”

“You did,” Emma nodded. “ You said ‘ tell your parents I’m pregnant with your daughter’... you want a little girl?”

“I’ve always wanted a little girl,” she found herself admitting with a more than guarded tone.

“That’s cool,” Emma said softly and Regina scoffed.

“Can you speak adult and not preteen,” Regina scolded but it lacked bite.

“Sorry,” Emma blushed. “ I meant to say that’s really amazing that you’ve always wanted a girl. Sometimes I used to think Henry was a girl, but by the time I realized my stomach was about as high as a drug addict I pretty much knew I was having a boy,” she smiled and Regina’s lip twitched. They were still standing in the foyer of the house, both still in their jackets and shoes, but Emma continued. “ So.. what names did you pick for a little girl?” she asked and Regina shrugged like she didn’t have any. “ Oh, come on, I’m sure you had at least one name for a little girl,” she pushed and Regina shut her eyes.

“I didn’t,” another knot and twist and pull in her stomach.

“You’re lying,” Emma smiled and Regina peaked through her lid to glare at the blonde but Emma caught her and she knew that. Regina sighed and opened her mouth to speak.

“I suppose I did have a few..like Kalani or Kainoa, Lola or Noelle,” she lightened up and didn’t realize that Emma was undressing her from her jacket and nudging her out of her shoes.

“Keep talking,” the blonde smiled as she led them both into the kitchen and got two bottles of water. Regina sat at the island as she kept talking about herself at a younger age and how she’s always figured she could have a little girl with Daniel and how she never gave up hope to have a little girl until she was married off to the king. There was an odd moment of silence as they tried to skip over those parts of her past, but they’d managed to talk for a while longer until Regina found herself at ease, but then uneasy once again.

 

“I apologise for my outburst earlier,” she fidgeted but Emma shook her head.

“It’s not your fault. It’s mine and I know what it’s like for something you can’t control to drive you up the wall and practically drive you nuts til you just snap and want something outrageous done. I made you a promise I intend to keep. We’ll figure this out and we will come out of this stronger and with a healthy baby, but until then. I am not about to kiss you just because you fell off the wagon back there. Besides, I’m pretty sure you told me that Magic is emotion and that True Love is no exception, so.. we’ll just trust our emotions as much as we trust each other,” Emma smiled and Regina snorted.

“I trust myself and my emotions about as much as I trust you and that’s nowhere near enough to generate a small bulb. That’s not even enough to create a spark-,”

“-Well,” Emma laughed. “ Just start trusting yourself, damn it,” she giggled and Regina smirked at her.

“I can’t promise I’ll be one with nature and my emotions in a handful of minutes, but,” she heaved a sigh. “ I will try,”

“And that’s all I’m asking of you. Come on, we need to get my stuff from the apartment,” the blonde smiled but Regina looked at her as if she was nuts.

“We just dealt with your parents yesterday, and you want me to do it again, today?”

“Kinda.. I mean we’re only going to get my stuff and we’re coming right back,”

“That’s not how your mother will see it and you know that. She’ll start reprimanding us both about you leaving so soon and probably claim I’ve put you under some spell that made you pack your things and leave as though it has nothing to do with you being a thirty something year old woman still living at home with her parents or the fact that you should be living with your fiancee and unborn child,”

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were actually happy to say that just now,” Emma grinned.

“Don’t kid yourself, Swan. We both know that we have to live together in order for this to work,” Regina rolled her eyes but she wasn’t upset over it or anything of the sort.

“Well, can you materialize all my things to be here then?”

“That depends on how many things you have. I might require your help in magic transfer,”

“Magic transfer?”

“Yes, exactly what it sounds like. Much like energy, you’d tether your magic to me to help me bring your things here. We’ll both have to take turns doing it and it requires focus, something I’m almost positive you lack majorly,”

“Yeah, sorry, I was diagnosed with an overactive mind when I was younger. It’s not like ADD or ADHD it’s just that my innate ability to focus only comes into play when I’m like you said threatened. It’s the only time I think logically. Either that or when I’m… active in other ways,” she blushed furiously and Regina’s eyebrows rose.

“Well, to avoid another description of how one came to exist, let’s test this out. Magic transfer can be very difficult and very draining if not done correctly, understood,” Regina asked and Emma nodded and Regina smiled. “ Good, now. You will need to slow your breathing and try to clear your mind as much as possible because you must envision your belongings, as many of them as you possibly can. If you can manage to see the majority of them if brings all into your mind and allows me to see it as well.. hold my hands,” Regina said and Emma did as she was told. “ Think of something that’s very very important to you and imagine the way it feels and what it looks like up close or even how it smells. Magic is also based off your senses and in this case, they are your best bet to acquire what it is you truly want near you,”

“Okay,” Emma said lightly.

“Breathe, Emma. It’s just a simple materialization. This one you can do on your own to see if you’re comfortable with it, okay,”

“Okay,”

“Good. Do you have the image in your mind,” Regina questioned before she felt that familiar knot twist and tug in her stomach. She needed a damn medal for brushing that shit off as much as she did today.

“Yeah,” she breathed lightly.

“Can you feel it? See it? Smell it? anything?”

“Yes, yes and yes,” the blonde smiled.

“Okay now call it forth,” Regina said and Emma did so. It took a bit but they both soon felt something appear in their hands and it was warm… and sticky. Regina and Emma both opened their eyes to see a bear claw between them and Regina gaped at Emma who just had a bit of decency to look sheepish.

“Did you seriously just steal a bear claw.. from Granny’s no less,” Regina looked like she was on the verge of slapping Emma and she nodded as she waited for the woman to do just that, but Regina just lost it laughing.

“I guess I should have clarified no food,” Regina snickered and Emma smiled because she made the woman smile. “ Considering I expected you to materialize your jacket or baby blanket, this took the cake..or rather, the bear claw,” Regina hung her head.

“Can I eat it now?” Emma asked as she reached for it but Regina swatted her hand.

“No.. if you can manage to materialize something of actual value to you then you may have it, deal?”

“Deal,” Emma agreed quickly before she forced herself to focus and focus hard, a little too hard because she did manage to make her jacket appear, but she made it appear in pieces and nearly had a heart attack when she saw it.

“Calm down, thankfully this isn’t actually _your_ jacket. That’s the joys of magic. It’s an obscured image of it which means the original is still where you left it.. where did you leave it?” Regina asked and Emma rolled her eyes around as she thought.

“On the dresser in my room,” Emma answered and Regina slid her hands over the blonde’s eyes so she’d close them and she did.

“Okay, how is it folded,” she continued as she watched Emma’s face etch into thought.

“It’s not, I just tossed it there haphazardly,” Emma answered and Regina rolled her eyes. _I should have known that_.

“Okay and what’s it on top of?”

“I think some books or- no no it’s on top of my legal pad from the office, the one with the snakes on it that Henry got me,” she smiled and Regina did the same.

“Is there anything else near it or around it,”

“Only a cologne bottle and some deodorant,”

“Mhmmm and what does it smell like,”

“Cigarettes,” Emma grimaced. “ I had to go into the Rabbit Hole the other night and that’s why I haven’t worn it in days.. and a cheeseburger cus I got grease on it earlier that day and just wiped it off with my hand,”

“How Charming. My heroooo,” Regina teased and Emma laughed but kept her eyes closed. “ What does it feel like,” Regina said as her smile remained and Emma sighed happily.

“Home,” the blonde whispered and Regina’s face fell into sympathy.. of course it would feel like home. She cleared her throat. “ Go on,” she managed and Emma went on.

“It feels soft and warm and secretive, but it still feels like I’m a badass when I wear it and I feel like I can take on the world when I have it on and no one will try to harm me as much as people have when they see me wearing it,” she went on, but hadn’t realized that her jacket had already materialized before her. So as she continued to explain, Regina slowly moved the jacket away from the woman to cloak the smell of cigarette and cheeseburger. She wanted to hear Emma’s declaration over something she’d made home for herself, not what someone else managed to give her.

“Emma,” Regina whispered softly.

“Hmm?”

“Open your eyes,” Regina said and Green eyes fluttered and saw Brown. “ Look down,” the brunette smiled and Emma did so she saw her jacket before her and her eyes watered. She looked back up at Regina who was looking at her proudly.

“I did it,” she whispered and Regina nodded.

“You did it. Entirely by yourself might I add,” Regina congratulated and Emma looked back down at her jacket and smiled.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Daviiiiidddd!” Snow shrieked and her husband came skidding into the kitchen, nearly totaling himself along with their fridge.

“What! What happened- what’s wrong?!”

“David, the world’s ending,” she cried and he looked at her funny.

“Mary Margaret, please tell me you weren’t watching another paranormal video,” he groaned.

“No, DAVID LOOK! WHAT’S MISSING?”

“Besides a few screws.. nothing,”he mumbled and thankfully she caught none of that.

“We’re all going to die. All of Emma’s things have just vanished, David. They’ve vanished!”

“What do you mean they vanished?”

“What the hell do you think I mean by vanished, David. Gone, Kaput, disappeared!”

“Okay, calm down, there has to be a reason they’re no longer here,”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know but there has to be a reason. Look, let’s just call Emma and let her know and we’ll take it from there, good idea?” he offered and she nodded frantically. “ Okay, I’ll go call her , you just.. sit somewhere,” he shook his head as he dialled Emma’s number.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“So will I be able to do the same thing with people?”

“Not necessarily, but we’ll save that for a later date. It wouldn’t be so much in materialization as it is projection and teleportation,”

“Cool so I can teleport someone to be where I am without having to be near them,”

“Precisely but like I said, let’s leave that for a later date, hmm,” Regina offered an Emma nodded.

“I can’t believe I actually did it,”

“Why?”

“Because of my overactive mind and my ability to just screw everything I touch, up,”

“Emma, magic is different. The laws of magic are different. Belief in yourself when you obtain and contain magic is different than when you’re just a mere mortal. It was inside you, it was just in need of manifestation, and you did that, by yourself might I add,”

“I did, huh,”

“Yes and don’t think I’ve gone soft when I say this, but I am truly proud of you for focusing on your craft long enough to bring forth something positive.”

“You are?”

“Do I need to repeat it Swan,” Regina glared and Emma smiled.

“I’d appreciate it.. it makes me feel a little less stupid and useless.”

“Fine,” Reign drawled. “ I am proud of you, Swan. Truly proud of your ability to bring forth a positive outcome, there- happy, _princess_ ,” she teased and the blonde groaned.

“Alright, I get it. I’m a royal,”

“Indeed you are-,” Regina was cut off by Emma’s phone ringing.

“Sorry,” she muttered sheepishly but Regina waved her off.

“Go,” she said softly and Emma nodded.

“Be right back,” the blonde promised before she found a corner to answer her phone. “ Hello.. Oh, hey dad- what? Is that mom in the back yelling? H-hello? Mom-MOM- calm down and start from the beginning.. okay….. okay- okay, uhuh, yeah, got it. Well you kin- yeah, uhuh… Okay, I’m coming, yeah leaving right now, okay- uhuh- yep, bye,” Emma rushed off the phone. She spun around to face Regina who looked more than confused. “ So that was my motherrrrr,”

“I hearrrrrd,” Regina drawled as she mimicked the blonde.

“She said all my stuff is gone,”

“As in?”

“Vanished,” Emma said and Regina froze.

“I need to go.. could you-,” she stopped short.

“You want me to go with you?” Regina queried and the blonde nodded. “ Of course,” Regina nodded and Emma looked up at her.

“Really?”

“Yes, Swan, now let’s go,”

“Kay.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They appeared before the door, having driven this time, Emma knocked on the door for literally less than a split second before it was yanked back with so much force a gust was created. Snow just looked distraught and Emma had to hold back from laughing because if she wasn’t that worried about some missing items, then why would her mother be- riiight, because she was her mother.

“What took you so long?”

“Uhh, driving,” Emma said as she stepped inside after holding her hand out for Regina to go in first. She, without realizing it took her and Regina’s coats off and hung them up. “ Okay, so you said they vanished?”

“Yes, they just.. your room is so bare,” Snow looked at the blonde sorrowful but it looked comedic and cartoonish to Regina and Emma.

“Okay, well I’ll go in and check to see if someone climbed through the window or anything, but it’s probably someone magical-,”

“-Gold!” the woman shrieked and they all eyed her weirdly.

“No.. Gold’s practically senile right now. He can’t even remember his own name,” Emma concluded. “Dad.. do you mind,” Emma motioned to her mother and he nodded.

“Come on, honey. Let’s go find you something to watch and let Emma get to her job.”

“But David I-,”

“Snow, let her do her job. We’ll both just get in the way if we don’t and Emma won’t find out where her things went. Now do you want her to find them or not?”

“I do,” she conceded.

“Okay, so sit with me and watch something,”

“Fine,” she sighed. “ Emma, you tell me if you’ve found something,”

“Will do, mom.. come on Regina,” the blonde said and the pair ascended the staircase whilst Regina muttered.

“I‘m almost positive your mother has sniffed way too many poppies in her life, snorted too much pixie dust and pollen or just spent too much damn time in the woods to have a normal functioning human brain. It’s as if it was replaced with a peanut,”

“You’re saying that about the woman you mothered who is going to be your mother in law when we get married, you might wanna tamp down on the insults, or at least be a little less harsh,”

“That was a little less harsh. At least I didn’t call her crazy, which, let’s be real here, she could be,”

“Regina,” Emma nearly growled and the woman held her hands up in surrender.

“Fine.. can we get to the missing items now, please,” she said and Emma rolled her eyes at the woman before they opened the room door and stepped inside. Regina scrunched up her face at the room before she commented.

“How did she come to the conclusion that something’s missing if your room looks exactly the way it usually does,”

“I was gonna ask the same thing, but… she’s right,” the blonde said as she pulled her cupboards open. “ I don’t even know where to start with this,” Emma rubbed her forehead.

“I might have an idea,” Regina said before she flicked her wrist and Emma’s jacket appeared.

“Locator spell,” Emma smiled and Regina nodded with her own smile. “ Well, do it,” she grinned and Regina did. The jacket began to levitate and glow a gold hue before it just fell limply onto the ground once more.

“It’s blocked,” Regina concluded. “ I don’t know how or why, but it’s blocked. It’s as if whoever it is protecting it, doesn’t want us to find it… or me for that matter.. you’ll have to do it,” she said as she turned towards Emma. Emma stared wide-eyed at Regina.

“How though.. I can’t remember it,” Emma stuttered and Regina closed the space between them.

“You can and you will. You can do this, Emma. Just focus, okay. Magic is what?”

“Emotion,”

“And?”

“Senses,” she breathed. Regina nodded.

“Do it,” the brunette said and Emma nodded. The blonde focused in on her jacket and slowed her breathing before she inhaled deeply and riddled off the spell. Much like before her jacket levitated, glowed and fell limply. “ It’s blocked,” Regina concluded once again,

“So.. what does that mean?”

“It means, this is magical and quite possibly dangerous,”

“Dangerous how?”

“Whoever is in possession of your items is who can use any item of yours and control it which will in turn, control you,”

“And that puts us.. and the baby at risk,” Emma concludes and Regina nods, though they both knew there was no child. It was just becoming a habit. “ We need to go,” Emma said. “ We can’t do anything from here and right about now, if I have to stress about one more thing I may throttle something- or someone. So can we just go?” Regina bit the inside of her cheek before she nodded. They descended the stairs and were once again met by Snow’s frantic face.

“Didn’t find anything, it could be magic, but we don’t know. We gotta go, though,”

“Go? Go where?”

“Regina’s,” the blonde said nonchalantly.

“Why?”

“Oh right.. I forgot to tell you. I’m moving in with her to be closer to her and the baby, so.. I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” Emma shrugged and Snow paled even more than she usually would.

“Is that how you planned to tell us?” her mother scolded.

“Honestly, no. I was just going to stay the night because Henry is staying with Cora so I figured one night alone with my fiancee shouldn’t be too much to ask for,” Emma bit out. She was losing the last strand of patience she had left after this little hiccup.

“It’s not,” her father smiled, clearly seeing her distraught and a bit upset. “Go, have fun. Be safe and kiss the baby for us,” her father interjected as he pulled Snow’s pale frame away.

“Thanks, dad. Good night guys,”

“Good night, sweetheart.. and other sweetheart,” David said before he kissed Emma’s forehead and did the same to Regina. Emma’s mouth fell open because she expected her father to be on a bed of knives or folded like origami, but Regina seemed to take it in stride. The brunette even managed to smiled back at him and that frightened Emma to no end. She quickly departed with Regina in tow and opened the car door for her.

 

“You gonna wipe my dad’s kiss off your forehead, now?” Emma asked as she eyed Regina and the woman only responded with.

“Yup,” before doing just that. She and Regina managed to laugh at the moment because Regina herself was surprised she didn’t have David’s lips sealed shut on that one, but then again he did manage to get Snow from being so dramatic, so she figured she’d let it slide.

“Let’s get you home,” the blonde finally sighed and they headed in.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“David, she’s stealing her,” Snow cried.

“Snow, she’s in love,”

“She’s being brainwashed,” the woman argued and he rolled his eyes.

“No she’s not and it’s perfectly normal,” he argued back. “ Honestly, were you really expecting her to stay even after she was married? With a child on the way? Sweetheart, Emma’s a grown woman and she’s engaged. She doesn’t need to tell us everything. We should be happy she even told us about her and Regina in the first place. Isn’t that something we should be rejoicing in instead of trying to frame Regina for mind control,”

“No,” Snow bit out and David threw his hands up.

“I’m not about to do this with you. Emma’s happy and I’m happy for her _and_ Regina,”

“David she tried to kill us both _and_ Emma,” Snow continued but he waved her off.

“We both know she wouldn’t have killed her,” he defended and she looked at him incredulously.

“She’s got you under a spell too,” the woman worried.

“I’m not under a spell, Snow. For the love of God, can we just have one day, one day where your paranoia over curses or death or mind control aren’t partially fueled by you watching paranormal activity, forensic files or your hormones?” He was slapped and she stormed away. David shook his head, clicked his jaw and sighed. “ Guess I’m sleeping on the couch, tonight,”  he shrugged out a sigh before he sat down in the chair and flicked through the channels.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The pair made their way back to Regina’s place and deposited their clothing in the allotted spots.  Regina yawned which in turn made Emma yawn.

“Contagious,”  they both said at the same time and smiled.

“So.. I know the ‘contract’-,” Emma began and Regina knew which one she was referring to, “-stipulated us living together and.. being within the same.. room space as each other,” Emma stuttered through, “ but if you want I can sleep in a guest bedroom or something, then I can-,”

“-Emma. It’s fine,” Regina said in an easing motion. She was going with logical thinking again, that and her heart. She couldn’t get the image of an innocent child dying because she wasn’t able to just.. be and jump right in.

“Is it?” the blonde asked and Regina sighed.

“No.. I suppose not as okay as we’d both like it to be, but then there’s no reason to make it even more complicated than it has to be.. come,” she said softly and ascended the staircase with Emma following closely behind her. “This is now.. _our_ room,” Regina gulped as she paused at the door.. That’s Henry’s two doors down, the linen closet, two spare bedrooms and another bathroom, also Henry’s. The laundry is downstairs where you’ve seen as is my study, amongst other things.” Emma nodded and the brunette opened the door. They entered and Regina simply said.

“This is now yours as much as it is mine.” Emma looked around the room in absolute awe as Regina just used magic to clean up and dress herself for bed. She spun around to address the brunette.

“Do you always do that?”

“Only when I’m extremely tired,” the brunette said and Emma nodded.

“I just realized we haven’t slept since yesterday?”

“I’m not even sure anymore,” Regina yawned once more before she pulled her hair up into a ponytail. She looked over at Emma who was just standing there, awkwardly.

“You need clothes, don’t you,” she said and Emma nodded sheepishly.

“Flannel and a t-shirt or silk pajamas?”

“Flannel, if you don’t mind,” Emma smiled and Regina conjured up a pair of new flannel pajama bottoms and a plain black t-shirt for the blonde. Before Emma could speak, Regina just flicked her wrist once more and the blonde was changed into her new pjs. “ That’s so cool,” Emma grinned stupidly and Regina rolled her eyes with a smile.

“Yes well, don’t expect me to do it every night. It’s draining and mundane and magic here is limited so..” she trailed off but Emma knew what she was trying to say.

“Thank you,” the blonde smiled before she looked over at the bed.

“Do you have a side?”

“Not particularly, but I usually settle for the side closest to the door… it had developed when Henry was a baby and I would sometimes just bring his crib straight into the room so that he was directly next to me,” she smiled at the fond memory.

“You know, it’s sweet to see you smile when you talk about babies and Henry and good memories.. Why don’t you do that more often? A lot of people think you’re just this heartless creature, but what I’ve managed to see from you in the amount of forced time we spent together-,” they both laughed, “ - was you opening up and smiling and laughing, even if you wanted to roast me,”

“Correction. I still want to roast you. I’m just being logical and doing what you asked of me and that’s to trust myself and my emotions, besides, no one will believe I’m truly happy until I suck up enough for them to believe me and I’m not about to do that,”

“Okay- okay. Whatever, but still.. could you just try a little more.. for me?”

“Swan, I’m already doing one hundred percent of this for you and for the potential child we may end up creating. None of this is for me. This is for that innocent soul of a child that might exist and I don’t plan on having him or her suffer because we couldn’t get our acts together,” she yawned once more and Emma just let the conversation go.

“You’re tired,” Emma said.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Regina sassed.

“How are you still this much of a hardass when you’re tired?” Regina shrugged. “ Whatever, just get in the bed Vladimir,”

“I’ve no clue who that is, but I’m all for resting right now,” Regina conceded and they both climbed in before they shut their respective lights off. After only about five seconds of just laying there, Emma broke the silence.

“This is weird right,”

“Yup,” Regina popped her p.

“So what do we do?”

“Not talk whilst we should be trying to sleep,” Regina offered sarcastically.

“Regina, I’m serious,”

“As am I, Swan,” she argued and Emma sighed. Emma grunted.

“Fine.. but just know that.. I tried,” the blonde turned over.

“Well aware,” Regina muttered as she also turned over.

 

Neither could drift off to sleep right away so Emma took it upon herself to ask Regina if she was still awake just about every five minutes and Regina would respond in kind, but slowly Emma just started asking Regina magic based questions for which the woman explained as best she could without actually performing it.

 

“So.. if you wanted to, you could put the sky on the ceiling and be under the stars without being under the stars,” the blonde questioned.

“If you mean, can I create the night sky on my ceiling just before I decide to sleep in order to feel as though I’m outside and in nature, then yes, I can project the moon and stars in the sky to suit my nightly wishes,” Regina said and Emma turned over to lay on her back.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to do that every night though?”

“If you like sleeping in a forest then yes I suppose,” Regina answered sleepily. She yawned and Emma smirked.

“Why are you trying to stay awake with me,”

“I’m not,” the brunette yawned again. “ You’re keeping me up,” she continued.

“Sorry, you’re just.. I dunno, good company,” Emma admitted and that got Regina to turn over and look at her for a moment. The blonde’s eyes were shut and she was smiling. Regina figured she was just having another food dream, but before she could make fun of the blonde for it she saw light above them and not just any light. She saw the night sky being projected onto the ceiling of the room.

“Emma,” she whispered and the blonde opened her eyes before she blinked rapidly.

“Did I-,” she whispered and Regina nodded.

“You did,” the brunette smiled as her eyes glowed in the night light.

“How,”

“Magic,” Regina said in that awestruck tone she’d used when Snow was a child. Emma began grinning before she looked over at Regina who was smiling up at the stars, her hands reaching up to touch it before she let them settle at her side. Emma watched the brunette who’d slowly drifted off under the stars and she smiled. She had stayed awake for a while longer and when she thought Regina was asleep, she pulled back the covers just a bit and climbed out of the bed. Emma settled on the side where Regina was and stared down at the woman. She knelt down on both knees as gently moved Regina’s hands from her stomach. Emma leaned in, lifting the fabric of the woman’s shirt and kissed her bare stomach.

“ Hey little one.. your grampa told me to give that to you...I really hope you come true, Kid,” Emma whispered against Regina’s stomach before she stroked it with her thumb. “ Please,” Emma quietly begged. “ She can’t have another miscarriage. She can’t hurt again. Please, kid, just. come. true. I’ll give anything just to make you exist, Kid. Anything,” Emma mumbled against Regina’s stomach. She sniffled and dried the tears that were now falling from her eyes. Emma pulled the covers back over Regina and went to go get herself a glass of water. Once she’d gotten it went back into the room, she looked at Regina’s peaceful form, laying on her side and clutching the pillow and settled back into the bed. She pulled the covers up and over her head and drifted off to sleep.

 

The light snore that the blonde was letting out indicated to Regina that the woman was asleep and her eyes snapped open. She clutched tighter onto her pillow and shut her eyes as tightly as she could, but sleep would not come. She turned over and ghosted her hand over the spot where Emma’s tears and lips were and could still feel it tingle.

“Please,” she whispered under the stars that were now fading in the room. “ please,” she begged. “ please,” she drifted to sleep.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Her alarm went off and she groaned lightly at the noise. She felt warm and she felt like she was in some sort of burrito, a nice and cozy and protective burrito. After Regina had managed to drift off to sleep, she slept soundly, much like her blonde counterpart.

Regina burrowed herself deeper into the warmth and felt the warmth do the same to her. It was so warm, so- so warm and.. there was a breath that ghosted across her neck that tickled the hair’s at the nape. Her eyes fluttered because she was confused as to what was breathing on her. She tried to stretch but felt a tightening around her midsection, something protectively over her stomach and her eyes snapped wide open. The covers only covered her bottom half as her top half remained exposed and she looked down to seen tan arms, one tucked under her and the other over her. Regina’s panicked set in and before she registered what to do next, her magic’s innate response to protect her, launched the poor and unsuspecting victim from the bed and against the wall. Regina shot up from the bed the same time she heard the most painful groan she thinks she’s ever heard in all her life.

“I would say- good morning, but... it really feels like you- displaced my spine,” Emma groaned out painfully and Regina dashed to her side.

“I’m so sorry,” she apologised in a frantic tone but Emma tried to wave her off, only to feel the pain shoot through her body. She hissed and Regina winced.

“Shit,” Emma cried, actual tears and Regina just winced even more.

“I forgot you were in the bed. I’m sorry,” Regina apologised again.

“Not your fault,” Emma gritted out. “ I guess I was wrapped around you then?” Emma asked and Regina nodded.

“You wouldn’t let go and your hand was.. I just thought it was something bad and my magic.. it-,”

“-protected you,” the blonde breathed as she rolled over to try and stand only to feel more pain shoot through her.

“Stay still. Let me fix this. It’s my fault,”

“Regina,” Emma gritted out,” it’s not your fault.. I understand.. just, help me up. I’ll be- okay,” she tried to smile but just looked constipated, but Regina nodded and helped the blonde up. Emma hopped a little but she was right, she just popped her back and stretched her limbs and that was that. “ I need to go for a run,” the blonde finally said after a moment of silence,

“Of course,” Regina nodded and conjured up some clothes for Emma to change into. The blonde dipped out and into the bathroom to change and emerged just as quickly as she disappeared.

“Shoes?” the blonde asked and Regina waved her hand and Emma’s feet were covered in comfortable running shoes.

“They’re mine,” Regina smiled and the blonde grinned.

“That’s why they feel so good. Okay, I’ll be back before you go out for work,” Emma said before she dashed over to Regina and kissed her cheek quickly. She doubled back and froze. “ Sorry,” she muttered before she ran away, literally. Regina sighed to herself. _Trust myself and my emotions_ . The brunette shook her head and took herself a shower, brushed her teeth and applied a bit of makeup. She was just going through her daily routine, ignoring anything that didn’t have to do with it. Regina sauntered into her walk-in and almost shrieked upon sight. She ran out of her walk in and to the bathroom. _Yup_. Her lips quirked into a smile then a full blown laugh. She’d have to show this to Emma when she came back. Regina got herself dressed and went downstairs and started the coffee pot. She also decided to make breakfast and by the time she was done, the sweaty blonde was back in the room.

“I’m gonna go shower,” Emma announced as she remained outside of the kitchen.

“No, eat first, I’d like to show you something,” Regina smiled and Emma nodded.

They sat at the table and Regina watched as the ponytailed blonde swallowed her food. She’d taken note of how much Emma was actually sweating and the way the clothes stuck to her physique.

“How often do you exercise?” She found herself genuinely inquiring.

“Almost everyday, why?”

“I was wondering where all of Granny’s burgers usually went,” Regina laughed and Emma tried glaring at her, but with a mouth full of food she just looked like an overstuffed chipmunk. “Finish your food, I’ve got something to show you,” she said once more and the blonde took a healthy gulp of juice before responded.

“Yeah.. you said that, what is it?”

“You’ll see,” Regina shook her head.

 

After Emma had eaten they’d ascended the stairs once more. They stepped into the room and Regina motioned for Emma to go into the closet, which she did.

“Okay.. I don’t see what you want me to see,” Emma sassed and Regina rolled her eyes.

“Look through the closet.. see anything different,” Regina smirked and Emma did as she was told before she stepped back out, wide eyed with several pairs of her own clothes.

“How!”

“This may be farfetched, but you said something about things feeling like home,”

“Yeah, but I meant that about my jacket.. how did that..oh!” the blonde stopped. “ Everything was value and home.. but if that’s the case, then I put a block on my own magic?”

“It would appear you did,”

“Can I do that?”

“It would appear you can,” Regina acknowledged.

“Have you ever done that?”

“No,” Regina answered truthfully. “ Check the bathroom,” she continued and the blonde dropped her clothes and ran to the bathroom. Regina rolled her eyes and picked them up before she re hung them and saw Emma sliding into view at the door of the closet.

“All my stuff’s here,”

“They are, which means we no longer have to use the magic transfer” Regina said and Emma practically vibrated out of her position. “ You’ll be late to the station. You need to get dressed seeing as you can now,” the brunette sassed and Emma scowled at her. “ I need to call Henry and my mother and check in on them, if you can hurry up, you can speak with them as well before we go.. and I need you to do me a favour,”

“Yeah, sure, what is it,”

“I need you to get a key cut,”

“The house key?”

“Yes. Since you’ll be living here now. You’ll need a key.”

“Oh.. okay. Thanks,”

“Hospitality, Swan,” Regina smirked before she walked out the room. Emma hurried to take a shower and get dressed and soon after, she descended the stairs with her almost dried hair as she was typing it up into a messy thing.

 

“Oh sweetheart, hold on, Emma wants to speak with you,” Regina said as she handed the house phone off to the blonde who just went off on her usual mumbles with Henry. Regina found herself pouring two travel mugs, one for her and one for Emma. She hadn’t had any more knots and figured they must’ve finished off over night. Regina set her coffee and set Emma’s as well. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t know that Emma took two creamers and three sugars because the blonde practically drained Regina’s coffee pot anytime she came over. She screwed the cover on it and gathered her things as she made motion to Emma about them exiting.

“Okay- hey, Kid, I’ll talk to you later today. Your mom and I are leaving. Yeah, totally. Kay. Love you, Hen,” she hung up. “ Sorry about that. He wanted to know if you’d set me on fire yet and kept laughing when I told him about how his grandmother freaked out over my missing items, which reminds me, I should call so she could stop panicking,” Emma rambled and Regina found it cute and silly all in the same moment. 

“Yes, well, we need to go. Hopefully my own mother can handle this field trip. Knowing her, she’s probably confused as to what it is in the first place,”

“No worries, Henry’s going to explain it to her,” Emma tried and Regina’s eyebrow rose so quickly at that that Emma almost laughed. “ Okay, so maybe we should worry a little bit. But what could he possibly tell her- They ride motorcycles and smash mailboxes?” she grinned and Regina’s eyes blew wide open. “ Sorry- sorry, just calm down, yeah? It can’t be that bad,”

“You don’t know my mother,” Regina muttered. “ Let’s go,” she said as she handed Emma her travel mug and the blonde smiled.

“How’d you know,”

“You drink more coffee than I do, especially when you come over,”

“That’s because yours doesn’t taste like day old piss,” Emma complimented and Regina grimaced.

“Do I even want to know how you know what urine tastes like, let alone, day old urine at that?”

“Probably not.. come on. I’ll walk you to work, “Emma offered and Regina hummed in acknowledgement.

“Don’t you think your employer would be a bit upset about your tardiness,” Regina joked and Emma laughed.

“She’ll be my wife soon enough so I think she’ll let me slide every once in a blue moon,”

“My my, confident are we,”

“Just come along, Your Majesty,” the blonde rolled her eyes and smiled.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After Emma had dropped Regina off to work and gotten the house keys, she got them cut and put them away, somewhere safe as she added the new one onto her own bunch. She strolled into the station and nodded at Mulan and her father who smiled in response.

“Oh- hey, dad. Before I forget. Regina found out where my things were,”

“Really?”

“Yeah, they’d materialized in her closet,” she shrugged and Mulan looked at her weird.

“Do I want to know,”

“Oh, umm my mom was panicking yesterday because she thought someone stole my things, but they just showed up in Regina’s closet… I might have had something to do with that. She was giving me a magic lesson and I somehow managed to shift all my things when she only asked me to shift one thing,”

“So I can tell your mother she was worried over nothing,” David asked and Emma nodded.

“Yeah, absolutely nothing was wrong,” she ended and he breathed out. “ What’s that on your face,”

“Your mom’s hand print,” Mulan said bluntly.

“Whyyyyy?”

“We may have had a little argument after you left and I may have told her she was paranoid over nothing, and that her hormones might be out of their cycle,”

“My guess is she didn’t take it well,” Emma winced and he shook his head.

“Nope,“ he popped his p loudly.

“Sorry pop,”

“Nahh, don’t worry about it. I’m happy for you and Regina and if she can’t see that then she’s not a True Believer in True Love for all,” her father recited and Emma smiled proudly at the man. _So sweet and yet still, so naive_.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was already halfway through Regina’s work day and after her usual questions for Clara, meetings and bit more pertaining to Clara’s little girl, Regina found herself sighing behind her desk, feet killing her and her lower back in pain. There was a knock at her door and she only groaned in response.

“Madame Mayor.. your fiancee is here to see you,” Clara said and Regina sat up very straight, very quickly.

“S-send her in,” she stuttered and Clara giggled before she nodded and exited. If Regina didn’t like her so much she’d fry her too.

“Hey,” came Emma’s soft voice as she held out a take away bag from Granny’s.

“Hi, Emma,” Regina managed to smile and watched the blonde sit.

“I brought you lunch..Kale salad with grilled chicken and some weird green smoothie thing that Ruby said you liked so much.”

“Thank you,” Regina responded softly as she stood from her seat behind the desk. She sat across from Emma who unpacked their lunches and handed Regina hers. They ate in comfortable silence for a while until Regina blurted out,

“Did you tell Clara that.. you’re my fiancee,” but Emma shook her head.

“No.. she said that all on her own,” Emma cleared her throat. “ If it’s a problem I can go or-,”

“-No- no it’s just.. this is spreading like wildfire,”

“Yeah, I know. I’m surprised it still hasn’t gotten as far as Henry’s school yet. Ruby already punched me a couple times and Granny came out and cracked me with her soup spoon. It tasted like chicken and dumplings,” Emma shrugged and Regina actually chortled a bit. “I’m pretty positive just about everyone knows now,” Emma continued.

“I suppose you would be correct,” Regina said after chewing and swallowing. “ How’s your day so far?”

“Good actually- oh, right. Got the key cut just like you asked,” she said proudly before fishing Regina’s from her pocket and placing it on the table.

“Maybe you can be trained, “ Regina grinned and Emma scowled. “ I’m only kidding. There’s no point in trying to change you, you’re rather useful the way you are,” she smirked at Emma and the blonde blushed.

 

They continued to eat lunch and converse over light things until Emma checked her watch and needed to leave.

“So, I’ll see you at home?”

“Yes, you will see me at home,” Regina found herself saying, to reassure the blonde before her. It didn't seem odd to say those words to her either.

“I’ll pick the kid up and see about your mother too,” Emma smiled and Regina smiled back.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“No need. You’re my.. fiancee so everything I can do to make life a bit better, I’ll do it.”

“You know, Swan. You can be sweet, sometimes,” Regina teased and Emma just grinned as she left. Regina found herself smiling even still after the woman left only to have Clara come in and tease her which ended up in her throwing some random object at the woman who only managed to dodge it because of the door.

 

Regina was called near two o’clock and realized it was Henry calling her.

“Sweetheart, is everything okay? Shouldn’t you be out on your field trip? I thought it was supposed to last all day?”

“Uhhh, yeah that kinda got cut short- Anyway, mom, I was just calling to see how you were and to tell you I love you,”

“I love you too, sweetheart,” she smiled.

“Good.. so, how’s the whole True Love thing coming along,”

“I’ll tell you about it when you get home, deal?”

“Deal and I’ll tell you about my day when I get home,deal?”

“Deal,” she grinned. “ I hope your grandmother behaved herself,”

“she tried,” he muttered.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, what?”

“Oh I said, I’m tired,”

“Well, I’ll call Emma and tell her to come get you, how’s that sound,”

“Please and thank you,” he cheered and she laughed.

“Okay, goodbye sweetheart. See you at home,”

“Of course, mom.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Their days were over, Emma picked Henry up like she said and saw Regina’s mother like she said she would and even used her new key in the lock. She and Henry had decided they wanted to do something nice for Regina so they set out to make dinner and by the time the brunette mother announced she had arrived, they were halfway done. Regina inhaled something that smelled.. not burnt and followed it to the kitchen where she was stopped.

“No,” Emma grinned and she pushed the brunette in another direction. “ Henry and I are cooking, you rest,” she said as she sat the woman down.

“But I’m hungry,” Regina whined.

“Then I’ll get you a carrot or something, but you can’t come in .. at least not now,” Emma flashed her puppy dog eyes and Regina just about died on the spot. _Damn it_.

“Fine,” she huffed and the blonde set off to find Regina a snack before returning and handing it to her.

“Snack on that and dinner will be done pretty soon, I promise.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

True to her word, dinner was done soon after and Regina obeyed in sitting still to wait til it was done. She decided to talk to her mother who literally complained she would never do another field trip for Henry’s school ever again and Regina just summed her up as being dramatic. Once the table was set they all sat and ate.

“So, Henry, how was your day,” Regina asked and Henry started to snicker. “ What is so funny,” she laughed as well but was confused.

“Remember we made a deal, day for day,” he said and she rolled her eyes.

“Of course,” Regina sighed. “ I blasted your mother out of bed this morning, by accident,”

“Well Nana launched a forklift into the StoryBuilders main office, also by accident,” he laughed. Emma lost her shit laughing and Regina gaped because she wanted to shriek, but just couldn’t. She stuttered to go on.

“ Umm, your mother and I had lunch together,”

“Nana forgot hers so she ate some weird berry thing and broke out into a rash,” the boy barely held it in as he continued on.

“I held some meetings today,” Regina choked out and her control was dissolving.

“The owner of StoryBuilders banned Nana from every construction site after she set the underground drill on fire and it busted a pipe.. You’ll be meeting with them on Monday,” Henry wheezed behind his hand. Emma had to excuse herself from the table because she was still stuck on the forklift.

“Henry.. please give me an exact rundown of what your Grandmother did today,”

“Okay, but try to keep up.”

“This morning my alarm went off and Nana thought it was some weird alarm thing she talked about that always went off in the Enchanted Forest-”

“-The Mac Tower Bell,” his mother said and he nodded.

“Yeah, that. So she pretty much blew that up after she claimed it made her wee herself. Then we had to get on the school bus and when it stopped to use its signs she thought we were about to jump into a portal and she smacked our driver across the head and told everyone to get off before she turned the signs into wings and the bus just… flew off,” the boy said and Regina just continued to gape. “ She pretty much behaved until we got on site and then she just lost it. Her exact words and I quote were ‘something smells fishy about this place’ I explained to her what the forklift was because she asked why that machine looked like something she remembered and when I told her what a forklift was she said ‘ Why in hell’s name would they put a large eating utensil on a construction site. Did Ariel request this? Does Triton know? Do they work with giants?’ So when they turned the forklift on, Nana literally flipped her lid and launched it, like seriously launched it. I’m pretty sure when she screamed, ‘ Sweet Jesus and mother of Mary what is that thing!’ I should have taken her away because she yanked me up and tried to run away since she figured we’d be eaten. Then she yelled ‘Holy Fuck-”

“HENRY!” Regina belted and he shrugged out a laugh.

“Nana yelled it in the front of my entire class and ran away! She fled the scene and then when we caught back up with the group she ate those berries and broke out. Then she busted the pipe and blew off Mister Crafter’s Toupee after she thought it was something eating his head and set it on fire."

“Jesus!” they heard Emma bark out a laugh all the way in the next room and surely after that, they both lost it, themselves.

“Well, I can see why she said she will never chaperone again,”

“Yeah that and she thought that a field trip was us grazing in the grass with cows until we fell over,” he grinned and Regina shook her head.

“Your grandmother is too literal sometimes,” Regina laughed though she knew she shouldn’t. “ Please go and get your mother so that we can finish dinner,”

“Sure thing.. Maaaaa, come back. We gotta finish dinner,” Henry screamed as he rounded the corner. Emma returned and it was hard to not lose it laughing every other second over Cora’s antics, but they managed to finish dinner and watch a bit of tv with their son before he went to his room to finish whatever homework he had and they set off to wash the dishes. It was done in companionable silence and both women found themselves enjoying the domesticated act as one washed and rinsed whilst the other dried and put away. The retired upstairs after they were done and both took turns changing into their night clothes. Regina settled for her thin strap, silk night dress that came just above her thighs. She tousled her hair and set herself beneath the covers and waited on Emma before she shut the lights out. The blonde was wearing something she’d usually wear around the house. It was a pair of shorts and a wife beater with some funky socks. She too climbed beneath the covers and they shut out the lights.

“Tonight was.. easing,” Regina whispered once both women were settled. She had her back turned to Emma and Emma had hers turned to Regina.

“It was.. it was nice to have dinner with you guys, but this one felt different,”

“Because of the True Love proclamation,” Regina said and Emma nodded.

“Yeah,” the blonde finally whispered.

“I think it may have been different for me as well.. maybe that has something to do with Henry feeling as though he finally got something he truly wanted,” the brunette mother whispered and Emma turned onto her back.

“He wanted us together?”

“He did.. does,” Regina answered.

“I wonder why,” Emma queried and  Regina turned over. The were now staring at the ceiling.

“He wants to be happy.. he wants us to be happy and he has the heart of the truest believer.. He believes that we belong together, I suppose,” Regina spoke and Emma just made a noise of acknowledgment. “ Should I do the stars tonight,” Regina offered and Emma smiled.

“You can,” she conceded and Regina shut her eyes to focus on the night sky and soon after the night sky projected over them and they did what they’d done the night before. They conversed.

 

Much like the previous night, Emma rose from the bed once she’d been sure Regina was asleep and did what she’d done the night before by kneeling in front of Regina’s stomach and kissing the bare skin. She almost died because she realized the woman was wearing that oh so thin thing, but she had to do this. So she shut her eyes and laid two kisses on Regina’s stomach.

“Hey little one,” she began with a whisper. "It’s day two and your grampa sent you another kiss, but you get two because everyday your mommy and me work towards making you, I want you to know we’re trying to not only do this out of love, but protection. We don’t want you to suffer. We don’t want you to not see the outside world and to experience it and hate it just as much as we probably do. We don’t want you to not be able to go to school and make friends and have crushes and fall in love, but most importantly we don’t want you to not meet your big brother Henry and your grandparents, all of whom are a little bit more nutty than usual,” she laughed tearily. “ And who could forget your beautiful mother. The one carrying you and concerned about you the most. I don’t want you to never meet this woman who is fighting so hard to make sure you survive and she’s not even that good with her emotions, but she’s been freaking amazing when she could’ve easily fireballed my ass back into my mother’s womb.. and then there’s me.. the idiot who got you into this mess in the first place. I’m so sorry, Kid. I’m sorry I opened my big mouth and endangered your life and your mommy’s life and I know this is going to be hard for her because,” she paused as she stroked Regina’s stomach, “ she lost a baby like you before and I’ll be damned if I let her lose another. She is not going to lose you.. _I’m_ not going to lose you. I care about her and I just want to be able to truly fall in love with her so that she can have the little girl she always wanted.. maybe she’ll name you Noelle or maybe she’ll let me name her.. I’d still pick Noelle, or maybe Kalani- who knows,” she continued her whisper. “ all I do know, Kid is that I’m gonna work my ass off to make sure you’re safe and protected.. I love you, even if you can’t hear me and even if you don’t exist just yet.. bye for now Noelle,” she finished and pulled Regina’s nightgown back down before she covered her up and went for her glass of water. She drank it and soon after she drifted off. Regina turned over and stared at the ceiling until the stars of the night faded as Emma lost herself in dreamland. She turned over once more and wrapped herself around Emma’s frame and held on tightly.

“You’re not an idiot and she will know she has two beautiful mothers,” Regina whispered as she buried her face in Emma’s neck and drifted off into blissful sleep.


	4. The aftermath, Cora Scars, Three Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know the drill, it's much like the name suggests.

She was awake now, on this, so far, uneventful Saturday morning. 5:59am as usual, her eyes snapped wide open and she silenced her alarm right before it decided to go off. _I really need to rid myself of this useless thing._ She was completely and utterly, WIDE AWAKE, and she hated it because that left her with thoughts. Thoughts of things..of people.. babies, a family with Henry... and Emma. After the blonde’s second admission last night, Regina found herself wondering if all those words were just hopeful ones or actual promises from the woman. She had curled around the blonde who continued to berate and beat herself up over something she’d already done. She’d been a coward not telling Emma to her face that she thought that the blonde was noble, stupidly so- but she was noble. She made a mess and came right back to clean it up. She came right back to Regina, open mind and open heart it seemed. Willing to re-learn her magic and curve her craft. She was willing to create a child with this woman and give her heart in the process and all she’d ask is that Regina just let go and trust herself with her emotions.. so far, the blonde’s request had been heeded. Along with the fear of another child suffering at the hands of her inability to do so, would always push her to not quit. If nothing else drove her… that would… it will. She wondered if Emma was just as scared about this whole thing as she had been. She wondered if Emma-Could Emma, see past who she was- what she was and actually fall in love with her without fear that she would need to run from Regina in the future. Regina sighed to herself because she knew Emma would run- who wouldn’t? Who would willingly stay married to the Evil Queen? Who would choose to actually fall in love with a woman who murdered many and did other unspeakable things even she was too disappointed and disgusted to point out. _I’m sorry, Graham_ . Her mind pounded as everything from her past plagued her. _Everything that has ever happened is all my fault. I made those choices. I killed those people. I let revenge make me dark. I- I… I am a failure like mother told me I’d always be._ She was crying now, just as much as she was shaking, almost just as much as she was vocally whimpering. Then she felt something, or rather, someone, shift and turn over, a protective arm sliding across her stomach and her breath hitched. The body shifted closer, almost as if it was sensed that she was in distress. She was pulled in, curved to and snuggled deeply and Regina could not deny, _that_ was the only thing that kept her from continuing to cry. She’d no clue why, but it was working- and it scared her. She wiped away her tears, almost frantically, hoping if the blonde did wake or was awake, she wouldn’t see Regina in such a vulnerable state. _Is this what she meant by trusting? Couldn’t have been...I must be losing it. I only feel safe because I lacked so much of this sort of attention when I was younger. That’s it. That’s all it could be…. is it not?_

 

Her head was hurting and all she wanted to do was not think anymore. Regina placed her hand beneath her head as she was now laying on her side from Emma’s magical acrobatics, and she stared at the room door. Emma’s hand had begun to idly stroke at her stomach, almost as if she were unconsciously whispering a prayer like those nights before. Regina smiled because Emma had hope and Emma thought she was beautiful and amazing..the same as she thought the blonde to be. Emma’s body shifted once more, the protective arm leaving her, almost as if it sensed her being okay, but the minute it was gone, so was her comfort, as odd as that seemed to her. She brought Emma’s arm back around her body, pulling the blonde in tight. _It’s just for comfort-_ she told herself. _Only comfort. I lacked all of this as a child. She’s only here for comfort. She’s only wrapped around me because she… grounds me?_ Regina shook her head. No, couldn’t be! No way was that the reason. It had to be something else. Something- and Regina couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She slowly succumbed to sleep after her mind had boggled itself into oblivion.

What she didn’t know was that the blonde had woken up just before Regina pulled her arm back. She had extracted herself because she didn’t want Regina to fry her arm off if she woke and realized they were all bungled up together, but once the woman pulled her back, almost as if she needed it- Emma thought, the blonde had happily obliged. Anything that would help Regina open up just a little bit more everyday. She would do this if it made Regina happy, because so far, nothing was making the woman ‘happy’, but this seemed to be a thing. _Maybe this could be a thing_ , she smiled to herself... _maybe._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

He groaned himself awake and rolled over to see what his alarm clock said. 9:13 am. He rolled back over and pulled himself from the warm cocoon that was his blankets, dragged himself towards his bathroom and took a shower before he dragged himself back into his room and put on something he’d usually wear around the house. He stopped in the hallway. Something was off. He sniffed. _Why don’t I smell pancakes?!!?!?!_ He panicked and ran to his mothers’ bedroom, busting the door open in his attempt, nearly causing both women to grumble, but it only ended in Regina stirring, eyes settling on her grinning son and realization dawning on her that she was still canoodled in Emma’s arms, which made her fear act up and well… you get the rest. Emma was airbourne and collided once again with the wall. The sickening thud- or crunch, Regina still hadn’t labelled it yet, was the only resounding sound in the room.

 

“Regi-,” she wheezed. “ -na. We.. really need.. to do something about-,” she wheezed again. “ - your magic. I don’t think my spine will survive if you’re still doing this five years from now,” Emma managed and Regina’s mind drifted because it seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. _She actually wants to be with me five years from now?_

“You actually-,” she stopped herself. She couldn’t ask that.. at least, not in the front of Henry. Regina shook her head and rose from the bed before she walked over to Emma and quickly waved her hand over the blonde’s body to undo any damage she more than likely caused.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, but Emma just smiled.

“It’s okay. I think I know why it happened this time,” the blonde mock glared at their teen son who just stood there looking around as if he’d done absolutely nothing wrong. Regina helped her to her feet and checked her over before she spoke.

“Yes, I think I have the same idea,” the brunette mother turned to Henry, that scary- almost pee inducing look on her face and the boy just ran like she’d lit his ass ablaze. She heard Emma laugh from behind her and turned back, an almost pained look on her face,

“I truly am sorry,” she got out sheepishly. “ Henry- he just…,”

“Frightened you,” Emma offered and she nodded. “ I know… how are you,” the blonde asked as she switched the conversation, hoping the woman wouldn’t dwell on the situation with Henry any longer than Emma felt was needed, but she thought wrong.

“Emma,” she drawled, “ Henry just saw us..in a compromising position,” Regina managed because she’d no clue what to call it and Emma rolled her eyes.

“Were we naked?”

“No bu-,”

“Were we having sex?”

“NO!” Regina shrieked and Emma laughed.

“Was I kissing you?” she asked and Regina faltered.

“no,”

“Okay then.,” she grinned. “No harm- no foul. He’ll live. And if I’m correct, I’m pretty positive the kid was grinning at us before you scared him downstairs,”

“But what if-,” she began only to be cut off.

“But nothing. Look Regina, you said it yourself that Henry wants us together and he wants us happy and this.. this makes him happy, it’s just us left and I made you a promise. I told you I will do everything within me to make you happy. I don’t care what it takes. I’ll do it. You have my word.” Regina nodded and turned to look back at the door before she heard shuffling. “ Hug me,” Emma said softly and she turned quickly to regard the blonde before her, eyes wide and fearful. Emma rolled her eyes, pulled Regina’s arms apart and brought her in. “ I said,” she mumbled before she wrapped her own arms around Regina, “Hug. Me,” and Regina did so, albeit a lot more hesitantly than usual. She felt Emma sigh against her and shake her head. _She probably thinks I’m a newt_ , Regina scolded herself but felt the blonde squeeze her tighter. She felt Emma begin to rock with her as if they were at some junior prom, and then she felt soothing circles being rubbed on her back. Regina felt herself relax into Emma’s hold. She felt herself drift into protection that was when she had finally decided within that moment- _Trust myself. Trust my emotions_.

 

They’d pulled apart shortly after and did those little awkward smiles at one another.

 

“Come on, let’s go feed the kid and then we can do whatever you need to do today,”

“I assumed you’d be working today at the station,” Regina said confused but Emma shook her head as she pulled her socks off and tossed them into the hamper. Regina eyed it. _I’m going to end up washing her personal items.. I’m actually going to have to wash her underwear! I am not ready for this, SpongeBob!_

Emma shook her head and smiled. “ Nah. Me and dad work Monday through Friday. I take Three mornings he takes three afternoons. We both go in on the other two days with Mulan and Little John on rotation. Mulan and Little John cover all the weekend shifts, so Me and dad are off Saturdays and Sundays,”

“Oh,” Regina managed because she couldn’t say much else. That was a pretty foolproof schedule, even she could admit that. “Very well then,” Regina smiled. “ I need to set the bed first and meet you and Henry downstairs to make breakfast,” the brunette ended as she made her way over to the bed to begin pulling the sheets back.

“I’ll help,” Emma smiled as she walked over to her side of the bed.

“Miss Swan, it’s fine. I’ll fix it. Just go make yourself comfortable,” Regina said but Emma shook her head.

“No. I live here now. I sleep here now. I’m going to help fix it. Just show me how and I’ll follow your lead,” Emma argued, not taking no for an answer. Regina sighed heavily,

“I take back what I said about you being sweet. You’re a pain in my ass,” she grumbled but she wasn’t even remotely upset. The blonde heard her and just laughed.

“ You said _sometimes_ if I recall,” she mocked and Regina glared at her,” but, I hope it’s a good one,”

“No. It’s the bad one.. the really really bad one,” Regina said petulantly. “ Now, if you’d stop being such a pain, I might be able to show you how to properly set the bed,”

“Yeah- yeah. Just show me, already,” Emma sassed and Regina rolled her eyes.

“Strip,” Regina said and Emma’s eyes darted up to her.

“Wh-what?” The brunette rolled her eyes again.

“Mind _out_ of the gutter, Swan. I meant the bed. Strip the bed,”

“Oh,” she blushed. They stripped the bed. “ Now what,”

“We need new sheets from the linen closet. I’ll get them,” the brunette said. “ Just put those in the hamper and wait until I get back,”

“Okay. I can do that,” Emma nodded and did just that. Once Regina returned, the brunette tossed half the sheet over to the blonde and they set the first one and then the second.

“Fold it back and tuck it under the mattress, all around,” she instructed and Emma followed along. Emma began smiling to herself as she and Regina continued to set the bed, the brunette hadn’t taken notice that Emma already knew what she was doing, she just wanted to help Regina set the bed, no matter how simple or mundane it was. The blonde began to laugh and Regina looked over at her. She realized that Emma had already set her side whilst she was still primming and tucking hers.

“You already knew how to, didn’t you,” she narrowed her glare and Emma just looked sheepish as she nodded.

“I took a mental note of how your bed was fixed when I came in so I just went with that. Aaaaand I when I was in foster care, I lived with this really rich and really weird couple who would leave me alone with the maid. She was my only source of company so I’d help her make the beds and stuff,”

“Isee it did nothing to curb your vernacular,” Regina acknowledged with a raised brow and Emma’s face faltered.

“Yeah,” she rubbed the back of her head. “ About that.. I was held back a few times because I was always in and out of homes and in and out of school, so I never really got the stability I needed from any system. The only system I seemed to frequent was the parentless one,” she laughed uneasily, but Regina wasn’t laughing. She could tell the woman was in pain over it, even more, Regina herself was the reason Emma was in the system in the first place. Snow and Charming may have put her in the wardrobe, but she frightened them to the degree they’d believed she’d truly kill an infant even though Regina herself knew she wouldn’t, she couldn’t, especially not after the death of her own child. The brunette’s features gave away to thought and to self deprecating, something Emma knew all too well.

“Stop,” she said forcefully and pleadingly, but Regina shook her head, her eyes beginning to sting with the realization.

 

_I caused her life to be something it shouldn’t have been. I caused her to suffer. I made her life a living hell and then I turn around and degrade her, call her an idiot. I..I- ruined her. I ruined her chances of hope to just live with her parents happily and freely. I messed up and yet, she’s still here, doing all of this because ‘ that’s what good people do’. She’s still here just so I don’t have to suffer when all she’s done for twenty eight years was suffer. She’s barely had them three years and here she is, trying to spare my already drifted feelings over everything when every wound in her is still so fresh. She smiles at me even though I was the cause for her homelessness, for her being an orphan, for her being in the foster care system. I was the cause of everything detrimental that has ever happened to her. Lacking in stability, school, jail, losing Henry- everything. All because I couldn’t control my need for revenge. All because I couldn’t-_

“REGINA, STOP!” Emma yelled and it jarred the woman from her teary state. She’d stood frozen in fear over the entire thing.

“It’s my fault,” she whispered weakly.

“It’s not,” Emma argued but Regina continued.

“It’s my fault.. all of this was my fault. This.. everything that ever happened to you was my fault, and I called you stupid. I keep calling you stupid, but it’s my fault everyone talks to you that way,” she shook her head and wiped roughly at the tears.

“Regina, it’s not,” Emma managed, painfully.

“IT IS! CAN’T YOU SEE THAT,” she snapped and Emma flinched. Her face fell. “ It is,” she muttered and turned away before she sat on the bed. Emma followed her, but remained standing.

“I can see that you made a mistake, but this is not your fault,” Emma argued strongly. “ Regina, this was my fault. This situation that we are both in is my fault and everything that’s ever happened before in my life, I take partial blame for because I made a lot of screwed up decisions that got me where they did,”

“But that was because of me,” she whimpered and Emma shook her head before kneeling before her. She brought Regina’s chin up so that their eyes met.

“It wasn’t because of you,”

“But Emma.. it was. If I had just held on to my anger and learned to control it better. If I’d just let it go- your mother was a child for God’s sake-,”

“-She was ten and that’s old enough to understand that a secret was and is important to someone, especially if you begged them to keep it and they said they would,” Emma combated.

“No.. she was a child and I expected her to keep a secret because I wasn’t careful,”

“You were in love,” Emma said. Regina averted her eyes.

“I was.. but I let that fuel my anger when Daniel died and I vowed to destroy your mother’s happiness. Emma, I was the reason you ended up in the wardrobe. I was the reason Lily ended up in the wardrobe. I took away Maleficent’s child without even having to do the dirty work. I was the reason both of you were not allowed to grow up with your parents, for you to claim your rightful place on that throne. Emma I was the reason you couldn’t have stability- the reason Lily couldn’t have stability. I was the reason you didn’t get that, the reason you didn’t have steady relationships… the reason you went to jail-,”

“NO!” Emma said loudly and Regina jumped. “ That was my own damn fault for trusting Neal,” she said but Regina ignored it.

“I was the reason you lost Henry,”

“You gave him back to me and you gave me your own memories. You gave me stability when all of this blew up Regina, don’t you see?! After you got your mother back, after the whole Greg and Tamara thing, after Pan’s crazy ass was killed, after Neal died.. after so much shit and that entire curse broke out and you sent us away to protect us, you gave me happy memories. You took away that pain I would have had for ten years by giving me Henry for those exact ten years. You gave me a new home and a steady job and the best relationship I could have asked for when it came to him, and I may have never told you this but, we both thought something was missing- someone was missing. We both felt that _you_ were missing, we just couldn’t place it right in those moments. That’s why it was so easy to remember you when Hook came to find me. That’s why it was so easy for Henry to remember you- for _me_ to remember you, because you gave us both something I never truly thought I’d have and that was peace of mind. Regina you gave me _your_ happy ending. So don’t think you ruined my life-,”

“-but I did,” the brunette mumbled and sniffled and Emma wiped away at her tears. Regina rose from the bed and wrapped her arms around herself as she walked towards her window.

“Maybe you think you did,” Emma said, turning to keep the brunette in her sights, “ but you gave me one even better and now, we have the chance to create an entirely new one, together. I know it’s not the way you thought you’d find happiness, but I must have been stupid for some reason or another because if I brought you into this, I’d have to believe in myself enough to believe I could give you happiness, that I could give you a baby. Regina, you may have made a mistake, but I believe my stupidity is our second chance,”

“You’re not stupid,” Regina huffed much like a little child and Emma smiled at her.

“I am, I’ll admit that,”

“You’re not.. I shouldn’t call you stupid. I should never call you stupid,”

“You call me an idiot,” Emma said and Regina looked at her as if she wanted to argue, but the blonde continued. “ You call me idiot, but you call me a noble idiot, and guess what. I’ll be your idiot for as long as you’ll have me,”

“What if that’s five years from now,” Regina found herself asking because her mind travelled to what Emma had been groaning about earlier. She turned back towards her window and began to scratch at the glass to keep from feeling embarrassed or having the blonde embarrass her right then and there.

“Ahhhh,” the blonde said knowingly. “ I’ll still want to be with you so long as you want the same. I don’t think if I do and when I do fall in love with you that I’ll just want to leave right after- or ever. I couldn’t do that to our baby.. I _couldn’t_ do that to you,” the blonde smiled as she looked over at Regina who was still staring out her window. Regina smirked,

“It wouldn’t surprise me if you did,”

“Why, because it’s me?! Because I- what, run? Because It’s all I’m good at, right” Emma sounded offended and Regina remained where she was.

“No,” she continued to smirk. “ It’s because everyone does. Everyone always leaves,” she said and it sounded dead, hollow, like it lost its.. soul. “ Every time I think I’ve won, someone proves all I’ve done is lost once again. Sometimes I just want to win, Swan.. I just want to win.” There was silence. It was a dead silence. Emma sighed heavily and then Emma spoke.

“You will win,” the blonde said strongly and Regina sighed out a laugh.

“And how do you suppose that will happen,”

“Me,” Emma said and Regina turned to look at her with a raised brow. Emma swallowed and continued. “ I’ll help you win. I’ll help us both win.. I’ve never won anything in my life and I think that with you.. I can.” Regina laughed, she actually laughed and Emma looked at her funny.

“I’m a detriment, Swan-,”

“-Can you just call me Emma, and you are not a detriment. Do you honestly hear yourself, Regina. You are strong, and you are beautiful and you- _you_ are soooo fucking admiration worthy that it’s hard not to look up to you. It’s hard not to love you. It’s hard not to want to be around you. Regina, it’s hard not to want to _be_ you.” Emma was standing now and closing the gap between herself and the brunette. “ Look at me,” Emma said, but Regina didn’t. “ Regina, look at me,” she repeated and finally the woman turned to regard her with guarded eyes. Emma unfolded her arms that she usually kept wrapped around herself. Emma smiled at her. Her usual dopey, doe eyed smile. “ We’ll win, okay,” she said as she lightly squeezed Regina’s fingers.

“I’d like to see that,” Regina sassed lightly and Emma laughed a little.

“Then do what I challenged you to do. It’s only day three, right?” Regina nodded. “ Okay, so we have months to get it right, to fall in love and to make a baby,” the blonde grinned and Regina rolled her eyes once more.

“Fine,” the brunette finally smiled at her. “ But it shouldn’t have to be this hard,”

“Life’s not easy.. you know that, but it makes it so much more worth the risk, doesn’t it?”

“It does,” Regina agreed and Emma smiled wider.

“Well then. Trust me,” Emma asked as she held her hands out. Regina looked down at them and back up at the hopeful blonde before she sighed and gently placed her fingers within Emma’s palms. Emma closed her hands around Regina’s fingers and shifted her fingers so that they matched the brunette’s and then she slipped her fingers between Regina’s and closed them.

“That’s the bond I want us to create. The bond I want everyone who has ever doubted us, to see. This, Regina, this is the bond you and I will use to create our child- our daughter. The little girl you’ve always wanted. I may not be all that good looking, but I know I’m pretty fertile,” she managed to joke before Regina hit her shoulder.

“Modesty gets you nowhere, Emma,” the brunette smiled. “ Thank you,” she finally whispered after a moment, but Emma shook her head.

“Fiancee, remember?” Regina nodded. “Well, come on then. Let’s go feed the growing human downstairs and be a couple for a bit, what do you say?”

“To be a couple we must first _be_ a couple, Swan,”

“Yeah yeah, is that a yes or not?”

“How very articulate… yes,” Regina finally said with a grin. Emma smiled widely and took Regina’s hand and attempted to lead her downstairs. “ Wait,” Regina said. “ I can’t go down like this,”

“Why not,” Emma quirked a brow as she stared at Regina in her thin strap night dress that was quite possibly a bit too inappropriate for her little prince to see. Regina stared at her as if she wanted to rip her head off.

“Have you seen what I’m wearing,” Regina snarled and Emma smiled uneasily. Of course she’d seen what Regina was wearing but she also saw nothing wrong with it.

“Is it because you’re not wearing a bra?”

“No!” Regina shrieked and Emma jumped.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t see anything wrong with it. I think you looked beautiful just like that,” the blonde’s face pinched, making her look like a wounded child. Regina’s face fell and she sighed.

“Emma, I’m sorry,” she rubbed the woman’s arm. “ It’s just.. I don’t walk around like this in the front of Henry. I’m his mother, he’s fifteen. He’s going to do that things all children his age do and tell me it’s gross to walk around him like that because he doesn’t need to see that much of his mother.

“I get it,” Emma said softly, but she still looked wounded.

“Do you?” The blonde nodded. “ Can you smile for me?” Emma smiled but it wasn’t quite there. “A little more?” She smiled wider, the smile still not reaching her eyes. Regina lifted her chin and kissed her cheek. “How about now?” Emma smiled and this time the smile was genuine. “I’m sorry,” Regina said in a sweet tone.

“You don’t have to apologise,” Emma said as she pulled her face from Regina’s fingers, but Regina pulled her chin back, determined eyes meeting weary ones.

“I do,” she said strongly. “You’re my what?”

“Pain in the ass,” Emma said and Regina laughed.

“Besides that. What are you to me? You’ve been saying it so much that I’m starting to believe it because you just seem so happy to say it. So.. what are you to me,”

“Your Granddaughter,” the blonde smartly replied and Regina threw her head back in a laugh.

“Em-ma Swan,” she laughed. “ Say it,” she smiled, but Emma shook her head. “ And why not?”

“Because you haven’t said it,” the blonde muttered.

“I have said it,”

“Yeah and you’ve been upset about it every time,”

“So you want me to say it as if I mean it?” Emma nodded and Regina sighed at the woman. _So eager for happiness. So naive and yet still, so beautifully idiotic._ “Emma, look at me,” Regina said softly and the blonde looked up with wide green eyes. “ Emma whose middle name I don’t know Swan. You are my fiancee and apparently you’re now my baby’s mother and father.. _our_ baby’s mother and father, and I have enjoyed every hectic second of it thus far,” she smiled and Emma’s eyes lit up, a smile began to creep across her features. Dazzling white smile matching another.

“You mean it?” she seemed unsure and Regina nodded.

“I mean it,” Regina smiled again. “ I truly mean it. Now, come. I will put on my robe and we will go downstairs to make breakfast.” Emma nodded and Regina let go of her chin to fetch her equally short silk robe that she hadn’t bothered to tie, then took Emma by the hand and head downstairs, hand in hand and shoes m.i.a.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Kid, we gotta talk about you and barging in on your mom and me in the mornings,” Emma said as she ruffled the top of Henry’s unsuspecting head. The teen blushed as he put away his phone to respond to his mothers.

“Sorry, I didn’t smell any pancakes and I thought something happened,”

“We were sleeping,” Emma said and Henry grinned.

“Uhuh. Sure, Ma. Sleeeeeping. I’m sure you weren’t knocking boots or headboards last night and just put a silencing spell over your room,” he teased before she thumped him in the head.

“Yes- sleeping. Nothing more than sleeping. When did you turn into some filthy hormone driven teenager. You’re fifteen, you’re supposed to still be wetting the bed or reading comics or something.. or thinking girls have cooties. Don’t teens your age do that kind of stuff,”

“Pfft, teens my age are either pregnant, on drugs and or active, like way over the fence kind of active. I told Nana about it yesterday and she said it was normal in the Enchanted Forest,”

“That’s because in the Enchanted Forest, women were married off at a young age against their will all for money and power… and they were virgins. It was almost as if they were sold just for that reason,” Regina said sarcastically as she set out to pull things from the fridge. “ You- young man, will not be having any children until you can wash, cook and clean for yourself and until you have a degree to take care of a family,” Regina scolded and Henry rolled his eyes. Emma thumped him again.

“Jeez, Ma. You might knock my brain cells out,” he groused.

“Ha. You fry enough of those with the video games you play, the junk food you eat and the comics you read,”

“You’re so mean. Mom, why is she so mean,” he joked and his mothers laughed.

“All in love, Kid,” Emma smiled at him before she walked over to Regina. “ So, Boss. What do you need me to do,”

“Crack these and whisk,” Regina said immediately as she handed Emma the eggs.

“Wow, you just get right to it, don’t you,”

“I have you and our son to feed, and with your pit of a stomach I’d say we have about five minutes before it starts growling,” she teased and Henry laughed along with her.

“Yeah, mom. You don’t wanna be a bad fiancee, do you?” Henry joked and Regina glared at him which made Emma laugh at her.

“He got you there,”

“He got nothing. I have no ring and without a ring, you’ve no claim to me, Miss Swan,” Regina sassed and Emma’s eyebrows rose in interest.

“Fine then, sass pants.. hey, do you think we should check on your mother today? I mean she kind of… made things a bit more difficult with StoryBuilders,”

“Mother has destroyed many things in her lifetime. A small fire, launched forklift and equally smaller fire she set to that hideous toupe was well needed. Maybe that asshat will actually handle his customers a bit better,” Regina mumbled and Emma snickered.

“Alright, but you never answered my question,”

“If Henry has nothing to do today we can pick mother up later and take her around town,”

“Yeah, hopefully she doesn’t set anything else on fire,”

“You’ve too much faith in my mother sometimes, it boggles my mind,” Regina smiled as she effortlessly worked around Emma.

“You didn’t even let me help,” she whined.

“You cracked the eggs,” Regina said as if it was some huge feat. Emma cocked her hip to the side.

“Really, Regina? Cracking eggs? Can I at least fry the bacon,” she pouted as she tried to give Regina the puppy dog eyes. Regina just raised a brow at her and smiled.

“Can you use a griddle?”

“Uhh.. no, but I can learn,” the blonde said enthusiastically.

“I’m convinced you will have to learn, and quickly. Since you’re living here I expect you to learn how to cook as well,” Regina said in her oh so Mayoral tone,”

“What makes you think I can’t cook?”

“Swan, boxed Mac and Cheese is not cooking,”

“It’s Mac ‘n’ Cheese and it so is, especially if you get burned by the hot water-,”

“-Which you shouldn’t if you do it right,” Regina reprimanded. “ I’m suddenly rethinking letting you near a hot stove with oil in an aerosol can,”

“I swear you think I’m inept,”

“I don’t think, I believe it,” Regina grinned and Emma rolled her eyes.

“Guys, not that I don’t like you getting along, but… can we pleeeease eat sometime soon,” Henry whined and both his mothers turned to him.

“How about you come help us, Kid,” Emma offered and he thought for a moment before shrugging and walking over. “ That was easy,” Emma said to Regina.

“I’m only doing it so you guys don’t take forever. You guys are being all mushy and parental and married and stuff; you might end up  the baby on the counter or with the batter or something-OW!” he shrieked because both of them smacked his head. “ I’m gonna be lumpy before lunch at this rate,” he rubbed his head.

“Well, stop being so perverse and you won’t need to be thumped,” Regina said before she kissed the back of his head.

“I could get used to this,” Emma smiled as she looked at the two people before her. They both looked up at her and smiled back.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After an eventful time in making breakfast, eating breakfast, and cleaning up said breakfast, the pair headed back upstairs.

“I enjoyed that,” Emma smiled as she flopped onto the bed. Regina hummed in agreement as she walked over to the dresser and opened the drawer. Her eyebrow rose as she picked up a pair of brightly coloured boy shorts amongst her own underwear. _Nooooo_ . She opened another drawer and once again found undies amongst hers. Regina opened drawers three through six only to find t-shirts and shorts amongst her own pairs of t-shirts and shorts and leggings. Even the sock drawer got a face lift. _Did a rainbow throw up in my drawer_.

“Emma?”

“Hmmm?” the blonde answered almost sleepily as she was extremely full from breakfast.

“Where did you get your underwear, yesterday?”

“Oh,” Emma blushed. “ I didn’t,” Regina raised a brow at her. “I went commando,” she clarified.

“Why?” Regina questioned because she just wanted to see if it was what she was thinking.

“Couldn’t find em,” she admitted and Regina smirked as she held up a pair of what only could be Emma’s.

“I think I’ve found it,” Regina grinned as she tossed them at the blonde.

“So that’s where they were,” Emma responded as she sat up and looked over.

“Seems that amongst other things have found their way into my drawers,” Regina said as she held up more of Emma’s things.

“If it makes you feel uneasy, I’ll just take em out and stuff em in a suitcase so you don’t have to deal with them,” Emma offered but Regina waved her off.

“No. There’s six drawers, We can split them. Yours will be over here, mines will be over there. We’ll sort them later, as for right now. I need to shower, as do you and then we’ll figure out the rest of the day after I visit Casey at the hospital,” the brunette said as she plucked her matching underwear set from the drawer and fished out a t-shirt and some leggings.

“Wait, you have something to do today,” Emma asked a bit sadly and Regina noticed. The brunette walked over to the bed and sat.

“I do, but not for very long. I promised Clara I would come see Casey today and I’m not one to break promises,” Regina.

“Okay..” Emma trailed off. Regina’s face pinched into thought.

“Would you like to come,” she asked with a smile.

“No,” Emma shook her head. “I don’t wanna impede,” she continued but Regina shook her head.

“You won’t be. You’re my fiancee which means you’re allowed to be with me everywhere I go if you so choose. Now I will ask you again, would you like to accompany me to see Casey?” She waited for a beat before Emma nodded.

“If it’s okay,”

“Emma, I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t,”

“I know, but you also felt bad for me.. I don’t want you to do anything because you feel bad for me,” she argued and Regina sighed.

“I know.. but, I have to learn to share my life with you and that includes you coming with me when I go somewhere or going with you when you leave to go somewhere. Dangerous or not-,”

“-No! You can’t go anywhere dangerous with me, you’re the baby oven,” Emma said and Regina would have laughed if she didn’t realize that Emma was genuinely concerned.

“Emma… I’m not pregnant,’ she felt need to remind.

“I know, but at any point you could be and what if something happens to you or to the baby? What am I supposed to do then?”

“Stay calm,” Regina said as she scooted closer. “ I‘m not pregnant,” she said again. “ And when I’m pregnant I will take precaution. I promise, you this,” she said, but Emma seemed distraught.

“Emma?”

“Yeah,”

“Do you trust me,” Regina asked and it felt like hell froze over how long she waited for that answer.

“I do.. I guess it’s myself I don’t trust. Your safety is important to me and I just want for you and our baby to be okay,”

“We will be,” Regina assured her.

“I don’t know that,”

“Neither do I, but what hope do we have in being negative if we can’t hold out hope that we could be. You, Henry, the baby and me. Emma, we will be okay. You made me a promise and now I will make you one. I will be okay- our baby will be okay. Through all of this, we will be okay,”

“Okay,” the blonde breathed.

“Okay?”

“Okay,” Emma nodded and Regina smiled.

“Good. Let’s get dressed.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After their showers, they descended the stairs to see Henry already comfortably sprawled out on the couch watching some weird thing about Grounders and SkiCru.

“What the hell are you watching, Kid,”

“Oh. The 100,”

“The one-who?”

“100, Ma. It’s a show that’s basically like the aftermath of the end of the world with all the gases and experimentation. Literally another holocaustic war. So all the people who managed to make it to space and survive for however long are now facing possible death so they send the ’delinquents’ to earth and tell them it’s a mission when really they’re trying to save oxygen. All 100 of them are teens and they crash land and basically have to learn to fend for themselves. So it’s like starting the world all over. The Grounders were those who are in essence, the natives so they know the ins and outs and how to survive all of that-,”

“-Okay, Kid… sounds interesting, don’t wreck it. Where’s the show from?"

“Dunno, but a good bit of the actors and actresses are Australian,”

“I’m definitely gonna watch it now,” Emma grinned as she planted her ass in the middle of the couch. “ Move your feet,” she shooed Henry who just rolled his eyes and sat up before leaning against her. Emma looked over the couch,

“Come on,” she motioned to Regina who nodded hesitantly and sat in the opposite chair.

“Mom, you can’t really see the tv  from there. Come on,” Henry said but Regina waved him off.

“It’s fine, sweetheart. I’ll adjust,”

“Regina,” Emma said with a bit of a pout. “ Come on,” the blonde waved her over. She looked at Emma then back at the tv, sighed then made her way over and sat almost rigidly at the blonde’s side. Emma decided to be possessive and wrapped an arm around the brunette and pulled her in closer. Regina almost lost it, almost, but she held it in and soon found herself relaxing after she overruled her thoughts.

“What are you doing,” she whispered to Emma.

“Watching a tv show with my family. What are you doing?” She challenged. Regina sighed.

“I guess I am doing the same,” Regina answered and relaxed a little more.

 

They all watched tv together, Emma’s slender fingers stroking through the tresses of Regina’s hair, massaging her scalp and causing the woman to almost nod off, that was until Regina felt a bit queasy and stood up to excuse herself. She hurried to the restroom and could only dry heave over the bowl, nothing coming out, but nausea simply sitting there. She stood up and her head spun as she felt dehydration kick in, so she washed her face with cold water and patted it dry. She stumbled into the kitchen and was met with Emma pulling out a bottle of water to hand to her.

“You okay?”

“I’d love to lie,” she inhaled heavily before she weakly accepted the water. “ But I fear you’d more than likely see through my weak facade,"

“Is it your head,”

“Stomach,” Regina winced. “ Nauseous and no vomiting, which means only Christ knows what.”

“Sit down, let me check you out,” Emma said and Regina complied easily. Emma pressed the back of her hand over Regina’s forehead and then on her neck. "You’re a bit warm, but you’re okay as far as I can tell. Maybe you should try to lie down and sleep,”

“I can’t. I promised I’d see Casey and we said we would spend some time with mother today,”

“Well, you’re weak. You may not feel it right now, but if you stand up you will. You will only be able to do one thing today and that’s see Casey. I’ll bring you back and me and Henry will spend the rest of the day with your mom. She did say she wanted to spend some time with me, why not today?”

“But-,”

“-You don’t have a leg to stand on. Take what I offer or take none at all,” Emma smirked and Regina still managed to glare at her.

“Fine,” she winced. “ A nap. No more than two hours and then we will see Casey,”

“Sure,” Emma agreed. “ Come on, I’ll take you upstairs, then I’ll let Henry know you’re not feeling well-,”

“- No, I can nap down here. I don’t want to be too far away from him,”

“Okay, do you need anything to help you sleep,”

“Just a blanket and a few pillows,”

“Got it and got it,” Emma nodded before she led Regina into the living room once more and settled her in the couch.

“Mom, what’s wrong,”

“She’s a bit queasy, Kid. She’s gonna take a nap down here so you and I will have to be extra quiet so your mom can rest,”

“Yeah.. sure, Ma,” Henry agreed easily as he shifted to go over to his mother. He knelt before her and kissed the top of her head.

“Do you need anything, mom,”

“Just some rest,” Regina managed to smile and her son nodded. Emma descended the stairs with pillows and blanket in arms and quickly spread out the blanket and tucked Regina in before propping her head up on the pillows. Emma and Henry then settled right in the front of the couch where Regina lay and used it as support as they lowered the volume on the tv and continued to watch The 100. Regina never really fell asleep completely as she too continued to watch the show, making little commentary on it and finding herself distractedly playing in Emma’s loose curls. Her stomach slowly eased and by the end of the two hour mark she rose from her spot and refolded the blanket before she took that as well as the pillows upstairs.

 

“How do you feel,” Emma asked from the doorway. Regina nodded as she responded.

“Better,” she said and Emma smiled.

“Good enough to go see Casey?”

“Definitely better enough to see Casey,”Regina said.

“Good, I’ll check on Hen and see if he wants to come and then I’ll come get dressed,”

“Of course,” Regina said, but Emma felt something was off.

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” Regina said as her face scrunched up into confusion.

“Sure?” Regina nodded.

“Why do you ask?”

“You just seem.. I dunno, uneasy? In pain?”

“No, I’m fine. I suppose it’s just my face,”

“RBF,” Emma muttered.

“R-what?”

“Nothing,” Emma shrugged off and Regina turned back to putting the blanket up. “ Okay then. I’ll be back up in a bit,” she said and Regina turned to smile.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After Emma informed Henry of the hospital visit he’d agreed to come without another word and quickly went to change, however, before that, he needed to ask his mother a question.

“Ma,”

“Yeah Kid?”

“Earlier… were you and mom.. arguing?”

“No- no.. She was just a bit paranoid and afraid and I needed to reassure her that everything and everyone would be fine. Will be fine,” Emma answered and Henry smiled at her.

“You’re good at that,” he said before hugging her.

“I try to be,” the blonde modestly answered.

“I think you’re the first person who actually understood mom the way she should be,”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Gram and Gramps couldn’t. No one else in town could. Nana is learning how to and I’m too young so she won’t tell me.. besides. Robin’s a little.. slow,” Henry offered gently.

“That bad huh,”

“You have no idea,” he shook his head.

“Did they.. you know?”

“What, kiss? Well-kinda,” he said and Emma winced. “ I don’t know if they did anything past that, but he did kiss her.. at least, I think he called it kissing. To me it just looked like he tried to swallow her face and sandpaper her skin away,” Henry grimaced at the memory.

“That sounds painful,”

“It looked painful,” Henry responded.

“I’m sorry you had to witness that, Son,”

“Can you wipe my memories?”

“I don’t know how. If I try that you might only end up with half your brain left, or none at all,”

“Nevermind then,” Henry grinned.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Madame Mayor,” the nurse on call smiled at Regina and her crew. Regina knew why she was smiling, but at that point in time, her stomach started to hurt a little bit and she wasn’t here to threaten another idiot, she came to see Casey.

“Hello. I’m here to see Casey McMillan,” Regina kept a cool head as she felt her facade fading quickly with this woman who she knew did nothing to her but acted as if she wasn’t flat out giggling at the fact that she knew something personal as it related to the Mayor.

“Oh.. are you on the visitors list,”

“I’m not sure. Isn’t that your job to check,” she snapped lightly and the woman’s smile dropped. She felt Emma’s hand at the small of her back and flinched.Regina glared at the poor woman; Emma retracted and she relaxed. Emma looked over at Henry who gave her a sad smile and tried to reassure her but she was just.. sad, now. _One step forward, so many steps back._ They watched as the nurse looked over the visitors sheet and was about to tell Regina she wasn’t on it until Clara came through and smiled.

“I thought I heard you,” she smiled to Regina. “ And you brought company. Casey’s going to be so happy. She’s this way,” the girl’s mother said and Regina along with Emma and Henry followed. They all settled in the room and Regina watched as the little girl perked up and reached out for Regina, who despite her stomach pain, went over and sat on the little girl’s bed. Casey wrapped her arms around Regina as best she could and just remained that way. Regina stroked through the child’s hair and spoke to her silently for a while until she let her lay back down to ask Clara about Casey’s status.

“ She’s better today. A lot better than she was days ago. She’s just running a bit of a fever now,”

“I know. I felt it.. but she’s fine otherwise?”

“Yeah, completely,” Clara said with surprised eyes. “What about you. You don’t look so well,”

“Small stomach cramp, it will pass,” She waved off and Clara nodded. She looked over at Emma and Henry. “ Emma seems.. a bit upset as well.” Regina looked over and sighed.

“I may have.. acted a bit strange when we came in earlier. That _nurse_ wouldn’t just do her job and stop.. smiling at me like she knew my most darkest secrets,” Regina shivered.

“That’s what’s got her upset and got you acting like the woman kidnapped Henry. Regina everyone knows about you two and the engagement and the pregnancy. It’s best to just embrace it because it will be the talk of the town until you have this baby and after you have this baby, hell until this baby grows up and dies, you’ll be the talk of the town,”

“I’m well aware of that prospect, but I do not wish for anyone to pry into my personal life,”

“You’re the Mayor and you’re going to marry the sheriff and have her magical baby- you _have_ no personal life, that’s just it… now could you go cheer your lady up, she looks like a kicked puppy and it’s kind of killing the vibe in the room,” Clara smiled as she nudged Regina.

“I swear if I did not like you I’d toss your ass into something, but then your daughter would be the one taking care of you and I don’t want to be responsible for that,”

“Oh thank you for sparing me your majesty,” Clara deadpanned. “ Go.. she looks like she could use the reassurance.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina sat in the chair next to Emma and looked over at the blonde who looked at her for a moment and turned back to watching Casey who was talking tiredly to her mother.

“I’m sorry,” Regina mumbled.

“For what,” Emma said a bit harsh.

“For earlier.. out there. I was.. caught off guard by your affection,”

“S’fine,” Emma answered half-assed.

“It’s not,” Regina said as she turned to actually look at Emma.

“It is, now let it go,”

“I can’t,” Regina argued.

“You can. You seem to forget all the talks and progress we made the second we’re in public. You’re disgusted by me and the thought of being with me- I get it. Let it go,”

“Emma.. that’s not it,” Regina managed.

“Right, so what is it,”

“I feel vulnerable,” Regina answered quickly almost raising her voice but it cracked. “ I feel vulnerable and she was watching me- watching us and I do not like people to pry-,”

“-She wasn’t prying-,”

“-She didn’t have to. She was already in my head. She already knew because of the way she smiled at me, like she knew something that could destroy me,” Regina continued and Emma sighed and turned to Regina.

“The day you stop believing everyone is out to get you is the day you may actually enjoy your life. Maybe you should try that instead of trying to control what everyone knows, because eventually, everyone and by everyone I mean everyone finds out, no matter how hard you try to hide it. Everyone can and will find out,” she turned back and shifted to create comfort for herself but also yank herself from the bubble she’d allow herself to have with Regina earlier, but Regina was about to pull her back in.

“I’m sorry,” the brunette began.

“You said that already,”

“I’m aware of that, but you’re not making this easy for me,”

“How am I not making it easy for you?” Emma turned back to her.

“I have to.. ease into things and I just.. wanted to start slow. Me offering you a chance to come along with me was the first step and you trying to comfort me felt like too many steps ahead all at once. I get that you were trying to calm me but see this from my eyes where all everyone in my life has ever wanted to do was find my weakness and use it against me and Emma, this may not seem like it, but you and Henry are my weaknesses. You may not be as much of one as Henry, but I always lose the ones closest to me.. the ones I love and you are one of those people that I care about, much like your parents, as much as I hate to admit that. But if someone knew that, if someone knew what you meant to me, they would try to use that to hurt me, to break me and I can’t let that happen. It’s hard enough to protect my heart and Henry’s. I’m now responsible for yours as well and I don’t want for you to bare the burden of what people say and what they do because of who you’re associated with.”

 

There was silence. Silence. Silence. More silence and then.

“Gina…” Casey had called her. She offered an apologetic look to the blonde and went to talk to the little girl before she hugged her and let her talk to Henry a bit before he let her drift off to sleep. They had exited the room shortly after and said goodbye to Clara after she had a chat with Emma and tried to speak on Regina’s behalf which Emma could appreciate because that meant that Regina had one more advocate in her corner. and were on their way to Granny’s to have an early and light lunch. It was a bit awkward at first because of all the words before, but finally Emma looked at Regina and said,

“I understand.” That’s all she said and that’s all that needed to be said because they were back to normal after that, full of conversation and jokes.

 

A good while after that they drove out to the farm-side to see Cora who they’d made sure to not call because the woman probably would have thrown the phone into something. This time Regina used the bell, the literal bell, like a damn cow bell kind of bell and Cora answered with a smile.

 

“Mother, why on earth are you dressed for halloween,” Regina sighed as they stepped inside.

“Can’t a woman dress up in her fine threads every once in awhile,” Cora sassed as she cocked her hip to the side.

“You could if we were still stuck in the dark ages,” Regina mumbled.

“Why do you insist on insulting my generation. I get that Rumple and I were delinquents but not everyone of our time was dark,” Cora turned her head.

“I apologise, Your Grace,” Regina smirked.

“Yes, of course you are, darling. Now, why have you come to disturb my blessed Saturday,”

“We came because we wanted to see you.. and talk to you about the minor details you left out of the field trip with Henry,” Regina smirked and Cora glared at her grandson.

“You told,” she shrieked and he laughed. “ Whimp! What happened to our deal? I swear for someone with Rumple’s blood you are shit when it comes to keeping deals. Never again, Henry. You can no longer be my partner in crime. And after I filled you with chocolates and those things you call burgers- you told. You suck,” Cora said as she turned her nose up at her grandson and Henry continued to laugh.

“She’d have gotten it out of me somehow, Nana. Besides, You launched a forklift. Into the building. You’re mom’s mom, of course Mister Crafter is going to complain to the Mayor about it.”

“A deal is a deal, Henry. Now I must tell your mother of the things you got up to during this field trip-,”

“-You wouldn’t!”

“YOU BROKE THE DEAL!”

“BECAUSE YOU FLIPPED YOUR NUT AND THREW THE DAMN FORKLIFT INTO STORYBUILDER’S MAIN OFFICE!”

“BUT I GAVE YOU BURGERS! BURRRRGEEEERS! I LET YOU EAT THAT THING THAT LOOKED LIKE IT’D BEEN HIT BY A CARRIAGE AND MANGLED BY YOUR MOTHER’S UNSKILLED HANDS-

“My hands are not unskilled,” Regina huffed.

“Regina, dear. I love you, but you were shit with murder. It looked like a five year old was hired to sketch out a crime scene and that’s what they got,”

“I learned it from you,”

“You didn’t learn that shit from me. You got that gene from your father. Terrible at hiding things. That’s just how we made you.. over and repeatedly-,”

“MOTHER!”

“WHAT!” Cora yelled back. “ You think that man was ever able to hide what the kids call a ‘woody’ from me. We didn’t have those methods of today. He couldn’t ‘tuck’ his John-Jacob, or his Jingle Heimer Schmidt’s! His sticks and stones were always knocking wood,” Cora grinned.

“We get it mother,” Regina covered her ears.

“I mean his army always stood at attention,”

“Mother,”

“I mean you should’ve seen the rod on that man-,”

“GOD DAMN IT MOTHER!”

“WHY ARE YOU YELLING,”

“BECAUSE YOU’RE SCARRING ME! OVER AND REPEATEDLY,” Regina groaned.

“Like your father and I did. About two or three times a day, even after your giant ass head invaded my womb,” Cora continued and Emma literally shoved Henry out of the room because Lord knows the poor boy was frozen in his place. “We were still at it, like rabbits. I hope you didn’t think that was a joystick saying hello to you in there.. did you see it by any chance?”

“Mother, for the love of the Gods. Stop,”

“Regina, it’s natural. You’ve had enough romps to create my magical grandbaby with this fine piece of ass here,”

“Mother, what in the hell have you been watching. You were not this… what have you been watching,”

“Something called MTV Cribs and T.I and Tiny’s family hustle. I can’t really remember the rest because the names sounded idiotic,”

“Really? those two stuck but everything else sounded idiotic?”

“Yes, that’s what I said. Is your head big for nothing? I really thought you’d have a bigger brain with that giant thing I pushed through my biscuit. And I'll tell you that you did not come out like butter, more like a constipated poo,” Cora grumbled and Emma busted out laughing from the other room.

“She’s been watching Honey BOO BOO!”

“I hate my life,” the brunette pinched the bridge of her nose. “ Mother, can you just go and put on something less… themed and wear something that I bought you, please,”

“But those things you call pants make my ass look flat. Why can’t I have pants that make my butt look like yours,”

“Mother, I exercise,”

“What the bloody hell is that?”

“Something that could possibly put you in the hospital or bust your heart at your age.. if I’m lucky,” Regina mumbled the last part though she didn’t mean it.

“That still doesn’t explain why you bought me those unflattering pieces of material,”

“Because no one here dresses like they’re from the Victorian Era anymore, mother and they aren’t unflattering,”

“They are. It looks like that dreadful breakfast food Henry told me you make him every morning,”

“Mother, do you mean pancakes,” Regina looked at Cora like she had two heads.

“Yes, that. One giant pancake,”

“Mother, go change,” Regina sound exasperated and whiney.

“Don’t do that, dear. It ruins the mood,” Cora reprimanded and Regina huffed. “ Fine, I will change into those flat ass inducing pieces of material,”

“Thank you,” Regina said as Cora went up the stairs and Regina went to join Emma and Henry. She sat down into the seat.

  
“So apparently our son was all canoodly with Grace on this field trip,?

“MA! you said you wouldn’t tell,”

“Well, here’s the thing, Kid. You said the same thing to your Nana and now look, WE’RE ALL SCARRED BY HER PAST. Second, your mom and I are a team, which means I tell her everything,” the blonde said before she looked over at Regina who was just eyeing Henry.

“If she murders me, I’m coming back to haunt you and possess everything you own,” Henry threatened.

“I’ll take my chances,”

“Henry,” Regina said seriously and he looked over with a scared look on his face.

“Yeah, mom,”

“We’ll talk more about this later,” she said and he hung his head but nodded.

 

“Alright. I’m ready and wearing this infernal thing,” Cora announced as she walked into the room with some white Capris on and striped gray and red ¾ sleeved shirt with some nice black sandals. Her hair was still.. themed as Regina put it, but she could do with that.

“Mother you look nice,”

“I look like I belong on a maxi pad commercial,” Cora groaned.

“How do you even know about these things,” Regina sighed heavily as she stood.

“You gave me that thing you call entertainment when all I see are half naked idiots running rampant and talking about Tots? Thots? Tater tots?- I don’t know. I saw this commercial and it said maxi pad. I’d no idea the people of this world had blue Moonsblood,” Cora whispered. “ Is that normal? Do you have blue moonsblood now as well, dear?”

“It’s just a demonstration Cora,” Emma grinned.

“Oh, so you bleed red as well then?”

“Yeah, sadly,” Emma recalled a few bad moments.

“Can we please just go,” Regina asked with exasperation.

“Alright, grumpy, let’s go,” Cora said, “ But I’m not sitting next to this pimp,”

“Nana, She. Would. Have. Found. Out. Anyway,” Henry enunciated.

“You hush, punk. Next time you pimp on me I’ll seal your mouth shut and make you nubby,” Cora threatened and Emma excused herself to laugh just as Henry rolled his eyes at his grandmother and Regina pushed them all out the door. “ Turn off my magical box or the people will escape before I can watch them again,”

“Cora they aren’t actually in the tv,”

“Then where the hell are they,”

“All over the world,”

“My minions. No! I’ve been a bad ruler. My loyal subjects have dispersed. Emma, will you share some of your subjects with me?”

“Uhhhh, I guess.. can we go,” Emma asked uneasily.

“Yes of course,” Cora smiled. “ I will avenge my lost subjects. Am I the only one who’s lost their subjects?”

“Uhmm, no,” Emma answered unsurely.

“Mother, those people are not subjects, nor were they yours to claim or lose. They exist like we do, they are just recorded for entertainment purposes for us to watch,”

“Like the Genie in the mirror?”

“Actually, yes much like that,”

“And they trust that damn pervert!”

“Dear Lord, help me,” Regina groaned. “ Get in the car, please,”

“I have to sit in that tiny metal coffin you call transportation,”

“Yesss mother,”

“Don’t hiss at me, big head,”

“Can we please just make it out of the lot,” Regina pleaded.

“If you hadn’t picked this Godforsaken box of Blacksmith material then yes,”

“Mother, GET IN THE DAMN CAR!”

“I’M GOING! BOSSY!” Regina sighed.

“If you’d just done that from the get go I wouldn’t have to yell,” Regina managed and Cora just mumbled as she climbed into the car.

“Regina, what is this thing,” Cora asked as she pulled on something that sounded much like a zipper or zipline.

“That’s a seatbelt, mother,”

“The car’s come with their own clothing now.. this is highly unappealing,”

“No mother, a seatbelt is for you to wear, it protects you to prevent you from being tossed through my window should we get into an accident,”

“I do intend to keep my face from looking like mashed potatoes. Pimpy, how do I put this infernal thing on,” Cora commanded and Henry just clipped her in. Once they were all buckled in they left. The ride was surprisingly peaceful considering Cora could have freaked out, but the most she said was.

“There’s more tiny coffins on this road,” and Regina responded with.

“Yes mother. It’s easier for most to get around than it once used to be.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They stopped off to the park and got out to go around for a while. Long story short, Cora assume the little children and lost their minds. She tried out the swings and busted her ass, Henry laughed at her and Regina was sure she broke a hip. Cora made yet another joke about not having anything remotely close to an ass. Emma tried her hardest not to laugh but helped Cora up and convinced her to come help her feed the ducks. That didn’t end any better because she ended up being pecked by a few of them and about three ended up in her head. Cora did have a nice heart to heart with Emma where she’d basically told her.

“I’m happy Regina’s found someone, or rather, been found by someone who loves her unconditionally and is willing to put her and their family first. Emma, I hope to the Gods that my daughter gets all she’s ever wished for and wanted because I’d managed to strip her of those things as a child and this second chance, this second time around is your chance to create that for her and my chance to fix what I’ve truly destroyed between us when she was a child. I truly can not wait to see what beautiful little human she will give birth to.. she’s always wanted a little girl and I remember that when she was little she’d said that because she wanted to learn to braid like me, she wanted a little girl to do that for. I figured in some twisted way i would be giving her that with Snow White, but I realized where I’d gone wrong in taking away her chance to create one of those little girl for herself… Promise me one thing if you promise me nothing else,”

“I will, I promise whatever it is you ask of me,”

“Promise me to always love and protect her. To just give her time, she didn’t have a chance to learn how to manage because of what I’d done to her and what Rumple managed to finish strip from her. Promise me that you will love this child as much as you love Regina and that you will never just run away from her when she’s being difficult. It’s not her fault. She’s always tried to be strong and willing and we’ve broken her. Promise me that you will always, with every ounce of human emotion in you, remain in love with my daughter,”

“I promise,” Emma said strongly. “ Cora, I promise. You have nothing to worry about. I will stay, I made Regina that promise from day one. I will stay. I’m not going anywhere and I’m done with running, my days of running are over. It’s because of her and Henry I don’t want to run. It’s because of her I feel guilty when I even think of it. I will never leave her because I’ll lose the most special woman who’d ever graced reality with her presence,”

“Good,” Cora smiled before she patted Emma’s back. “ Now get these damn yellow cotton balls out my hair.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After the park, they took Cora to get something to eat and she saw absolutely nothing on the menu that sounded familiar, hence she settled on soup. Chicken and dumplings.

“It looks sick,” Cora commented as she took up a spoonful of the creamy soup.

“It’s supposed to look like that mother,”

“I’m pretty sure it’s not supposed to look sick.. or someone throw powder in a bowl of water and added leaves.

“Mother, that’s oregano and it’s not powder. It’s a soup. Chicken and dumplings,”

“You’re saying words I don’t understand,” Core mumbled just before Snow and David walked in. David had tried to quickly turn and run but Snow yanked him back by his collar. She dragged him over to the table and pushed her way into the seat next to Cora, effectively squishing Regina against the wall.

“Dear, I know you may think we’re small, but we honestly cannot fit here like this.”

“I simply came to have a meal with my daughter and her other family,” Snow turned her nose up and Regina rolled her eyes.

“Hey guys,” David smiled but remained standing.

“Kill me,” Regina muttered and banged her head on the wall.

“Darling don’t do that, you might be senseless before you’re home,”Cora spoke as she patted Regina’s lap.

“What are you having, Cora,” David tried to change the topic.

“Oh.. Chicken and dumplings,” she said before sliding it over. “ You can have it..I’m not as hungry as I thought.”

“Did you poison this-,”

“MOM!” Emma reprimanded. “ Could you chill with the damn conspiracy theories already?”

“They aren’t conspiracy theories, I’m merely asking a question,”

“No, you’re implying and being a pain right now. Can we please just try to have a normal dinner, you know, where you two just pull up a table instead of squeezing into the booth and creating a human sardine can?”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Dinner was.. eventful. After a beautifully awkward dinner that consisted of Snow questioning Cora and Regina on everything and Emma groaning and coming  to their defense, they had parted ways and offered Cora their guest bedroom back at the mansion which she accepted.

 

“Mother, the bathroom is right down the hall where I showed you and you have fresh towels, a robe and everything else you may need on the bureau over there, okay,”

“Yes, dear, thank you, but I would like to spend a little more time with Henry,”

“I thought he was pimpy,” Emma teased.

“He was , but I’ve turned a new leaf. He’s once again my friend and I’d like to know what he is doing with the magical box and the violence,”

“You mean video games?”

“What now?”

“Nothing. He’ll explain,”Emma said and Cora nodded.

“We’re heading to bed now mother. Please don’t stay up too late,”

“Yes yes. Dictator Mills,”Cora teased.

“Whatever, mother. Good night,”

“Good night, sweetheart. Good night, Emma. No night rod action play please. My grand baby doesn’t need you trying to say hi up in there,”

“Mother, I swear to God, you are going to have your mouth washed out if you don’t stop,”

“I’m merely acknowledging that you are enjoying your sexual prowess,”

“We’re gone,” Regina said quickly. “Good night mother,” she shut the door and Cora laughed.

“Now time to find out what my friend is up to.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma and Regina changed into their clothes silently after they each showered and both practically crashed in the bed, curling up under the covers and recapping the night with laughter. Regina was wearing an oversized t-shirt, shorts and socks and Emma wore her flannel pjs with a cami overtop.

“I can’t believe your mother talks like that,” Emma giggled as she stared at the bare roof.

“I know, it’s truly scarring,” Regina laughed.

“I got the stars tonight,” the blonde smiled before they fell silent, Regina allowing her to imagine the stars in the sky overhead and soon the room lit up lightly with the night sky on display.

“I will never become tired of seeing these, without having to be out and in the wild,”

“I know what you mean. This is much more comfortable, but I’m not against it,”

“Neither am I. This is like you said, much more comfortable.”

 

Silence.

Silence.

Silence.

“Regina?”

“Hmm?”

“Good night, Regina,” Emma smiled because she knew the brunette was about to fall asleep.

“Good night.. swe-heart,” Regina mumbled and drifted. Emma smiled as she looked over at the brunette who was sleeping quietly, the steady rise and fall of her chest giving indication she was out cold. Emma remained for a bit more and then rose, doing what she usually did after she was positive Regina was out, she went downstairs and got herself a glass of water before she heard Cora shouts,

“I blew your shit up, suckaaaa,” and Henry respond with,

“Nana, you blew yourself up!” _Not tonight_.

 

The blonde went back into the master bedroom and knelt before Regina’s side. The woman had turned on her other side so Emma turned her on her back and lifted the giant t-shirt and whispered across Regina’s stomach after she kissed just below the curve of her ribs, the base of her waist and then her navel.

 

“Hey, little one, day three. Three kisses. Yes Grampa sent you another, but like I said, these are all for me and your mommy and our hopes that you do come true little one. Your Nana is crazy. Hell, all of them are crazy, trust me when I say that, but it seems to have skipped your mother and me and Henry, so we’re okay. I know you can’t hear me, can’t understand me and can’t even register my existence because you don’t exist, but kid, just know I made a promise to your mother and I made a promise to you and I’m going to keep it. We both are. Your mother never breaks a promise, ever and I should know because she went after my mother for what- ten years of her life? who knows.. and that’s another thing with the weird age thing, but I’ll explain that to you when I can understand better because I’m still surprised by the new shit I find out everyday, but.. that’s enough of my rambling tonight. Sleep easy kid. Good night,” Emma whispered before she stroked Regina’s stomach and pulled the shirt back down.

She settled into the bed and under the covers and could only smile when Regina turned over and immediately latched on to her like she was a life line. She returned the motion by wrapping her arms around the woman and pulling her in close. What she didn’t know was that Regina was actually awake. With every admission, the woman made sure to be awake and she had a notion that Emma would make those admissions every night until that baby came and Regina found herself looking forward to it.

 

_I don’t have a ring. You’ve no claim to me._

The blonde’s eyes opened and she waved her hands after focusing on something very very special. Something that used to be on Regina’s finger, was no longer there. Emma closed her eyes and smiled.

 

“You will have it and I will have claim,” she whispered sleepily before she fell asleep.


	5. A Lost Ring, Two Naked Bodies, Four Kisses

Day Four

 

It was Sunday morning, and usually on Sunday mornings that meant Regina would be going into the office for a few hours in order to lessen the load she usually had on Mondays. She would then leave from there and head to the store and shop, deciding on Sunday dinner basically on a whim. She and Henry never had a set schedule for something like that. Dinner was always done on a whim. Now that Emma was living with them, she realized at dinner, the evening before, they’d all have to expand their taste palates. Cora and Henry had fallen asleep downstairs after they duked it out on the XBox, or as Cora called it “radioactive hum hum”. He was sprawled out on the floor with the controller still in his death grip and Cora was leant up against the sofa, mouth hung open, an unceremonious snore escaping and her head lolled back. The tv screen read, ‘Mission Failed’ on account of Cora’s inability to decipher who was good and who was evil. She pretty much shot at everyone on the field and would’ve shot at herself if given the opportunity. Upstairs, however, was the newly created pair of women, cuddled up under the blankets. Emma had herself wrapped around Regina like Superman with his cape. She was bullet proof it seemed, or, she would be for Regina and the baby.  Emma roused from her slumber and smacked her lips lightly before her eyes fluttered and settled on Regina, peacefully sleeping; the brunette’s own arms holding onto Emma’s like they were the only things keeping her grounded. She smiled to herself before she attempted to slide herself out of Regina’s hold. It only took her about five minutes and some maneuvering to extract herself from the grasping brunette. She sat up straight in the bed, stretched and went to open the curtains in the room. Emma looked out and over the town of StoryBrooke. It was a sleepy little town and on Sundays she could count on everyone to wake up even later considering Regina had yet another law set in place that everyone would rest on a Sunday. They could call Regina heartless all they wanted, but they couldn’t say she didn’t care enough not to force them to rest. Emma shifted away from the windows and went towards the drawers. She pulled them all out and began to sift through, pulling out her own clothes, folding them and stacking them at her side. She did the same with Regina’s, feeling nothing short of ordinary as she did it. She wasn’t phased by seeing Regina’s underwear the same way the woman didn’t seem the slightest bit bothered by seeing Emma’s. Emma did stop a few times when she couldn’t figure whose was whose with some of the clothes. With those she just folded them and stacked them on top of the dresser. Emma then went into the closet and halved it by separating their clothes and putting hers on the right side, as she was used to reaching directly right in her old closet. She smiled to herself when she was done, got herself dressed in her jogging wear and grabbed up her house key. She laughed as she looked at it.

“Never thought I’d be here.. with her no less.” Emma went back to the Master bed and knelt down on Regina’s side as she saw the way the brunette’s hair was just covering her face, hand slung across her stomach, giant t-shirt practically swallowing her whole. She brushed Regina’s hair from her face, which in turn made the woman’s nose scrunch up before her eyes lazily opened to see a smirking blonde looking back at her. For a split second she had no clue why Emma was smirking at her and as if her body took control of itself for a moment, she smiled at Emma in an almost loving manner, like she saw heaven around the green eyed beauty.

“Good morning,” Emma whispered and Regina mouthed it back. “ I’m going out for a run and I’ll be back with breakfast for everyone.. is that okay?” Regina nodded and smiled. “Good,” Emma grinned. “ It’s about eight or so. I didn’t wanna wake you, but I guess you’d need to get up if you needed to do anything,”

“The office,” Regina finally spoke and her tone was husked.

“What about the office,” Emma asked as her head tilted.

“Files,” Regina’s eyes lazily shut on that one.

“Can’t you take today off?”

“If I could, I would, but if I don’t,” she paused to rise into sitting, rubbing her eyes much like a toddler would before she slumped over, a pout on her face. Emma stood up and watched the woman with intent. “ If I don’t I’ll have an even longer Monday and won’t be home for dinner,”

“I hate your job,” Emma muttered.

“Someone has to do it,” Regina sighed but smirked as she looked over at Emma. Emma’s mouth twitched in understanding.

“I know, but still.” Regina said nothing, rather, she swung her feet over the bed and then stood. She reached out and stroked Emma’s right arm.

“Trust me when I say, I understand. But if I don’t do it.. I’ll more than likely end up like you,” she grinned and Emma narrowed her eyes but she was smiling. “Files ruling my life and everything else in between. Everything being everywhere,”

“Alright, I get it,” Emma smiled as she continued to listen.

“Just saying.. but I understand why you are upset as well. However, sacrificing a little to have a lot later is worth it, don’t you think?” Emma was silent for a moment.

“I guess you’re right. Okay then,” Emma sighed out, “ I’ll go for my run and see you before you go?” she asked in a hopeful manner. Regina smiled at her sadly, and answered truthfully,

“I’m not sure,”

“Yeah,” Emma sagged and Regina deflated.

“What if I go for a run with you?”

“You’d do that,”

“I would. It’s obvious you miss me or else you wouldn’t look like someone abandoned you,” she joked but realized all too quickly she shouldn’t have said it. Emma let it register for a minute before she laughed it off.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she scratched the back of her head and Regina sighed in relief. “You won’t be late though, right?” Regina glanced at the clock then back at the blonde.

“Maybe a little, but I’m the Mayor and Sundays are rest days, no one would actually care, not that much of them do now, anyway-,” Regina said before Emma cut her off. Emma knew exactly what the woman was trying to say without saying.

“-Clara cares about you being on time, that’s why you hired her..” Emma began to say before she continued, “she cares about _you_ too, you know,”

“Maybe,” Regina shrugged.

“Henry cares about you,” Emma argued and Regina smiled.

“I know,”

“Your mother cares.. your dad cared,” the blonde continued and Regina continued to smile, though it was a thoughtful smile. “ My parents cared and still do care,” she said and waited for Regina to roll her eyes, which she did.

“Yes, those two,” she mock scowled. “ They care enough to ruin my happiness if it’s the last thing they do,”

“Sound familiar,” Emma teased and Regina hit her arm. “ Not my fault you’re a woman of oneliners,”

“Yes, it seems you tend to gravitate towards a lot of persons only in possession of one thing,”

“Yeah, like who?”

“Exhibit A. Your precious Baelfire. One mindset, grudge against his father. His one and only existing parent,”

“Aww come on, that’s not fair,”

“It is when he also only had one mindset and that was to leave you to take the fall when the police came. Or should we move on to Exhibit B. The handless wonder. That man has one and only one mindset as well as one hand and one true love. That’s Rum.” Emma was silent for a moment.

“Okay, fine you’re right about Hook, and well,.. kinda right about Neal-,”

“-No, I’m entirely right about Neal, and entirely right about Captain Coatrack,” Regina interrupted.

“Okay, fine,” Emma said as she folded her arms and widened her stance. “ If that’s the case, then you’re one of those people as well,” Emma said as she attempted to make Regina falter.

“I’m well aware,” Regina smirked at the blonde. “ I wouldn’t mention either of them if this didn’t have some relation to myself and you should know as well as I that I would never associate myself in something with that scurvy ridden hook handed fool,”

“I don’t know whether to call you conceited or just plain rude,”

“Both would probably still be correct,” the brunette laughed before she sauntered over to the drawers and smiled upon sight. “ You sorted through them?”

“Yeah,” Emma blushed. “ I know you said we would have done it last night, but I decided to do it this morning,”

“Thank you,” Regina said before turning back and looking at the ones atop the bureau.

“Oh, right. Those I couldn’t tell a difference in and it made it harder for me to figure out whose was whose. Maybe you could tell me,”

“I honestly have no clue,” Regina said as she unraveled the clothes. “ I suppose it wouldn’t be a bad thing, however,” she paused to check the tag, “ this may help,” she held it up to the blonde. Emma read the inside of the tags and still shrugged.

“I honestly do not know,” she shrugged and Regina put them back where they were.

“Well then, it doesn’t matter. We’ll both just wear whatever they are. I’ll go change,” the brunette ended as she plucked her running gear from her bottom drawer. Once she was done, she grabbed up her MP3 and her arm band before she plugged it in and hooked her earbuds around her ears.

“Ready,” Emma asked and she nodded. They both descended the stairs after setting the bed, quickly and came upon a still knocked out Cora and equally dead to the world, Henry. “ We should move them,” Emma said and Regina nodded. Emma lifted their son upstairs as Regina transported her mother with magic, she dashed up the stairs and tucked the woman in before she met Emma in Henry’s room doing the same. She walked over and kissed their son’s forehead before she motioned towards the door and the blonde followed. They descended the stairs once again and cleaned up the living room before they went out for their jog.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma and Regina hit the sidewalk that would lead them to the forest trail, only to bump into David and Mary Margaret along the way.

“Emma, hey,” her father waved and smiled. Her mother eyed his actions and looked over to eye hers. How she’d managed to do that and scowl all in the same face was beyond the blonde. Emma waved back and continued to jog with Regina until they were close enough and stopped to talk. Regina stepped aside for two reasons. She did not want to be on the receiving end of another Charming forehead kiss and she wanted to give Emma the privacy to talk with her parents if she so needed to.

“Hey, dad. Need something?”

“Nah, your mom and I were just out for a walk.. well, she’s on a walk, I’m on a jog,”

“Doesn’t seem like you’ve jogged much unless mom walks really fast,”

“No,” he laughed. “ She refuses to let me be more than thirty feet away from her because she’s convinced I’m under some spell from Regina,” he leaned in and whispered to her and she laughed.

“Ahhhh. Got it now,” Emma said aloud. “ We were out for a jog too,”

“Forest trail?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. You?”

“Stuck on the concrete because she’s convinced that Regina’s turned the forest animals into miniature soldiers,”

“But doesn’t _she_ talk to them. Wouldn’t she be able to tell if they’re- oh, I don’t know, marching around with little swords and suits of armour,” the blonde joked and her father laughed. They went off in conversation and Regina just continued to listen to her MP3 until Snow approached her and she politely took them out to regard the woman.

“I’m on to you,” Snow pointed and prodded at Regina’s chest as she stepped into her personal space. Her glare was set and her stance seemed strong, but Regina wasn’t fazed.

“What exactly is it that I’m doing that would require you being ‘on to’ me as you put it,” Regina said as she flicked Snow’s finger from her chest.

“I’m literally on to you and your spell you put on Emma and David,” Snow’s eyes narrowed and Regina’s face pinched into confusion.

“ What the hell are you on about. I’ve done nothing to either of them. Quite frankly it’s not my fault that _your_ daughter and husband accept me and love me. And it is sure as hell is not my fault they’ve managed to do what you’ve been begging David to do for eons. You finally got what you wished for and somehow it’s not enough- but then again... You’re a princess and they are never satisfied are they,” Regina mocked.. “Dear, Princess Snow White, bratty in all her ways. Skin as white as Snow, Heart not so pure as a newborn’s and apparently not so fair after all. Why can’t you just believe that people actually do like me the way you once adored me and worshiped the ground I walked on, or have you left that lovely little part out for the shepherd not to know,”

“I worshiped the ground you walked on because you were good,” Snow argued as if that was a strong enough point.

“And now? Am I not good, Snow?” Regina asked in sarcasm as it oozed from her words, backing the woman up and out of her personal space “Have I done anything in nearly another year added on to the already clean two, to make you believe I would be up to anything? Was I the one to kill as of late unless it was to protect my son and your daughter as well as you and your husband.?Or this God forsaken sleep ridden town? When your daughter brought Marian back, did I kill her though I would have loved to, considering I felt she once again ruined my happy ending? Did I kill Greg and Tamara when they kidnapped Henry and damn near killed us all. Did I kill you when you murdered my mother and I had to force her resurrection? Did I kill you when you were a child though it would have been so much more simpler than to wait until your were of age?” Snow’s face faltered and She bit her lip,

“Well, no-,”

“I’m sorry, what was that? A little louder, please,”

“I said, No,” Snow said louder.

“And have you ever wondered why,” Regina tilted her head as if she was disappointed in the woman before her.

“No,” Snow muttered.

“Because I actually care, dear. I didn’t kill you as a child because you worshiped the ground I walked on and though I was responsible for your father’s death Part of me still truly cared for the little girl who was on that horse. The one I met before she spilled a secret I begged her to keep,” Regina said and before Snow could argue, she held up a hand. “ Yes, I understand you were a child, however, you lasted all of one total eclipse of a day before you cracked like an unsturdy foundation. I haven’t done anything in years because I was put on the road to redemption and yet here I am, nearly three good years later and still, you can’t pull your head out of your ass long enough to believe that maybe- just maybe, I’ve changed- even a little bit.” Regina shook her head as she backed away from Snow who instinctively stepped forward. She knew Regina was pulling away and that was the only time Snow could gauge that the woman was being entirely honest.

 

“I’m sorry,” she said in a pained expression.

“You are guilty, Snow. You are not sorry,” Regina shook her head again and Snow remained quiet because the woman was right. “ You think that you can say those words to me and it will band-aid every insult you toss my way because _you_ deemed me the Evil Queen? You think that I’m this heartless being who would not be affected by everything you say about me because _you_ don’t deem me human?” Regina scoffed as she walked away and towards Emma and her father who were actually listening to the exchange.  Regina turned and walked backwards to regard Snow once more before she pulled Emma away. “ Is it truly so hard to believe that your daughter could love me and that I could love her? Or that I could give her a child? All because I refused to provide one to your father? A man almost four times my age- who am I lying to, he was four times my age. Is it that or is it that you believe I’ve truly put everyone, including my own son and mother under spells just so they would all love me?” She said no more as she turned to shortly talk to David.

“I apologise, but Emma and I need to go. We have a few things to do before I head into work and I’d like to get those done. She will talk to you another time, but we’ll be leaving now,”

“No- yeah, of course. Be safe, Regina. Emma, watch over her,”her father smiled at them before he kissed Emma’s forehead and went to do the same to Regina. The brunette accepted it and in that moment, it felt anything but weird. It actually felt… nice. Like she was actually a teenager and her girlfriend’s father completely loved her. But Emma wasn’t her girlfriend. Hell- Emma was barely more than her friend, and then she just shivered because David- smiling and goofy David, would be her father in law. He pulled away and smiled at her brightly, almost as if he was trying to tell her not to worry about Snow. She nodded. She and Emma left.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“ Why did you do that,” David sighed heavily as he walked towards his wife.

“David she-,”

“-Snow, _please_ , do not say that she has everyone under a spell, because she doesn’t. Why are you so sure Regina would do that?”

“Because she’s done it before,” Snow argued as she held her hands out in explanation.

“When?” he sagged because he was so done with it all. “When would Regina have collectively put us all under a spell to force everyone to love her if for the past twenty eight years of the curse she made sure no one knew who the hell she was and even still after that she steered clear of us only to save us how many times because neither of us possess magic. If Regina wanted us under a spell, she’d have done it a long time ago. She’d have done it the minute Emma crossed the townline into StoryBrooke, but she didn’t. Emma’s a grown woman and if she says she’s in love with the woman you loved so much as a little girl, why can’t you just let them be?”

“Because something just doesn’t seem right about it, David,”

“And that would be?”

“She’s infertile!” Snow shouted.

“SNOW! Seriously, how many times will we cover this. TRUE LOVE. OUT RULES. THAT.”

“Don’t shout at me David,” she grimaced.

“You seem to only listen if someone does,” he argued and her face went sour. “ I swear you have no idea how insane you are making yourself seem because you won’t just let them be. You’re turning into who Regina used to be. Determined and stubborn enough to ruin someone else’s happy ending, and for what? For what? Seriously! They are in love. Let them be in love. They shouldn’t have to fight like hell to be happy the way we did. You can’t be the hero for one second and the next your sole mission is to just trip them up at every turn. Let. Them. Be. In. Love.” He reprimanded as he walked away. Snow was left there with her own thoughts. _Have I really turned into.. an Evil Queen?_ The answer to that was a resounding yes in her head.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Sorry,” Emma muttered after a while of her and Regina jogging.

“For what,” Regina tried to sound okay, but she wasn’t. It didn’t matter how many times she tried or rather, how hard she tried, Snow still seemed to be stepping on her heels. Antagonizing her.

“My mother is being a pain in the ass and My dad is still kissing your forehead like you’re two,”

“It doesn’t matter,” Regina shrugged and hoped Emma wouldn’t continue to talk about it, but knowing the blonde the way she did, she would. And she would argue with Regina over it.

“It does matter though and you of all people know that it matters. She shouldn’t be doing that to you. She doesn’t have a right to,”

“On the contrary, she does,” Regina said and Emma gaped at her.

“And tell me how in the hell does my mother have a right to still see you the way she does when all you’ve done was change and prove that’s not your anymore and you haven’t threatened to roast her or dad in how long?”

“A good few months,” Regina answered that part but avoided the rest.

“I’m being serious.”

“As am I,” the brunette said. “ Emma, look. It does not matter anymore than it already does. Your mother can no longer see the person who saved her from being trampled by a horse. All she sees is the woman who killed your grandfather and refused to give him an heir. All she sees is a woman who fought endlessly to ruin her happy ending by forcing her to sleep for nearly two years. All your mother sees is someone who cursed her to not remember the man she was married to for twenty eight years. All she sees is someone who has poisoned not only her biological grandson but her child as well- the same child she felt need to put in a damn wooden box with another and ship off to this half-assed place of existence. Emma,” Regina sighed. “ All your mother sees is a woman who has done nothing but ruin her life when in actuality I tried to steer clear from her at all costs only to find myself taking my anger out on her because of what she did. Much like I said, I acknowledge that she was a child, but I had hope and it was crushed. So why shouldn’t she do the same? Why shouldn’t she just do what I did to her? Why wouldn’t she embody the Evil Queen so that she could do just that.” There was silence for a moment as Emma gaped at Regina and her words. She was so.. unsure if this was Regina speaking or if her mother put the woman under one of those spells she was so sure Regina had put everyone else under.

 

“Regina,” the blonde began but her face pinched into thought. “ My mother has no right to do those things and turn around and call herself a hero or someone that is pure at heart. My mother is not perfect and if she still thinks she is, she’s got shit sight because she did some pretty ungodly things and yet still it’s overlooked because she’s fucking Snow White. My dad was just the same- I mean they took a child. An unborn child. They stole her from her mother after she begged them to not do it and they shoved her in the wardrobe with me, but yet it’s all for the greater good, right? No! Screw that, and screw her twisted ass logic where she believes she’s anymore entitled to purity than anyone else. No one is perfect but holding on to things of someone’s past won’t make them any fucking better.”

 

There was silence and the jog was finished in much the same amount of silence as they made their way back to the mansion.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Instead of picking up food to carry back to the mansion for everyone, Emma decided to put what little skills she had, to use. She made egg white omelettes and toast along with bacon and poured everyone a glass of apple juice, homemade of course. Emma then ascended the stairs to wake Henry and Cora. She’d managed to wake the log of a young man up, however, Cora was another issue.

 

Emma quietly knocked on the bedroom door before she entered.

“Cora?” she questioned only to receive no response. “ Cora,” she tried again before attempting to step forward and shake the woman awake. _Wrong Idea_. That moment Emma had decided to shake Cora, was the exact same moment Cora flipped her lid and yanked Emma before she tossed her over the bed and straddled her as she swatted at the blonde.

“I. Will. Blow. Your. Shit. Up- YOU FUCKING NAZI! CAPTAIN CORA WILL END YOU, DAMN IT! YOU WILL NOT GET MY GRAND BABY WITH THE MAGIC, MADE FROM THE NIGHT ROD ACTION!”

“CORA!” Emma yelled but the woman just pounded at her head over and over.

“FUCK YOU AND YOUR RACIST SHIT! HENRY!” Cora shrieked loudly and Henry somehow managed to answer to that much quicker than he answered to Emma earlier. The boy ran into the room, skidding to a halt and immediately ran over to his grandmother with a bat ready. He nearly swung until he let the bat clatter to the ground and yanked his grandmother up.

“Nana- Nana,”he tried but she was still grasping at Emma and flailing her legs. “ NANA!” He yelled so loud into her ear she hissed.

“God Damn It, boy!”

“NANA THAT’S MY MOM,” Henry sighed as he picked up his bat once more. He looked at his blonde mother who was clutching her face and he shook his head. “ You really did a number on her,” the boy acknowledged and Cora huffed as she stood.

“What the bloody hell were you doing in here touching me, Swan?” Cora finally sassed as she moved to help the blonde up. Emma groaned both internally and externally.

“I _was_ trying to wake you up but you seemed to be prepared for a war more than you were for waking up,” Emma ended as she cracked her back. “ What the hell’s gotten into you?”

“That God forsaken game of Henry’s. I have these dreams where I blow up Nazi shit and if I die, apparently I’m resurrected. I really must learn of the magic in which they possess in order to do that. I’ve been trying to figure the damn thing out for years.” There was silence for a moment as Henry and Emma sighed. “What?!”

“Nana- it’s literally just a game. There’s no magic- I thought I explained this to you last night?”

“No. You explained something along the lines of respawning, not magical resurrection,”

“Nana, that _is_ what you call “magical resurrection”,”

“...oh!”

“Yeah, Oh,” Henry mocked and Cora reached over and thumped him.

“Don’t sass me, Private,”

“You’re not even a Captain. This isn’t the seven seas,” the boy groaned.

“I am every person in command be that Captain or Sergeant or whatever the hell else you people label each other as.”

“I know it’s too early to say this, but I need a drink,” Emma sighed as she exited the room only to hear Cora and Henry argue over Cora’s terrible war performance the night before.

 

“I was impeccable during the war last night. I shot at every enemy on the front line and killed them all,”

“ Yeah, and in the process you killed us both, Nana.” Cora shrugged.

“Sometimes we all have to die in war,”

“Yeah, not every two minutes just because you were trigger happy and wanted to shout Asta La Vista, Baby!”

“It is a very good saying,” Cora defended and Henry groaned.

“ I thought mom said you ruled Wonderland, what the hell kind of war did you have? Are you even a seasoned war veteran? Did you hire oompa loompas from Willy Wonka and decide against killing Munchkins?”

“Oh hush, Boy! I killed with my bare hands-,”

“-If by bare you mean pruned and in need of some lotion then yeah I believe you,” he got out before she smacked the back of his head. Emma rolled her eyes and headed towards the master bedroom. She and Regina never set a policy on knocking because they would eventually be seeing one another in less clothing as time went on, but what Emma did not count on was the fact that she would see Regina, this.. well, less clothed at such an early stage in their… _agreement?_

Emma opened the door like she usually would and froze. There, before her very green and wide eyes was a very nude Regina whose back was turned to the blonde. The light of the sun was cast over her caramel skin, curving to her little back dimples and over the cusp of her buttocks .Regina’s thighs were toned and smooth and Emma could tell just by observation that the woman’s skin was well cared for. Her eyes raked over the woman’s slender but full frame, head tilting in admiration of such a natural beauty with such shapely curves. Emma tilted her head once more and her eyes dragged upward, almost as if she was scooping up ice cream. They settled on the movement of Regina’s upper half as she sifted through her drawer or her bra and underwear and continued to hum to herself as Emma had just taken notice of that as well. She smiled at the way Regina’s hair fell messily, yet tamed, across her back and shoulders. The brunette tucked errand curls behind her ears and smiled as she found her matching set. She picked up her bra and underwear and turned around, instantly catching the sight of the blonde before her.

 

They both stood stalk still, almost gaping at one another. Emma, from sheer shock and Regina with absolute embarrassment. The brunette’s mouth open and shut a few times as her hands unconsciously went to cover her lower region. Emma gulped just as Regina straightened her back. Before she went to speak they both heard footsteps and then those footsteps were slowing to halt in front of the door. There wasn’t even a knock that came with the door being opened in that exact same moment and without thinking, Emma grabbed Regina’s beautifully naked ass and pulled her in for a searing kiss. Both were stunned but soon found themselves getting the jist of putting on a show in order to prevent whoever was about to enter, from seeing Regina completely commando.

 

“Jesus fucking Judas- Regina why!” Cora yelled as she stumbled back and covered her eyes. She hit the back of her head on the open door, effectively shutting it in the same motion and growled. “Can you two go and butter toast somewhere else. I’m losing my damn sight here,” she continued to complain and finally the women pulled apart. They’d only been able to look at each other with enough understanding for a split second before Cora interrupted again. “Regina, darling. I know I’ve seen you naked before, but I do not wish to see it now,” Cora sighed with exasperation. “ Can you please go an put something of substance on,” she shooed although her eyes were still covered. Regina rolled her eyes and Emma smirked as she released her before she handed Regina a giant tee. The brunette quickly put it on as she regarded her mother.

“Mother, it’s not my fault you walked in on us. Quite frankly it’s not my fault you’re even anywhere near us right now. There’s such a thing as knocking, you know,”

“Yes- yes,” Cora pouted. “ But there is also such a thing as putting a fucking sock on the damn door knob,”

“Cora, that’s college,” Emma grinned and Cora glared at her.

“It can still work just as effectively if you plan on having my daughter a wet, sopping mess, practically dry humping your ass,”

“MOTHER!”

“WHAT?! You can’t tell me that’s not what you were doing. I saw her hand slip between the trees and brush past the canopy. Don’t think I’m not immuned to knowing how that works.. how she ‘makes it rain’,”

“I’m going to murder her,” Regina groaned as her head fell on Emma’s chest, effectively raising up the giant tee that seemed not so giant after all,”

“Regina could you please put your double scoops of ice cream away. You’ve already proven you’ve got an ass- from who, that’s a fucking mystery, but I don’t need images of your naked cheeks appearing before my food and I think I’m eating ass bacon.” Regina banged her head quietly against Emma’s chest and the blonde went to rub her back as she pulled her in and tugged Regina’s shirt down.

“Cora,” Emma began, “why are you in here,” she asked and Cora made a face that seemed to border on surprise.

“Ahh yes,” she answered as she was finally remembering. “ You see, whilst you two decided to crack whips and flip pages, Henry and I went downstairs to eat the feast in which you prepared,” she began and Regina’s head rose from Emma’s chest.

“You made breakfast,” the brunette asked with a confused face and the blonde blushed before she nodded.

“Yeah, I wanted you to have something to eat before you went in for work.. is that okay?”

“Emma,” Regina began as her eyes filled with appreciation. “ it’s.. a beautiful gesture,” she smiled and Emma smiled back.

“Yes- yes, good gesture, nice, have the sex, got it,” Cora berated almost playfully as she continued. “Scarring your mother aside. I’d initially wanted a cup of coffee and your son had showed me that damned contraption you call a Korich-,”

“Keurig, Mother,”

“Damn it, Regina, it doesn’t matter. I set that infernal contraption ablaze,” Cora blurted and Regina’s eyes widened.

“Why in the hell would you do that!” her daughter shrieked.

“Because that thing lit up like Henry’s hum hum-,”

“-hum what?” Emma asked.

“His hum hum. That radioactive box of doom,”

“Jesus Christ Cora, it’s an XBox. It’s supposed to light up,”

“Yes well, this one lit up like the devil. It was blue and then it was green and then it turned red Regina. _RED!_ It started rattling and shit and then it shook my cup and then it let out this annoying sound, but no coffee came out of it,”

“Did you put a pod in the pin pot?”

“What the fuck is a pin pot, better yet, what the fuck is a pod.. and no,” Cora scrunched up her face and both Emma and Regina sighed. This might not end so well.

“Did you read the words on it?”

“No,”

“Did you ask Henry to show you how to use it?”

“No, why the hell would I ask the boy that?”

“Mother, for the love of God, please tell me you at least put the fire out?” There was a moment’s pause as Cora thought and Regina and Emma looked at her with expectancy before she finally answered.

“Yes,”  and they sighed in relief all too soon. “ I threw it outside and it landed somewhere near that bush of flowers-,”

“MOTHER! Regina shrieked as she hauled ass down the stairs, neglecting any form of other clothing or protection. Emma and Cora followed behind her just as quickly but not quickly enough.

“Why the hell are you always yelling at me,”

“Because you never cease to amaze me in your level of stupidity, that’s why!”

“Well, you asked if I put the damn thing out and I did,”Cora mumbled.

“Mother I asked if you put the fire out. Not literally launched the fucking thing into my backyard, _still on fire_ ,”

“Well, be specific then,” Cora argued and Regina continued to haul ass out the back door where Henry was still spraying water from the hose on the now charred coffee maker.

“Henry,” Regina breathed a sigh of relief and her son looked over before he went to turn the tap off and dropped the hose. He walked over to his family and eyed them.

“Mom.. are you commando under that,” he scrunched up his face and his mother blushed.

“That’s not important right now. Are you okay,” Regina quickly changed the subject and the boy looked back at the charred steel and plastic before he looked back at the women.

“I am.. but I don’t think your coffee maker survived,,” he grimaced and Regina still smiled.

“All that matters is that you’re okay, but sweetheart, couldn’t you have helped your grandmother instead of leaving her to something this advanced,” Regina tried and Henry blushed.

“I thought she could handle it,”

“Obviously, you thought wrong,” Emma snickered from the back and everyone glared at her. “ Jesus, okay. What? does this damn glare just run in the family?”

“Anyway,” Regina smirked as she turned back to regard their son. “Never leave your grandmother to deal with things on her own again, please!”

“I won’t, trust me. She scared the heck out of me when she did that-,”

“- I did nothing. That damn thing you call a servant can’t do shit and it started growling at me-,”

“Mother! It was not growling at you. It was heating up the water it holds before it makes your coffee. Had you waited and not freaked out because of some sounds you’d have realized that,”

“You know how I get with sounds, Regina. You know I hate them,”

“Yes I do, which is why I don’t see how you could reprimand me for nearly everything and you’re afraid of something that sound just like Henry’s XBox, which is about as noticeable as a bee,” Regina sassed and Cora glared at her.

“Fine,” her mother muttered.

“Child,” Regina scolded and Cora glared again before she hissed. “Emma, could you please take this detriment back inside,” Regina begged and Emma sighed.

“Sure.. come on, Cora,” the blonde pouted as she escorted the woman back inside.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

“I apologise for ruining your raunch moment earlier,” Cora whispered and Emma sighed.

“Thanks, but we weren’t really doing anything. She just came out of the shower and I didn’t want someone to just walk in and see all of her,”

“What the hell for,”

“To avoid the reaction you gave us when you walked in on us.. and that‘s another thing. We need to set some ground rules on that. You can’t just come barging into our room all unannounced-,”

“I wasn’t unannounced. Did I not jiggle the door handle before opening it?”

“That’s not the point, Cora. We could have actually been.. you know,”

“What.. making arts and crafts?”

“No,” Emma scrunched up her face.

“Then what?”

“You know,” Emma said as she made a sexual motion but Cora was too slow to catch on.

“What the fuck is that? What are you sawing wood?”

“Jesus, Cora, no. We could have been.. you know.. “ Emma trailed off as she made it more noticeable.

“Ohh you mean fucking,” the woman said bluntly and Emma’s mouth went dry for a split second.

“uhh- uhh, yeah.. that,” she gulped.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I’m really sorry about your coffee maker, mom,” Henry said as she looked back at the smoking unrecognisable thing.

“It’s quite alright, dear. I’ll just buy a new one.. not that it makes much sense to buy something as expensive as that the next time… Actually, I think I will settle for the coffee maker we currently have, that one was just for specialty coffees,” his mother said as she eyed the machine with disdain. She walked over to the still smoking thing and almost bent until she remembered she had nothing on under that giant- not so giant tee. Regina waved her hands and it disappeared and reappeared in the trash. She turned and walked back towards her son and put an arm over his shoulder.

“Come on, let’s go and have breakfast.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I was just really looking forward to having a nice breakfast with my son and my fiancee before she went into work and I can’t see her for a good bit,” Emma pouted and Cora walked over to her with her own sad smile.

“And then I ruined it,” the woman said.

“Yeah, you did,” Emma agreed only to be swatted and she laughed. “ Kiddinnnnng,” she sang and Cora mock glared at her.

“My ass you are-,”

“-Your ass, what, Mother?” Regina looked at her pointedly and Cora quieted down.

“My ass nothing,” the woman answered as she hid her face. Regina rolled her eyes and spoke once more.

“I need to change, I’ll be right back. Mother, no more swearing in the front of Henry,”

“But whyyyy?” she whined. “It’s literally all I’ve left, dear. You’ve taken my threads and taken my sanity, what else are you trying to do. Take my words?- don’t answer that,” Cora narrowed her eyes on her snickering daughter.

“Fine.. I need to change, I’m going to be late for work,”the brunette said before she went upstairs without another word. She didn’t count on Emma following her up, however.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Uhh.. hey,” Emma began almost sheepishly and Regina spun to face her.

“Hey,” Regina shrugged noncommittally. Emma could tell that shrug was a little bit more than noncommittal. She could tell that Regina was just trying to play cool and tamp down all the thoughts in her mind and that was okay because Emma didn’t even know what the hell came over her. She just knew she needed to guard Regina’s naked- oh so beautifully naked and - toned, body.

“Sooo, breakfast may not be a thing before you go to work, huh,” Emma smirked a little sadly and Regina tilted her head to regard the blonde.

“It will be. You cooked and the least I could do is spend some time before I head into the office,”

“But.. you said you’ll be late,”

“Yes and I also said that no one will care, not that many of them do now anyway. If I’m late, I’m late.”

“But you don’t like being late,”

“I also don’t like to work on a Sunday, but I’m doing that too,” Regina countered and Emma fell silent. “ Emma?”

“Yeah,” the blonde looked up at Regina with wide green eyes.

“Are you trying to push me out of the house?”

“What! No! no that is definitely not what I’m trying to do,”

“That what is that you _are_ trying to do?”

“I.. don’t know.. I don’t know, Regina, I really don’t,”

“Okay, calm down. First of all. It’s okay to not know, but you’re acting as if we were literally just caught by my mother in the act of coitus,” she said and Emma’s face scrunched up in disgust.

“Could you please refrain from saying that word,”

“Would you prefer I said, ‘fucking’ as both of you so crassly put it over and repeatedly?”

“No,” Emma winced. She sighed. “ I’m sorry, it’s just.. I feel like I.. like I- overstepped- Like I crossed a very uncrossable line. I feel like I invaded you when I should have just let things happen the way they more than likely were designed to.. I feel like I once again.. took a choice from you,” she bit her lip as she looked away. Emma dragged her feet and dropped heavily on the bed before she fell on her back, arm slung over her eyes. Regina followed her, though she was much less heaving in her drop and her arms remained limply hung around her.

“You didn’t overstep, Swan,” she heard the brunette say. She removed her arm and chanced a glance at Regina who immediately knew what it was Emma was trying to convey. “ Yes, you heard me right. You did not overstep in the slightest. I actually admire your need to protect me.. even when I dawn my birthday suit. I appreciated the gesture and the protective shadow you cast over me and no, you didn’t take any choice from me. All you managed to do was aid me in scarring my mother, for which, I am thankful.” They both grinned. “ On a serious note though, Swan. It was welcomed… it was a welcomed surprise. One that I in fact did enjoy for two reasons.. scarring my mother and you’re not so bad at kissing,” Regina smirked and Emma laughed. She actually laughed until she realized Regina basically called her average.

“Hey- wait.. what do you mean I’m not so bad,”

“Just what I said. You could do with a bit of practice,” Regina teased and Emma pitched up.

“I am not a terrible kisser,” she whined.

“I never said you were,” Regina teased as she remained on her back, the hem of the shirt rising with each breath she takes. “ I said you’re not so bad. Not bad, not perfect, just… average,” she managed before she felt Emma land heavily on top of her.

“I. Am. Not. Average,” she growled and Regina laughed which only angered Emma. “ I’m not,”

“You are,” Regina teased and Emma snarled before she spoke.

“And what makes you so certain that you’re any better,”

“You squeezed my ass, Emma. I don’t need anything else past that to know,” Regina smirked and Emma glared.

“I’m not average,” she said again and Regina raised a challenging brow.

“Prove it,” she spoke and Emma obliged as she crashed her lips into Regina’s with force and intent. She kissed her slow. She kissed her softly, but she kissed her with intent. Emma kissed Regina with fervent want though they literally had no sexual sparks between them at all. She nibbled at Regina’s lower lip and moved their heads in tandem as they broke only so much apart before their lips were attached again. Her fingers lightly tickled the tresses of Regina’s scalp as her thumb stroked at the brunette’s cheek. Regina pulled away and gasped lightly as her head tilted back, Emma taking the advantage of her scenario, dove in, biting and sucking at a pulse point.

“Mas,” Regina airily whispered and Emma knew little Spanish but she was damn sure that meant more. She bit and sucked harder. “ Mierda,” Regina groaned before she felt Emma flip them and there she was, on top of the blonde both legs up and crossed and giggling like a teenager as Emma held her around the waist. The blonde nuzzled her neck and inched up to kiss her lips softly, without interruption, but once again, with intent.

“See,” Emma breathed. “ Not so average now am I,” she grinned as Regina’s head fell on to her chest.

“No.. I stand corrected.. you’re above average,” Regina joked before Emma tickled her.

“Stooooop,” she shrieked and giggled but Emma continued.

“Say I’m above-above average and I’ll stop,” the blonde continued.

“No,” Regina held her ground but was tickled endlessly. Finally Emma gave up.

“You are one tough nut to crack,” the blonde shook her head and Regina smiled triumphantly.

“Years of practice, dear,”

“Whatever,” Emma smiled and Regina smiled back. “ You really won’t be to work any time soon if we keep this mess up,” Emma said as she rose from the bed.

“Part of me no longer wants to head in for the day. I’m beginning to dread it,”

“Awwwww, is my soon to be wifey going to miss me,” Emma teased but she wasn’t ready for the response.

“Actually.. yes. I am. In the shortest space of time I’ve gone from wanting to kill you to wanting to kill you less,” Regina said and Emma rolled her eyes.

“Such big improvement,”

“Would you rather that or none at all,” Regina swayed after she rose from the bed and grabbed her clothes. She walked into her closet, took off the big shirt and tossed it as far as she possibly could before she put on her underclothes and took out her outfit for the day. It was going to be extremely casual considering it’s a Sunday. So Regina settled for black loafers a a cardigan and a simple white women’s tee and jeans. Sh walked back out with the outfit in hand and only her lingerie on as if it were completely normal. She saw Emma looking the other way and laughed.

“Emma, you’ve seen me naked and squeezed my ass, I don’t think seeing me in underwear and a bra matters much more or makes this any more raunchy than it already was. It’s okay to look. We’re both women,” Regina shook her head as she began to dress herself fully. Emma did remove her hands but she still avoided Regina’s body, hoping to give the woman as much privacy as she could muster. She felt lips against her cheek and saw a smiling woman before her.

“It confuses me how you screw up so badly but you’re about as chivalrous as a knight in shining armour,” Regina grinned.

“You’re making fun of my family history aren’t you,”

“I am,” Regina admitted. Emma shrugged. Regina walked into the bathroom and  went to put on some makeup but what caught her eye just as she stroked her fingers through her hair was something that made her stop short. Regina looked at her left hand in the mirror before she removed it from her hair and looked at it with a more critical eye. _That’s not Daniel’s ring… that’s because there is no ring!._ She was about to panic until she heard Emma shift near the doorway.

“You okay?”

“Umm.. yes- yes, just a .. wrinkle in my forehead,” Regina lied and Emma scrunched up her face before she nodded.

“Kay, well, whenever you’re ready we can go,” the blonde offered and Regina nodded.

“Emma,” Regina called just as the blonde turned.

“Yeah?” Regina froze

“Nevermind,” she smiled as best she could. “ I’m ready,”

“Okay,” Emma smiled before she held out a hand for Regina to take. Instead of giving her left hand, Regina gave her right and Emma held on to it before she escorted the woman down stairs.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Fina- fucking- ly,” Cora said as she looked up from her plate. “ Could you wait until no one is here or waiting to eat until you go to romp city,”

“Mother. Stop it,” Regina reprimanded.

“You stop it,” Cora sassed.

“We weren’t doing anything,” Regina defended.

“Right and all that laughing is supposed to make me believe you. We heard you, God damn it this entire block probably heard you. I did not let your father teach you his native tongue just to hear you shout it from the chapel when Emma goes down on you in prayer,” Cora reprimanded before she turned to a very red Emma. “ I get that she’s a beauty, but she’s no angel, nor is she a God. You don’t need to show reverence that many times in one morning, Swan,”

“Mother, why do you insist on making thing embarrassingly unbearable?”

“Because, that’s what the boy told me you’ve done to him every time he’s around this Grace child,” Cora said matter of factly. Regina and Emma both rolled their eyes before they sat in the chairs and finally everyone was present to eat breakfast.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

All throughout said breakfast, Regina panicked over her missing ring.She panicked because her finger felt bare, it felt exposed, it felt.. like it had lost the one and final thing that connected her to Daniel and that’s why, after breakfast she quickly excused herself and nearly ripped the room apart in search of the ring. In the entire time it took Regina to search to no avail, Regina had finally broken down in tears. A messy puddle of tears and she did not give a single damn who saw her.

“Mom?” she heard her son call but she wouldn’t answer. “ Mom?” Henry tried again but Regina wouldn’t answer. “ I’m gonna call Emma,” Henry said before he shouted for his blonde mother who ran up the stairs quickly, skidding to a stop at the door.

“Regina,” Emma’s face pinched into pain. She quickly closed the distance and dropped to her knees before she brought the woman’s face up to meet her eyes. Red rimmed brown orbs met solar eclipsed kissed greens. “ Hey, sweetie, what’s the matter,” Emma tried.

“Yeah, mom.. what’s wrong,” Henry mimicked. Regina shook her head quickly. “ Mom, you wouldn’t be crying if something wasn’t wrong.. what’s wrong, come on, you can tell us. We wanna help, don’t we Ma,”

“Yeah.. we do Regina, we really do want to help. Please just let us help,” the blonde pleaded and Regina took in a very hiccupped breath.

“Da-Daniel,” she choked out through hitched breathing.

“Mom what about Daniel,” Henry pushed calmly and she held up her hand, limply.

“ring,” she whispered painfully before she broke down in tears once more. Emma cooed and shushed her as she rocked the woman within her arms. She knew damn well she was the reason for Regina’s tears right that moment but she hoped to hell that the gesture she was about to do with said ring would ease the woman’s pain when she did get it back to her.

“We’ll find it, I promise. I’ll get it back for you, Regina. I promise you I will get it back for you,” Emma continued to rock the woman who slowly began to calm in her arms.

“Mom, you still have your ring don’t you,” Henry asked sadly and Regina nodded. “ Do you think until you find Daniel’s you can wear yours?” She nodded again, but it seemed like it lacked any drive it would usually have.

“That’s a good suggestion , Kid. Come on Regina. Put it on and I’ll take you to work, okay?” Regina nodded again.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After they managed to get Regina okay once more and a few embarrassing words from her mother, later, Emma held up to her bargain to carry Regina in to work. They had pulled up in the front of the city hall building and Emma parked before she turned the car off. The blonde looked over at the brunette before she spoke.

“Are you going to be okay?”

“I think so,” Regina managed in a small voice.

“I need a Yes or a no, Regina. I can’t just leave you if you’re not sure… I mean I’m not going to leave you for most of this working day as it stands, but I need to know that if I do get called away, you’ll be okay.. so.. will you.. be okay?” she asked again and Regina took a deep breath before she answered.

“I will be,” Regina finally managed and Emma nodded.

“Okay, come on then. Let’s head inside. I’ll keep you company and then I’ll take you for lunch. It’s time I started treating my fiancee to some us time, don’t you think?” she grinned and Regina managed a ghost of a smile.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

One very empty hall, constant tapping away at a keyboard along with a pen consistently scraping against numerous files and receiving the Mayor’s version of a serious facelift and correction and about two hours into Regina’s work day, Emma finally decided it was time to take her out of the office.

 

“Come on, Regina. We need to get you out of this place for a bit,” Emma said as she stood and stretched.

“I can’t. I’m working,” Regina replied shortly. Emma rolled her eyes and walked over to the woman’s desk before she flipped the file shut only to get a bit of a growl from Regina.

“We’re going out for an early lunch and for a walk or something, so get up because this is a thing that’s happening,”

“Emma, I have work,” Regina said once more before she flipped the file back open but Emma flipped it shut once more and Regina yanked her glasses from her face, a very angry look was etched there, but Emma was not about to budge.

“Get your beautiful brunette ass up and let’s go for lunch,” Emma enunciated but Regina put her glasses back on, opened the file once more and regarded Emma with a wave of her hand.

“We can eat lunch here. I will finish this file whilst you find us something healthy- notice I said healthy- to eat. You bring it back, I will stop work and we can have lunch like.. well, like a somewhat existing couple,” Regina offered and Emma fell silent for a moment as she thought. _I cannot believe I am about to bend for this woman. God the things I do for love! Jesus I sound like Courage! Shit- stop it brain- focus!_

“Fine,” Emma muttered and Regina smiled before she rose from her seat and walked over to Emma, bending, she kissed the blonde’s cheek.

“Thank you, darling,” Regina cooed and Emma nearly went dumb at the words.

“y-yeah.. of course. Anything for my future wife, right?” Emma stumbled and Regina smiled.

“Of course, darling. Anything for me.. for Henry and the baby,” Regina grinned cheekily and Emma felt herself smile.

“God, I swear sometimes it scares me when I realize I really screwed up but that you’re willing to try with me not only to save a child but to find your happy ending… Could you imagine if we actually do create a True Love baby?” Emma asked and Regina froze because in all honesty she never truly thought of it in depth the way she did. She already freaked about having to fall in love with Emma but now the baby one was just making her whoozie.

“No,” Regina answered honestly but Emma’s face did not falter.

“I figured, because had you actually done that you’d have probably ran for the hills when you realized I’d have screwed our baby over with not only the genes but the stupidly noble ones. The more the time passes the more I can see myself and you- having a little boy and not a little girl and I honestly have no idea why. Like I can see you having our little girl, but I can only see myself ever giving birth to a little boy, you know?” Regina did know. She could see the exact same thing that Emma was talking about and she could see it bright as day that Emma would no doubt give birth to another little boy if she was the one who was said to be carrying.

“I do,” Regina whispered. Then there was silence but it was comfortable, insanely comfortable.

“Hey, soon to be wifey,” Emma called and Regina rolled her eyes at the term.

“Could you be a little less cheery about that, because until we date and you actually propose I am your soon to be nothing but ass-kicker,”

“You sound so much like your mother right now,” Emma laughed and Regina glared.

“If that was your try at an insult, you’ve finally succeeded,” Regina smirked and Emma smiled at her.

“Okay- okay. I’m going to get us lunch. Anything in mind?” Regina was silent for a moment.

“If I say that I’m craving a burger you’d probably say that I was pregnant already and that we did this in record time, but I’m truly just craving some brain destroying food because of these damn files as well as the fact that I nearly cried myself into fitful slumber,”

“Ehh, that’s cool. If I said I was craving a salad now after all the good food you’ve been feeding me then you’d say you had finally cracked my cholesterol hardened walls,” she joked.

“Maybe,” Regina smirked. “ But I’d be proud of you before I teased you.”

“You would?”

“I would,” Regina smiled.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma walked the barren streets of St. B to the only place of food that would actually be open on a Sunday as this woman was consistent in not following Regina’s one law that actually insisted on rest.

 

“Hey Rubes,”

“Hey Em, what are you in for today?  Burgers and fries with the o rings or hush puppies and a bear claw?”

“Actually Ruby. I’m here for a salad for myself and a burger for my lady,”

“Your lady huh,” Ruby teased and Emma rolled her eyes. “ It’s okay Em, you can say it you know,”

“I know I can say it, but I don’t usually say it so.. consistently,”

“But she’s your fiancee, you know the hottest woman in this sleepy town that you get to bang on a consistent and daily basis and like hell she’s evil, probably only in bed when she ties you up and fucks your mind raw-”

“RUBY! JESUS! Can I please just get some damn food for me and my woman,”

“Hehehehe,” Ruby chuckled. “ You sound so damn cute saying that. I swear I’m convinced Regina swoons every single time she hears you say those exact words,” Ruby rambled and Emma wasn’t about to stop her and explaine anything at all about that. Ruby took the order to Granny and chatted with Emma for a bit about Regina and the whole living together thing and her parents and blah blah.

“Honestly, I’m surprised my dad is as supportive as he was, my mom on the other hand… she’s like a- ,”

“-She’s fucking nuts with her theories of control,” Ruby interrupted with the brutal truth. “You’d swear she thought Regina the Antichrist, having some weird new world order bull shit,”

“Yeah,” Emma sighed. “ I don’t know why she acts as if her heart is the purest thing of creation when she literally put a death curse on Cora. She lied to Regina in order to put her mother’s heart back in and I was stupid enough to help with the fucking madness. I swear I regret a lot of shit I agreed to with those two,”

“They’re your parents. They’re supposed to get you involved in all the stupid shit. That’s why Regina calls you an idiot because you trust easily and follow blindly,”

“Wow, thanks, Rubes. Real friend there, huh,”

“You know it.. but seriously, how is it living with the Mayor and your son. Like you guys literally U-hauled that shit when you found out she was pregnant. How’s it feel being able to wake up in the exact same bed and getting to kiss her whenever you want because hell knows a lot of us thought you would never build up enough balls to actually do it,”

“It’s actually reall- wait, what? What do you mean a lot of you?”

“A lot of people in Town have been tossing around a betting pool because we all knew Regina wouldn’t do it because she’s a queen-,”

“-and a bit more refined. Yeah, got it. Back to the other stuff. What do you mean a lot of you?”

“Yeah, um we all figured you’d have managed to get this woman wed and in bed but not this late. Like everyone really thought you’d be the one to wine and dine her because you fit so dysfunctionally well, it’s almost scary. You argued like a couple, you both shared Henry, you decided things with each other, the tension was and is extremely high and we all just figured you’d have not had to have pulled your head out your ass so late to realize you two were made to be together, however odd that may be to you. But you’re together now and that’s all that matters, really. But how did you propose? Did you do a nice candle-lit dinner, roses and the works?”

“Actually,” Emma scratched the back of her head. “ I kind of just told her at the last minute I told my parents that because of how my mom was and well, you know how Regina is with things like that,” Emma laughed nervously.

“She yelled didn’t she,”Ruby asked with a knowing look.

“Oh yes,” Emma sighed out a laugh. “ She also threatened to fry my ass into the next millennia but you know, that was another thing to think of,”

“You are so fucking lucky she loves you, Swan” Ruby grinned and Emma found herself smiling before she heard the bell. “ Oh, order’s ready,” Ruby said before retrieving the food and putting it in a bag along with it’s necessities and handing it over to Emma who paid in cash and waved her goodbye.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I come baring lunch,” Emma smiled as she shut Regina’s office door and watched as the woman immediately put her work away. _She’s keeping up to her end of the deal. How sweet!_

“Please tell me there is actual grease within that burger,” Regina begged and Emma gave an uneasy smile.

“I may have kind of told Granny to make you a turkey burger and grill it- not on the flat top but on like a George Foreman and then I told her to give you sweet potatoe fries instead.. and have em baked.. just because-,”

“-Because you care and sound like a fitness nut who is telling her wife that she needs to continue being healthy for their unborn daughter,”

“Okay- yes,” Emma said as she made a mug face. “ and you’re looking forward to being my wife huh?” She waggled her brows.

“Maybe,” Regina shrugged giving absolutely nothing away and that made Emma do a double take on thoughts. Emma handed Regina her plate who sat directly next to the blonde and she opened up her own, very very healthy Kale and grilled chicken salad with tomatoes and onions and all the good stuff.

 

They ate silently and talked a bit, some light humour here and a bit of giggling there.

 

“You know Ruby said there’s this betting pool that’s been going around about us,” Emma blurted and Regina looked confused.

“A betting pool? about us?” Emma nodded. “ Whatever for?”

“She said it was to see how long I would take to get my head out my ass and woo you, apparently everyone or at best most of the town bet on us.. well, on me, they said they knew you wouldn’t do it because of that whole one liner thing you do,” Emma grinned and Regina rolled her eyes.

“I wouldn’t.. I’m not surprised,” Regina switched her words because she could do that.

“You’re not?” The woman shook her head.

“On the contrary I’m rather flattered they actually deemed me worthy enough of their precious little Saviour. Seems I do have a spell in them, hmm,”

“This isn’t time for you to give life to my mother’s fucked up theories. I really don’t need another day of that shit,”

“Wow, someone’s in a foul mood,” Regina teased and Emma groaned.

“Not foul. I just don’t need to hear her berate the woman I’m going to marry just because she thinks she’s a fucking saint, that’s all.” There was silence before Regina smiled and spoke.

“You know if there wasn’t any swearing in that sentence of yours just now I would kiss you for the simple fact that you are and have been standing up for me where your mother is concerned. The mother you wondered for 28 years over. You’re.. protecting me instead of going with her words of discord. You’d also be kissed because it actually felt like you meant what you said about marriage.. it kind of reminded me of.. Daniel,” Regina smiled sadly.

“It did?” Emma looked surprised and Regina nodded with a teary smile.

“It did and.. it does,” she continued as she wiped away her tears. What she didn’t count on was the tender kiss Emma placed upon her lips. Of course there was no spark there, but she could appreciate what the kiss meant. It was reassurance and well, hell they’ve kissed before and nothing exploded. No one died. Neither freaked out over it because maybe- just maybe a certain brunette was actually all in now? Who knows. But a certain blonde slowly whispered once she pulled away.

“I made you a promise I intend to keep. I will find you your happy ending and it will be with me, and Henry and little Kalani or Noelle, or maybe two little yous,” Emma grinned as wiped away tears from wide and happy eyes before kissing the woman on the forehead. Regina then fell into Emma’s open arms and stayed there, neglecting the last few pieces of files she had left.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma and Regina were laying in the chair that was apart of Regina's office. Regina had her head resting on Emma’s chest, both women without shoes and Emma telling Regina one of her funniest moments as a child when the blonde began to feel a bit queezy, much like Regina had the day before. She stood up almost too quickly and nearly vomited on the floor until Regina caught her and guided her to the bathroom. Surprisingly enough, the blonde did blow chunks, but Regina remained there and tended to the sickly little thing by getting her some room temperature water and conjuring up a warm ginger ale to settle her stomach. Regina also got Emma some crackers to snack on until she could get her home.

“Emma,” Regina cooed and got a groan in response. “ Darling, you need to eat this. You’re going to become extremely dehydrated if you don’t eat something and drink a bit of the ginger ale,” Regina cooed but Emma practically smacked at the food being offered. “ Emma Swan, eat because you can’t go home sick and worry our son..” _Or worse. Worry me. “_ We both need to be healthy for a little baby girl and right about now, that’s not what you are. I need to you take this because you will feel better and after you can just lay down in bed and sleep if you want. I’ll call the station and let David know. I’m sure he’ll be happy to cover for you,” Regina rambled and she knew she only rambled when she was trying to convince someone, but that someone was just as stubborn as she was. She was surprised Emma lifted her pale and sweat soaked face from the bowl and managed to smile at her, lips a bit chapped and almost purple in appearance. Regina helped her to her feet and just took her straight to the car after she cleaned up after both of them. She reclined the passenger seat and set a cool washcloth over Emma’s face. Regina then got in the driver’s seat of the car, but instead of going straight home she rolled the windows down and took Emma for a drive, talking to the blonde in hopes of her feeling better with cool wind whipping at her face. She was looking much better by the time Regina took them home but she was still pale in comparison to her usually rosy cheeks and tanned skin.

 

“Hey guys, how was today,” Henry asked with a giant grin on his face before it faded as he took in the sight of his blonde mother. “ Ma, are you sick,” he asked quickly and since Emma was barely speak, Regina spoke for her.

“She is. I’m going to take her upstairs in just a minute to get her dressed and in bed, I don’t think she will last much longer unless I can get her down,” Regina said and Henry nodded.

“Don’t worry about dinner tonight, mom. I’ll cook something simple and me and Nana can just chill down here,”

“Henry that’s a lovely offer but I can’t just leave you to your own devices, especially with your grandmother near you,” Regina groused but Henry laughed.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll put Nana in the front of my hum hum and she’ll be fine. She will literally try to avenge everyone’s death including her own,” the boy shook his head as if it was a long shot. Though Regina couldn’t let go of Emma, she did manage to bring her son in at her side.

“When did you get so grown,” she praised as she brushed his hair from his face.

“The minute mom screwed up and made us a family without even trying,” he smirked.

“I think we were already a family, it’s just that now, we live together and I must bear Charming seed,” Regina rolled her eyes as if she hated it, but to be honest she was really warming up to the idea of another little pair of feet and in most of her reasons she realized it was for Henry, not even herself but for Henry and now.. for Emma. Just because she saw how happy it was making the blonde to think about it even if it all did begin under false pretenses. It was all still worth a chance.

 

“You’re right,” her son smiles and it jars her from her thoughts. “Go on up mom, take care of Ma and I’ll worry about Nana. I love you,” he says before kissing her cheek.

“I love you too sweetheart,” Regina smiled.

“Love you, Ma... just stop being so stubborn and let mom take care of you, okay,” he reprimanded and Emma nodded as best she could. He was gone and so were they.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina managed to get Emma upstairs and settled on the bed as she set a very nicely scented bath for the woman before she reemerged in the master bedroom and sat before helping Emma peel away her wet clothing. Emma shook her head as best as possible to tell Regina to stop at her bra and underwear, but Regina was not about to be handled by some sick and surprisingly very cute and pouty blonde.

“Emma, you’ve seen me naked just this morning, there’s nothing you have that’s different from mines unless you’ve been hiding what mother calls John-Jacob,” she grinned when she saw the woman give a lazy scowl. “ Come, arms up.. or however high you can manage,” she commanded as she finished stripping the blonde of her clothes and guided her to the bathroom before helping her settle into the tub and handing her a sponge. “ I trust you can manage from here,” Regina said and Emma gave another lazy nod. Before she exited she heard a very muffled.

“thank you,” from Emma and turned around before she bent down, brushed back blonde hair and kissed her forehead..

“No need. Fiancee, right?” She saw the blonde smile and exited the bathroom. “ I’ll be just downstairs if you need me. I need to make sure our son and my mother eat something of substance. I’ll bring you up a sandwich, if that’s something you can stomach okay?” She heard a groan and took that as a yes and a thank you. Regina changed out of her lovely clothes and into some comfortable cotton sweatpants and kept on her women’s tee and went downstairs, barefoot like so.

 

“What terrible mess of food are you planning to feed your grandmother?”

“By terrible you mean ingenious then yes,”

“Sweetheart, ingenious implies it’s not very bright at all, therefore I will ask again. What terrible mess of food did you plan on feed Nana,”

“Oh, just a salad and some leftover lasagne,” he shrugged and Regina looked surprised.

“I thought you said something about cooking,” she teased and he eyed her.

“We both know I am nowhere near close enough to deem myself remotely okay to perform culinary tasks,” Henry, in a roundabout way, agreed.

“Well, good,” she smiled. “So, what will my handsome prince like for dinner?”

“Can you just make that simple pasta thing you do with butter and the seasonings you usually put in it?”

“That’s all you want? No grilled chicken?” He shook his head. “ Hen, are you feeling okay,” she reached out to touch his forehead and he nodded.

“Perfectly fine. I just missed when you’d make it, that’s all. It’s literally the best thing on the planet,” he grinned and she kissed his head.

“Alright, if that’s all you want, then I will make that for you and I need your help to make your mother a sandwich, can you do that for me,”

“Of course, mom,” he smiled.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Two meals prepped and made later and Henry had a massive bowl of pasta along with his grandmother’s lasagne and a salad for both of them and Regina had made herself and Emma each a sandwich, hers was grilled chicken and Emma’s was purely deli style just light on the condiments this time. Regina was surprised that her mother had not bothered to come out and greet them or in Regina’s case, embarrass her, but then she thought about what Henry said about his ‘hum hum’ and it all clicked into place. Cora was now addicted to video games and Regina couldn’t be happier. At least it meant the woman wouldn’t be blowing anything else up anytime soon. Regina set the sandwiches down and walked into the master bath and saw that Emma had drifted to sleep, the colour noticeably back in her face, but around her eyes were still grey. The water was no longer as hot as it initially was so Regina shook the blonde awake, a small smile on her face as she offered her a towel. At first Emma couldn’t figure out where she was and then she couldn’t figure out how to use her legs to move, but then everything clicked into place and she remembered and upon remembering she stood up and accepted the towel, not trusting her voice to speak for her. She wrapped it around her body and began to dry herself as Regina drained the tub and cleaned it. After Emma was sufficiently dry the blonde grabbed herself some underwear, sweats that almost matched Regina’s and an old t-shirt. Regina gave her privacy to change, but Emma at that point just left the door open considering Regina saw all of her and didn't laugh or even take notice. She folded her towel in half and placed it over the horse before she scrambled up into the bed and burrowed under the blankets only to be scolded by Regina.

“No. You need to sit up and eat,” she said as she rolled down the blanket only to have Emma bury her face in Regina’s side, shirt over her mouth. “ I know you’re still sicky but you need to eat,” she continued and Emma shook her head. _I can’t believe I’m about to use this, but damn it._ “Please, darling. For me and the baby,” Regina said as she put on her best pout and was met with Emma’s glare but the blonde sat up. Regina rejoiced in the small victory and shifted to give Emma her sandwich.

“Made just the way you like it,” she smiled and Emma tried her damndest to not smile but she failed miserably. She leaned over and kissed Regina’s cheek before raising her shirt back up over her mouth. Regina tugged it down and tapped the blonde’s pouty lip. “Eat, please. I’m eating too, and if you don’t I won’t,” she did it again and Emma really wanted to hate her for it but she could see that Regina really did want her to- needed, her to eat and be okay. _Stop making her worry, Swan. Just eat!_. It was an internal fight, one in which her brain won, obviously.

 

Emma took a small bite and smiled. _That’s a damn good sandwich!_ She took another and another and another and soon found herself looking down at an empty plate. She looked over and sees that Regina’s only eaten half of her sandwich before handing it over to Emma and smiling at her, motioning that she tries it. She does but she feels guilty because Regina’s literally eaten crust and flitlet of chicken. But the woman pushed it towards her and she eats it and she appreciates it and it tastes absolutely amazing. Her eyes light up and she smiles at the woman next to her who gives her the warm ginger ale she avoided earlier and Emma is happy to drink that as well as the crackers the woman hands her. She can only whimper when she sees Regina drink a glass of red wine right before her but Regina doesn’t budge because too many mixes could end up with a mix in the bed that she was damn sure not going to clean up and Emma would damn sure be sleeping on the couch for if it occurred. The brunette also remembered she'd said she shouldn't be having wine but at that point, she lost control of her resolve and missed the feeling of a dry red sliding down her throat. Regina remained there with her until she was sure the blonde’s food was digested enough for her to lie down. It may have been an early dinner for them all but she was going to make sure they all ate and that she at least said goodnight to their son and her mother before returning to take care of her little blonde puppy. Regina put the plates and glasses away after she washed them up and poked her head into the living room where Henry and Cora had a massive floor bed set up and were literally yelling at each other over Super Mario Kart. She shook her head as she laughed before she regarded them both.

“Good night, mother. Good night my little prince,” Regina smiled only to hear her mother mumble something along the lines of.

“If Emma goes searching for Atlantis and finds the buried treasure of gold between your kelp, Please for the love of God put a silencing spell over the room,” Cora waved off as she focused hard on smashing Donkey Kong.

“Ewww, Nana, that’s gross and Ma’s sick,”

“Sick- Schmick. I still did the nasty with your grandfather when we were both sick and I mean sick in every way shape and form of the matter and of his matter,” Cora winked suggestively and Henry dry heaved.

“Mother, please do not scar your one and only grandson as a result of your more than colourful sexual past, please,” Regina only somewhat begged because Cora listened to no one and she couldn’t very well yell at her because of Emma so she settled for her mother’s usual smartass remark before she kissed both their heads and went back upstairs.

 

Regina found herself a sleeping blonde, curled up on her side of the bed and balled up in Regina’s things almost as if they were the only things giving her comfort when she felt so damn sick. Regina wasn’t about to deny her comfort, so instead she shut out both lights and climbed into bed on Emma’s side before she joked that,

“You’re lucky it’s my night to do the stars,” and shut her eyes, imagining the night sky and seeing it appear before them in hues of purple and pink and flecks of blue, all floating in a black abyss of nothingness. She heard Emma roll over and latch on to her like a koala. “ Are you only like this when you’re sick?” the blonde nodded weakly. “ Sure about that?” The blonde nodded again.  “Okay,” she conceded as Emma lay her head directly on Regina’s heart. She felt the rhythm of it and let it drown out her nausea. Regina began to play in the loose tendrils of hair that fanned their way across her chest and over Emma’s face. She hummed a tune her father used to sing to her when she was younger and all she wanted was for her father to lift her up no matter how old she was getting and spin her around because he’d always told her, she’ll forever be Su Pequeña Princesa. Slowly the fingers stopped moving through her scalp and a hand felt its limpness settle. She couldn’t go to sleep just yet though. She had to do it. She really had to do this. With whatever energy she could muster Emma shifted her face and did four kisses on Regina’s stomach after managing to raise the woman’s shirt.

_“From the crown of your head to your feet, your hand and heart, little one. We love you and we will do everything we can to protect you and keep you safe”_

 

Four Days. Four Kisses. ONE MINISCULE FORMATION


	6. Replacement/Correction, Hades Hole, Five Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is fairly long which is no shocker to me because I'm very long winded and have no idea why It's quite possibly my overactive mind amongst other things. It took a collective.. six or seven hours on and off, I'd Say to get it to where I truly wanted it to be, that's not inclusive of spelling error checks. 
> 
> Enough yammering enjoy this, just read the notes if you have any concerns about the other stories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guy's if this has a large amount of typos, I do apologise, I have been on this for the past two days and on no sleep and in and out for work and on paper and on the computer all in the same breath and literally wanted to upload for all three stories tonight, but I'll upload this one, do the other (Price of Magic) tomorrow even though it's been typed since the night before and get in for C&A and upload that day after tomorrow and take a small break.

“ Ahh, Emma. It’s so lovely to see you,” came the airy voice of a fifty something male that floated throughout the display room of the Qupid’s Bow, jewellery store.

“Hey, Mister Bow,” Emma greeted with a wave as she approached the counter. “ Listen, I need your help,”

“All ears,” he said seriously as he placed the rag down and away from the chalice Emma had finally taken notice that the man had been shining.

“You know that ring I brought in the other day? The one with the gold band and giant ass diamond that I told you to add the extra pieces to?”

“Yes, of course. How could I forget. I’ve never seen a sketch that beautifully done. Fashioned in gold banding with chocolate diamonds and emeralds surrounding the diamond in the shape of a lyon flower and the beautiful diamond cut in the shape of a swan. It truly was well thought out, Emma,” he praised and she smiled for a moment.

“Thanks, Mister Bow,”

“Oh, nonsense. What have I told you about calling me that,”

“Alright,”she conceded. “Sorry, Qu.. anyway, Regina’s kind of.. panicking about the ring,”

“I take it you didn’t tell her you had it, let alone moved it,”

“You’d be taking it right.. But do you think you could- I don’t know, make a replica of the original,” the blonde begged and Qupid sighed before he reached beneath the display case and put the chalice away before reaching around for a bit and pulling a white leather ring box from it. He set it down on the glass and slid it towards her.

“Already did,” he smiled.

“Qup, if I wasn’t already taken I’d kiss you on the mouth,” Emma cheered.

“I’ll just settle for the cheek,” the man smiled again. “ Regina may be yours now, but I’m almost positive she would string me up by my suspenders and use me as a public service announcement and warning to everyone else,” he joked before he pulled out yet another item to shine. Emma laughed uneasily. She couldn’t tell him how much he was far from the truth.

“If only you knew how much she _didn’t_ care,” Emma muttered as she picked up the ring box and inspected it. She opened it and pulled out the ring, looking it over and grinned.

“Qu, this looks exactly like the original, scratches and all,”

“That’s the point, isn’t it. Can’t give her something that glitters like new. Wear and tear is the name of the game,” the man grinned. “ Now, go. I’m pretty sure she’ll be wondering where you’ve wandered off to,”

“Yeah,” Emma agreed as she closed the box and put it in her jacket pocket. “See ya later, Qu,” she waved.

“Of course. I’ll call you when I’ve finished it,” the man answered, but before Emma could walk out the door, she heard little feet shuffling.

“Emmmaaa!” little Arrow shrieked as she ran to the blonde and jumped. She was caught and hoisted onto Emma’s hip. Arrow then put her hands over Emma’s eyes and grinned when the blonde pretended she couldn’t see.

“Row! How’s my favourite little weapon today?”

“Good!” she grinned. “ Super-super good! When do I get to come to the station again?” Arrow questioned and Emma made a thinking expression.

“How about we ask your mom first and then see if you can come in today, after school,”

“Okay,” Arrow agreed as she shuffled from Emma’s hip and ran to the back.

“She loves you,” Qupid said as he moved from behind the counter and walked over to where Emma stood. He put an arm on her shoulder. “ I can already tell your little one will love you just as much and more than Arrow does.” _If only my little one actually existed._

“You think so,” Emma found herself asking, unsure.

“Of course they will. Emma you are a natural,”

“Not natural enough considering I gave up my son,”

“All to give him a better life,” he argued and she sighed.

“Maybe,”

“Emma,” the man sighed. “ You did what you felt best for him,”

“But it didn’t feel like it was good enough,”

“ If it wasn’t good enough, would he have ended up in Regina’s care,” he asked rhetorically. “ Or would he have come in search of you to bring you back into his life and not only that, but be the catalyst to forge your union with Regina that you have now. He brought you back and you fell in love with her, don’t you think that’s something to be proud about? Something to smile about? Don’t you think that being engaged to such a beautiful- brutal, but beautiful human being and being with your own child and another on the way is something to jump over the moon for?.. don’t you think that’s happiness” he asked as he let his words sink into Emma’s mind.

“I am happy about it, Qu, I really am,” she said and found it wasn’t a lie. Yes she and Regina didn’t share anything past an agreed friendship but as it stood, she was happy that she was living with Regina and their son. It was perfect chaos. “ It’s just that.. sometimes, Regina panics and she feels like it all may end up being done-,”

“-Against her will,” Qupid said knowingly. Emma nodded.

“I just don’t want her to feel like she has to.” _But she does have to.. that’s the problem._

“I understand, but if you feel that’s the way she will end up going or the reason she will end up marrying you- even though she does love you, then you need to sit down and talk to her about it and see if she understands that _you_ understand her fears and concerns,” he suggested and before she could respond. Her phone rang. She pulled it out and looked at the face and snickered

“It’s her now,” she waved the phone.

“Well, answer it, “he said before excusing himself. “And I’ll let Arrow know to call later about the station.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hello,” Emma answered as she began to aimlessly walk around the shop.

“Emma, you missed breakfast,” Regina said and she seemed concerned.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I’m okay though, limbs in tact and all. Sorry that I left early, I had an errand to run, but I’ll be back to see you guys before Henry goes in for school and you head off for the office.” There was a pause of contemplation.

“Very well,” Regina answered but it sounded stony.

“Hey.. something wrong?” she queried.

“No,” Regina answered but it was sharp and short. Emma scoffed.

“Oh really, because based on the attitude you’re giving me, I’m pretty sure something is off,” she continued and Regina growled a little.

“Not everything has to do with you, _Emma_ and not everything I do and every single sound I make, means there is something wrong,” Regina shrieked lightly but found herself hysterically crying shortly after and Emma’s face pinched into concern and worry and fear all in one go. She took a deep breath before trying again.

“Regina… sweetie, what’s the matter,” she asked as she shifted her weight onto one of the display cases. Regina found herself comforted by the use of the term. _I actually don’t want to smack her upside the head_.

She heard the woman sniffle and heard Henry in the background talking and shifting around.

“Can you put Henry on the line, please,” she tried and then heard the receiver be passed.

“Ma, where are you,”

“Out, running an errand, Kid. I just told your mom I’ll be home in a bit to see you both before you go out and I need to get to the station,”

“Well, you need to get home, like now,” Henry commanded.

“Woah, Kid, just chill. What’s gotten into the two of you? I told you I’ll be there in a bit. Now either you wait until I get in or you’ll both see me _after_ my shift.” She heard the boy grumble. “ I’m sorry, what was that?”

“I said you suck,” he spat. “ Mom’s a mess and you’re just acting like it’s normal,”

“Henry,” Emma growled and ground her teeth. “Your mother wouldn’t even tell me what the hell is wrong, so can you stop acting like I did something or that I _didn’t_ do anything at all when I don’t even know how to solve the problem,”

“Fine,” he answered with sarcasm.

“Cut the attitude, Kid,”

“Then come home,” he said and she sighed. _This is so much more complicated than it should have been._ They both remained in momentary silence.

“Hen,” she breathed heavily.

“I know, Ma… I’m sorry.. it’s just.. you guys would be so good together- so good for one another. Mom just seemed to miss or worry about you and she thought.. I don’t know what she thought but it obviously wasn’t good. One minute she’s sleeping and the next minute she’s panicking by the time she flips the last pancake… I’m sorry for how I acted earlier, I’m just worried,”

“I know, Kid, I know,” his mother rubbed her forehead.

“So can you come home. She’s kinda.. mute,”

“Yeah.,” Emma agreed. She did some shifting about. “ Open the door,” she commanded and the boy ran to the front door and pulled it open. He yanked it open and both he and Emma hung the phones up.

“That was fast,” he commented.

“I was already making my way back when she put you on… where is she?” The boy pointed to the living room and Emma nodded.

“She wouldn’t move,” he said.

“Okay, head upstairs and finish getting ready for school, I’ll go deal with your mom,” Emma commanded as she pushed her son out of the foyer.

“Yeah, sure Ma,” he agreed and quickly went upstairs, stomping heavily.

“That boy and his feet,” she muttered and shook her head as she made her way into the living room.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Upon entering the living room, Emma found Regina curled up on the couch, the brunette only moving upon notice of golden hair.

“Hi,” Emma greeted as she tilted her head and waved at Regina. She smiled at the brunette. She’d also kept her distance in case Regina wanted to fireball her. Regina just turned her head away from the blonde. So Emma tried again and got no response once more.

“You mad at me?” Regina nodded. _Well at least I got an answer_ . _Progress_ . “Why?” Regina shrugged. “ So.. what can I do to make you not mad at me?” Regina shrugged again. “ Regina,”she sighed but the woman continued to look away from her. “ Gi,” she somewhat whined and that somehow made the woman look at her. “ Hey,” she smiled before she kneeled before her. _Taking risks_. She placed her hand on Regina’s head and brushed away the long strands of hair from her face. “ I’m sorry,” she said softly and Regina just continued to stare at her. Regina then sat up quickly and just when she thought that the woman might smack her or fry her on the spot, she surprised Emma by speaking.

“ You could have at least left a note,”

“I thought I’d be back before you woke up,” Emma responded until confusion hit her.

“But.. why would you care- I mean, it’s not like you’re pregnant or anything.” Emma said and Regina shrugged. “ Seriously though, why were you so hysterical earlier?”

“I don’t know,” Regina shrugged.

“You don’t know or don’t wanna tell me,”

“I. don’t. know,” she repeated but she averted Emma’s stare. She pulled the throw blanket from the back of the chair and wrapped it around herself. She felt too exposed, too.. open.

“Okay,” Emma answered with slight confusion. “ If you’re not pregnant, no one’s harmed or dead and no one’s missing,” she said before she saw Regina fix her mouth to comment. “ -not anymore by your standards. Your mom’s back home I assume or she’d have smacked me upside the head by now for having you a crying mess.. so what is it? I was literally just running an errand, there’s nothing you should be worried about.. not that you worry about me on a regular basis anyway,” she said and expected a backhanded agreement but saw the way Regina turned slightly red and kept her eyes focused on the pattern of the throw. “Wait,” Emma stood,” You were worried about me,” she tilted her head and squinted. Regina, disgruntled, pulled the throw around herself tighter.

“Of course not,” she scoffed but continued to avoid Emma’s eyes.

“No,” Emma said. “ You were worried,” she accused and Regina rolled her eyes.

“And what if I was? It’s not as if you can be trusted to remain one place for a long time. You, who has a tendency to just run from problems she creates for herself and everyone else,” she bit out and though Emma knew they were guarded words, they still hurt.

“Stop it,” she commanded. “ You don’t get to attack me just because you actually feel emotions, okay. You don’t get to fall back on all those heartless mannerisms you give everyone else, with me. Yes I fucked up. Sing it til the cows come home, Regina, but do not attack _me_ all because _you_ felt some damn emotions and felt worry that something happened to me,”

“It’s not about _you_ , Emma.. it’s about the baby,”

“Yes the nonexistent fetus created by my imagination-,”

“-Could you just shut up and listen,” Regina growled.

“Fine… what is it,”

“I thought you left,” she began.

“Yes, we established that,” she rolled her eyes and Regina glared at her.” Alright, sorry,” she sighed and the brunette shifted in her spot.

“As I was saying- I thought you’d left or that you were kidnapped or managed to get yourself involved in more of your usual silly shenanigans. I just thought … I thought.. about the contract and how this must have all finally gotten to you. I thought that maybe this situation was now finally magnified enough to really prove to you that this was a serious thing- that lives were and are at stake and then I started thinking that someone who has magic may have gotten their hands on you. I thought that someone who hated us both, me more so than you, I figured they’d taken you to destroy us.. destroy me- because… because..”

“Because that’s all everyone ever seems interested in doing. Ruining your happiness in return for what you did to them,” Emma said and Regina nodded.

“I know that I’m being unrealistic about this, but Emma there are lives that could be destroyed if we can’t somehow produce a child. Someone will die.. or both of us will die. I can’t have that on my conscience. I will not be responsible for your mother or father losing you all because I didn’t show enough concern over my missing fiancee. I am not about to give that woman another reason to have a target on my damn forehead. And I will not lose the little faith and love you father seems to posses for me,” she whispered but Emma heard.

“I get it.. but I wasn’t missing, okay?”

“Okay,” Regina breathed but looked at the blonde wearily.

“And it’s okay to worry, okay?”

“Okay,”

“And I’m not going to run away and risk your life or anyone else's for that matter, okay?”

“Yes, okay,” Regina nodded and sighed.

“One more thing,” the blonde said and Regina looked confused. “ I actually felt a lot better knowing that you were worried about me, and I just want you to know I appreciate it.. I appreciate you,”

“Don’t get sappy, Swan,”

“I’m not,” Emma grinned. “ I’m just saying,” Emma sat and placed Regina’s feet in her lap. She began to massage the woman’s ankles and smiled when Regina relaxed. “ I understand your fears, Regina- I do. I know I messed up enough for you to write a book on me but I don’t break promises, Regina. And I’m not about to start. I’m not leaving, because I realize that had it not been for you, Henry’s happy ending wouldn’t be what we’re both fighting so hard to give him.I love our son.. and I will love you and I will love our little girl. I promise you, Regina.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Silence led to Regina finally accepting Emma’s words.

“Good, now do you think you can get dressed so that I can take you to work and take our son to school and head into the station..” Regina nodded and got up, folding the throw and placing it over the back of the couch. She turned back to place a kiss upon Emma’s cheek.

“Thank you,” the brunette whispered before ascending the stairs. Emma smiled to herself.

 

 _Progress_.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

There was a knock to his room door and the young man answered.

“Hey, Ma. I’m almost ready,” Henry said as he shuffled away from his room door, silently inviting his mother inside. Henry sifted through his closet for his cardigan.

“Henry,” she called and he looked over at her.

“Sit down, Kid,” she motioned to the bed and he sat. Emma sat as well. “I know you apologised earlier for the way you were, but I want to know if you actually realize what you were apologising for,” she spoke and his face fell. His expression pinched as he bit at his bottom lip.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “My attitude was pretty crappy and I’m sorry about that,”

“But,” Emma said as she pushed his response. He knew she knew it was more to that.

“Buuuuut,” he tapped his foot. “ Grams is kind of.. she’s.. never mind. I just really want you guys to be true loves and to work this out. Not just for me or anyone else or because you could die or because of the baby. I want you guys to work- for you and only you and not because you have to prove it to anyone else, or fulfill just to appease people. Ma… I just want you and mom to be happy.. together.”

 

Silence

 

“Kid,” Emma smiled a little. “ I love you.. you know that, right?”

“I do,” he nods.

“Then you should also know that you are too damn wise beyond your years,” she grinned and pulled him in for a hug. Henry laughed.

“I’ll try not to age too quickly then, but my brain’s pretty much past the point of reversing development,” he wise-cracked. “But I’m still shocked, considering how much school I tend to miss with the town consistently in peril,”

“Yeah, me and your mom need to talk about that. No more adventure runs with us for a while,” she said and Henry snorted.

“Let’s see how long you last when I either get kidnapped again or my superpower is needed,”

“Well then I’ll handcuff you to Neal. He never gets to go anywhere,” Emma joked darkly.

“Remind me not to get you a birthday gift,”

“Awww, come on. I was just kidding,” Emma pouted.

“Doubt it,” her son shook his head.

“But son.. I’m your mother,”

“Yes, but you were and are also a bad influence on my eating habits and I still kept you,” he joked.

“Ha- ha. You sound just like Regina when you scold me. When did you turn into a thirty something woman on the road to marriage.. Anyway, just get dressed so I can take you to this man-made institution of torture,” Emma said as she rose from the bed.

“Already done,” he said as he grabbed up his bag and walked out his room and down the hall, his blonde mother following closely behind.

 

“Mom,” Henry called after he knocked on the bedroom door.

“Come in,” Regina said and they entered. His mother was at the bureau doing only God knows what.

“Hey, mom. Just came to say I’m leaving. Ma’s taking me to school,”

“Have a good day, sweetheart,” she answered distractedly with a smile.

“Mom.. where’s my kiss,” he flung his arms out and she spun to face him, eyebrows slightly raised. She was surprised to say the least.

“Don’t go changing on the kid, Gi,”

“When did you start calling her ‘Gi’?” Henry air quoted.

“Today,” Emma said as she turned to him.

“Yes and that will be the last time as well, so do not get used it,” his brunette mother interrupted.

“I like it,” Henry says. “S’got spunk,” he smiled.

“I know right,” Emma agreed. They both ignored Regina and she gaped them.

“Did I not just say not to get used to that contraction of a nickname,” the woman sassed but they just continued.

“I was kind of thinking to go with Gina but, it sounded too..”

“Old,” Henry said with a nod.

“Yeah and then I get this weird feeling-,”

-

“-That Grams or great Gramps called her that,”

“Right!” Emma agreed.

“Yeah, Gi’s better. Doesn’t even sound like it’s mom and that’s totally operation worthy,”

“Totally worthy,” Emma nodded and Regina just about had enough. She conjured up a fireball and launched it at the two of them. It changed form mid-throw and upon impact, switched into a snowball large enough to wet the two of them before it dried instantly.

“HEY!” both of them screamed.

“Earth to family,” Regina shrieked back, highly sarcastic. “ I literally just told you _not_ to get used to that god forsaken name and here you both are- gossiping Sallys, over a literal contraction,”

“Regina this has got nothing to do with pregnancies,” Emma held a hand up and both brunettes regarded her with ‘did you just’ looks. Henry’s tongue sat between his teeth, mouth opening and shutting.

“Ma.. that’s not the type of contraction she means,” he clarified as Regina rolled her eyes.“And I’m not a Sally. I’m more of a Fred,” Henry finished as he turned his head to his other mother.

“Please let the stupid gene skip my baby,” the woman grumbled. “Swan, need I include English classes into the annual budget just for you?” Regina smirked.

“She had a literal blonde moment,” Henry grinned.

“Hey, can you two let me breathe.. You-,” she pointed to Regina. “ - You said you’d stop calling me stupid and idiotic,”

“And I have. I made no use of either word just now, besides, it’s no fun when you’re well equipped to embarrass yourself consistently,” Regina shrugged.

“Yeah- well.. yeah, whatever. I thought you guys were my friends,”

“I’m your son, we’re friends by default,”

“And you and I barely have anything past a coexisting friendship right now,”

“So there’s hope for something more huh,” Henry said as he wiggled his brows and Regina pursed her lips.

“If there is, it’s none of your business, young man,” Regina shot back and Henry smirked.

“Aww, come on mom, you don’t need to be so vanilla, because we both know you and Ma are the farthest things from it, especially with your mix,” Henry said and Emma gaped a smile, eyes wide with absolute pride oozing from her over her son’s smar-tass remark. Regina made a move to comment, but he continued. “ Nana said that was part of the reason she married Grampa.. She wanted you to be.. a.. a ‘sexual napalm’- and that she did her job right because Ma can’t keep her no moral hands to herself-,”

“-Hey,” Emma interrupted but the boy held his hands up.

“Not me who said it. Take it up with my grandma. She said she was surprised mom hasn’t ‘broken that many headboards during her reign’ considering how frisky you were with Daniel.. oh- that’s another thing. Nana watched you and Daniel the first time you.. you know. Painted the city red,” the boy managed before he snickered but gagged internally at the thought of his mother in such a position.

“Dear God, kill me now,” Regina muttered.

“Oh, I have got to hear about this-,”

“-No you do not,” Regina yelled.

“Nana said she cheered for Daniel because you screamed too much at first. Then she said she cheered for you because afterwards.. when you figured out how to.. well… call his army to attention… HAHAHA, Nana said you broke his member,”

“Henry stop it,” Regina begged, but the boy continued.

“ She watched you every time after that and then she would take bets with random people who didn’t know you, about when you would do next,”

“Oh my God, Cora literally created porn before it was even a thing,”

“I’m going to roast that woman’s ass when I see her,”

“She’s proud of you, you know,” the boy finally said. “  but then she said she’s sure you and Ma are doing it in your room.. my room,” he gagged. “ Upside down. In the laundry, out on the patio and in the shower-”

“Henry Daniel Mills!” Regina shrieked.

“Mom no middle name Mills!” he shrieked back. “ Nana already explained _your_ vanilla-ness to me, not my fault she decided to dip me in every flavour of your sex life,”

“Stop this. Stop this right now,” Regina shook her head disbelievingly.

“Like I don’t already know the grossest things on the planet because of Nana. You know she told me she was a kink master before Grampa Henry.. and after they got together.. mom they did the guards.. ,” he shivered and Regina laughed at him. “ You’re not supposed to laugh at me, you should feel sorry that she scarred me,” Henry pouted but Regina continued to laugh.

“I feel no form of sorry for you. You just displayed my sexual past and I should feel sorry because your grandmother explained her less than ladylike past to you. I think not. She is your grandmother and I’ve had enough years of scarring from her that weren’t the happy ones. Be happy she scarred you about her.. sexual escapades-,”

“-Mom! Please don’t call it that. Nana already took my last bit of innocence when she explained how she gave birth and then she proceeded to show me the actual footage of her giving birth to you-,”

“- Oh shit!” Emma gagged. “ Why! Regina, why is your mother so… open,”

“I’m truly hoping you don’t mean physically but figuratively,”

“I don’t even wanna mean spiritually right now,” the blonde shook.

“I’m in no position to answer that,” Regina shrugged. “ But back to your oh so.. blonde moment earlier,” Regina smiled and Emma groaned.

“Can’t you two just let me slip by with this one,” Emma begged.

“No,” they both said.

“You’ve seen my son embarrass me, happily, which I will return when his little crush comes by or I see her father.. later today at that-,”

“-MOM!”

“Too late,” she giggled.

“I’ll do anything, I swear,”

“You’ve done enough. Time to return the favour,” Regina smirked evilly and her son glared at her.

“Fine,” Henry conceded. “ Ma, we were only doing this in good fun. You’re not really.. that blonde,” Henry said.

“He’s right, you’re not entirely confused and it is all in good fun.”

“Fine,” she pouted.

“Petulant,” Regina teased.

“Yeah- well, whose fault is it that I didn’t grow up and have parents,” Emma said a bit bitterly before she realized what it was she was actually saying. Henry’s eyes widened. _Just ruined the moment, Swan_.

“I’m just gonna go… mom, my head kiss,” he said and Regina nodded with a pinched look on her face before performing the act and whispering that she loved him. He whispered it back and begged her not to bake Emma right then and there. He practically hauled ass from the room and left both women in some seriously nerve wracking silence. Tension was so thick, Emma couldn’t swallow. But Emma being the noble idiot was going to try and break it.

“I’m s-,” she was cut off by a hand held up to silence her.

“Don’t,” was all Regina said before she moved around like nothing happened and Emma deflated on the spot. She fell onto the bed and groaned and realized that Regina was effectively ignoring her. Emma sat up quickly.

“Regina.. sit down,” she said but the woman moved around as if Emma didn’t exist. “ Regina,” she said again as she stood and walked over to the woman whose back was turned to her. “Regina,” she called with no answer. She placed her hands on Regina’s shoulders only to be faced with fire burning in the woman’s eyes. A snarl sat sharply on her face and her hands raised, fireball forming already and innate response to fry Emma in full motion. The blonde gulped but remained there and stared her dead in the eyes until she watched the roaring fire turn into a settling ember and then a flicker. “ It’s me,” she said. “ The idiot who shouldn’t have said what she said,” the blonde breathed and waited with bated breath. Regina’s palms slowly ceased their fire dance and fell limply at her side. “ I’m sorry,” she got out before Regina pulled completely out of her hold and walked to the other end of the room.

“don’t,” she muttered softly.

“Regina, please,” Emma begged but the woman shook her head and spun, back once again to Emma. “ Regina.. please,” she begged, voice dropping to a dangerously low breath. “ I’m so sorry,” Emma choked out pathetically. “ I shouldn’t have said it and I’m sorry. I know I messed up and I know you don’t like to be reminded of your past-,”

“-Stop,” Regina said and Emma’s mouth shut. Regina spun to face her. “ You don’t even know why you’re apologising, do you,” Regina asked with a hollow laugh.

“I do.. it’s because I brought up your past,” Emma answered and Regina rolled her eyes before she spun back.

“ Swan,” she began. _Fuck, back to Swan._ “ Do you even realize what you said,” Regina asked as she waited for the blonde to answer. Emma nodded.

“Ye- yeah I know what  I said,”

“Mhmm, and who did you say it in front of,” Regina continued and Emma’s brows furrowed.

“Henry- but he already knows,” she defended but Regina shook her head.

“See, and that’s where you’re so lost in your own mind you don’t assess situations from the outside,”

“Okay, I screwed up but don’t you think you’re being a little sensitive about this-,”

“-Sensitive,”Regina scoffed. “ You think I’m being sensitive about this,” she almost yelled.

“Well.. yeah,” the blonde said and Regina laughed loudly.

“Wow, just when I thought there might be some part of you to trust myself with, you just prove it over and over that you will throw out all of my crimes no matter who’s present.” Regina turned to head into the bathroom but Emma had somehow managed to close the distance and pull her back by the arm.

“No. You don’t get to run. Sit and talk to me,” Emma said but Regina ripped her arm away.

“Do not touch me, Swan,” she growled as she walked into Emma’s personal space and pushed her back. “ You don’t get to tell me what to do,” she poked. “ You, Emma, you don’t get to tell me when to talk and when not to talk considering you don’t know what a God damn filter is when it comes to anything that has to do with my life, especially my past. Do not think for a second you have even a part ounce of authority over me because you do not,” Regina spat and shoved her again. “Do not think that you can just say what you want and claim that _I_ am being sensitive over the issue when you are so clueless to it to begin with,”

“Then tell me what the hell I did wrong,” Emma grinded her teeth and Regina laughed, hollow as hollow came.

“You’re the saviour, you figure it out, _sweetheart_.” Regina backed away and turned to make her way into the bathroom once more but Emma pulled her back, again.

“Regina,” she ground out. “Will you stop running away from me,”

“I’m not running. I’m walking away from the stupidity that is this conversation, _Saviour_. Do us both a favour and leave me the hell out of airing dirty laundry,” Regina answered smartly and Emma sighed heavily. She released Regina and shifted in her spot, the brunette watching her.

“Regina, please, just please tell me what I did wrong and I’ll fix it,”

“That’s just the thing. You can’t fix it. You can’t fix words you already said. You can’t fix actions already done. You can’t change the outcome because things have happened and they’ve gone. There’s no spell to turn back the clock and stop your asinine thought from making an entrance in the front of my son,”

“He’s my son too,” Emma argued.

“Well, yes of course, another thing to bring up to him I suppose. Going to convince him I’m the Evil Queen yet again so that you can take him and run? Or are you content with reminding him and me that I was the cause of your parentless childhood and then his? Or could it be that you’re slowly trying to soil and damage everyone’s image of me one by one? That’s it!” Regina laughed to herself. “ I should have known. That’s been your plan all along. Worm your way into my life with some asinine idea and ruin me, take Henry and live your life with that dreadful representation of a pirate. I should know that your promises mean nothing,”

“They do,” Emma said weakly.

“Do they? Because I seem to recall you breaking one then, when your little frost bitten friend came along with her insane aunt,”

“Regina I had to,”

“Did you?”

“Yes, I had to. You know that. I had to so I could break the curse,”

“And I was the willing lab rat for your experiment as I always am. Just a pawn in your terribly played game of chess,” she scoffed. “ So, were you out having sex with your pirate? Planning more little plans to slowly rip me apart so that I’m left with nothing and no one?”

“No,” Emma said with hurt in her eyes. “ You really think I’d do something like that to you,”

“I wouldn’t put anything past you when it comes to hurting me,” Regina shrugged.

“Seriously,” she asked, eyes welling up with tears. “ You really th-,” she choked back her sobs. “Regina- I-,”

“-You what, Emma?” Regina growled. “ Didn’t mean it? hmmm? Funny to apologise when you don’t realize why you are in the first place,”

“Then tell me,” Emma begged again and this time a single tear dripped from her eye. Regina’s face fell. She felt bad about taking her anger out on Emma, but she was hurt and the only way she knew to feel better was to hurt that person, back.

“Emma... I’m sorry,” she said softly as she approached the blonde who was sniffling. “ Snapping at you, I shouldn’t have done that,” she continued as she stepped closer to the blonde and placed a thumb to her red cheek. Regina wiped away Emma’s stray tear and her brows furrowed in sadness as her lips pinched. “ I’m sorry,” she repeated as she took the woman’s face in her hands. She brought Emma’s eyes up to hers. “ I’m sorry,” she whispered closely enough that Emma heard her loud and clear. Emma nodded, but pulled away and made her way over to the bed and sat.

“I-,” she hiccuped a breath. “ I would never do any of those things to you, intentional or otherwise,”

“I know,” Regina breathed.

“Do you though,” Emma spat but it lacked all venom. “ Do you,” she asked quieter and Regina shook her head.

“I don’t,” she admitted. “ But I do want to,” she continued and Emma sniffled.

“Why were you so upset with me,” the blonde asked as she changed the topic.

“Emma I-,” Regina tried to steer it away but Emma shook her head and shifted in her spot on the bed. She looked up at Regina with a challenging stare.

“No, I wanna know why you were so mad at me and why you said all of those hurtful things to me,” she said. Regina sighed and nodded before making her way over to the bed.

“May I sit?” Emma nodded so she sat. Regina shifted so that she was facing Emma, full on. “ Swan-,”

“- Please stop calling me that.. Can you just talk to me like I’m an equal, for once?!” the blonde asked exasperated. Regina swallowed and nodded.

“Emma,” she corrected. “ the reason I was so.. angry with you was not because of just what you brought up, but who you brought it up in front of,”

“Henry.. yeah. But he already knows,” Emma reminded.

“Yes, that’s true, but that’s also my past.. something that has never seemed to go away completely because everyone in my life has brought it all back up. Everyone in my life never seems to let it go. No one let’s me ‘ live it down’ as Henry would put it.. Emma-,” Regina stopped short to breathe. “ Emma, what I’m trying to say is.. we made an agreement to do this True Love experiment and along with that we also agreed to create a child born of True Love,”

“Yeah, I get that but I don’t see where you’re going with it,” the blonde said honestly and Regina smirked.

“ Think of it this way. I have a past, a very terrible one at that and Henry was not the first to learn of it. He will also not be the last of our children to learn of it.. Do you see where I’m going with this now?” she asked and Emma nodded slightly. “ Emma, I wasn’t upset at the fact that you brought up my past, it was because you brought it up, again, in the front of Henry. Whether you meant it or not, you brought it back up and just imagine if we do actually argue like a couple, that’s your default. That’s your go to. That’s the ammo you will use against me and in the front of our children no less. And that will make you just like everyone else to me.. I just,” she sighed. “ I just don’t want that if and when we do manage to become actual True Love’s and we do end up having a child that the second we argue, you bring up things of my past, or that it leads our little one to believe that I’m nothing more than evil- that I cast a curse on you- or that I’m stealing you, the way your mother seems to believe me capable of doing. I don’t want for the baby to grow up with that image of me and I don’t want the baby to grow up with that image that you despise me even though you have every right to. I don’t want to be left with that memory that the second we do argue, that’s what will be forces against me. It only took a book and imagination for Henry to see me in a different light. If it was now one based off of human influence.. I couldn’t.. I couldn’t live it down. I just thought.. I guess I thought I had you in my corner if I had no one else and I was hurt and I lashed out. Then I started thinking that this was some master plan that everyone was in on except me and maybe my mother. My mind started racing with thoughts of that day with Hook in the station. I figured he was acting out to make it all believable and then when you were gone this morning I figured you went to meet him and report in or just.. I don’t know,” she ended with fidgeting hands. Emma just sat there, mute. She said nothing, made no motion to move but she also didn’t ignore Regina’s words. She listened and took them in and thought about them.

“ I don’t want Killian,” Emma finally said. “ I don’t want him, don’t need him and don’t want anything to do with him,” she continued. “ I went out to run an errand that was very important, not to see _him_. I don’t know where he is, nor do I care where he is,” Emma spoke as she looked at Regina. “ This not some elaborate scheme, Regina. None of this is. This is literally a situation I managed to create from sheer stupidity, nothing more, nothing less, okay,”

“okay,” Regina said hoarsely as she nodded.

“ And I get it. It’s hard to trust someone who has access to every vulnerability, but I’m not like that, Regina. I would never do that-,”

“- but you did,” the brunette bit out weakly as she sniffled. She dropped her head.

“Because I had to,” Emma answered back as she bent her head to seek out the woman’s eyes. “ In order for me to break it, I had to hurt the person I cared about most at that point in time, and that, Regina, that was you,” Emma said and Regina scoffed.

“I’m sure it was just because I had magic,”

“That too,” Emma tried to joke and smiled a little when Regina let out a weak laugh. “ But that’s not the only reason why. I cared about you more than anyone at that point because I’d grown the closest with you and I bonded with you the most. Henry, yes I cared and care about him, but our bond would not have been strong enough to deal with the Ice Queen. The bond I had with my parents at that point in time was still iffy, but you- you expected nothing of me and in return you managed to convince me to give everything. Regina it was the way you didn’t give a damn about my past. You just wanted to know what I could give our son in the future- his future. Yeah sure you may have mentioned how I run once or twice, but you were right then just like you would be right to say it now, and if only because of fear, you’d still be right. I know you fear that our baby will grow up with nothing but a negative image of you because of people’s mouths and my own, but Regina, I promise you I will work my ass off to never let our child be convinced that you are anything but intelligent, beautiful, strong and redeemed. I will work my ass off to protect him or her from anything that anyone might say about you and I will guard your heart just like I will guard her ears from everyone else’s damaging words, even my own,” Emma swore and Regina looked up at her, finally.

“I’m sorry,” the brunette said in a small voice.

“I’m sorry, too,” Emma whispered before she scooted over and pulled the woman in for a hug. Regina melted into her hold and Emma sighed in content. “ I never meant to hurt you and I never will hurt you, intentionally or otherwise. Regina I will do everything in my power not to hurt you… and I’m so sorry I did, sweetie. I am so- so sorry,” Emma whispered lower and Regina clutched the blonde’s shirt, holding on tightly with every word. Emma brought Regina’s small frame into her lap and hugged her tighter. She was not surprised at how light Regina was or how small she would become once in her lap. She was more so surprised that Regina allowed it.

“Promise me,” Regina began but stopped momentarily on her words. “ Promise.. promise me that even after all of this, you’ll always give me another chance when no one else would.. that you will love me without boundaries unlike another would.. that.. that you will love our baby the same way you love Henry.”

“I promise- I promise- I promise.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

After that intense session between the two women where Regina just remained in Emma’s lap for a while whilst the blonde held her,they’d finally decided to get up. Regina pulled herself from Emma’s hold and reminded her blonde counterpart that she needed to get dressed. Emma nodded and went to do that as Regina reheated Emma’s breakfast before she packed it up in a carry container. She ascended the stairs once more and found the blonde in the last sessions of getting ready. Regina walked into the bathroom where Emma was fixing her hair and noticed that the blonde hadn’t fixed her shirt properly.

“Come here,” she said softly as she tugged Emma from the bathroom. Emma obeyed and allowed herself to be guided into the bedroom. Regina then undid Emma’s buttons on her blue Police shirt and realigned them before she buttoned them up, fixed the collar and fixed Emma’s tie. Emma looked down and smiled before she looked back up at Regina who was putting the silver tie clip on her skinny black tie.

“What,” Regina asked not looking away from what was before her.

“Nothing,” Emma shrugged. “ It’s just nice to actually reap the benefits of idiocy sometimes,” she smiled and Regina paused.

“I don’t follow,”

“This,” she motioned between the two of them. “ Having you all wifed up over me is a pretty nice feeling. I haven’t felt this cared for in a while,” Emma grinned and Regina gave her a small smile.

“Well, you may never have to get used to it, considering you seem like you have intentions of staying forever,” Regina deadpanned.

“I did promise,” Emma smirked and Regina smiled.

“Yes, you did… and I’m happy you did. Thank you, Emma. I know this isn’t easy for you,”

“Sure it is. My fiancee’s pretty cute and she’s taking care of me and our son like we’re royalty. Besides, who wouldn’t be proud to say they put a magic baby in _the_ Regina Mills and give my mother an aneurysm all in the same set of months,”

“Such a charmer,” Regina rolled her eyes. “ And for your information. I am not cute-,”

“- You are,” Emma argued.

“I am not,” Regina said back. “ And you and Henry _are_ royalty and deserve nothing lower than that form of treatment,”

“If you say so,” Emma shrugged.

“I do, and many others would agree with me on that,”

“That’s because they have blind faith in my magicless parents,”

“No,” Regina shook her head. “ It’s because of recognition and acknowledgment of royalty. You and Henry are both Royalty. Heirs to a throne,”

“And what about you? Aren’t you royalty,”

“No,” Regina snorted. “My mother married into royalty and my father wasn’t much of a royal to begin with,”

“ What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. I was of half noble blood. My mother was a Miller’s daughter. Nothing royal about that and my father was barely known,”

“So, if you had a child with.. my grandfather then the baby would have been-,”

“- A half cast, yes,”

“Wow, that’s.. shitty,” Emma muttered and Regina nodded.

“Yes, well, we can’t all be royalty like you now can we,” Regina smirked but Emma could tell there was a bit of pain behind those words.

“I kind of don’t want it at all,” Emma said uneasily and Regina tilted her head at the woman. “Expectancies are too high and everyone’s watching my every move. If I can’t piss without thinking they’re wondering if they should pee the same way too, I do not want that position of hierarchy,” she said and Regina laughed.

“I don’t think you have to worry about them adopting your urinating habits anytime soon, Emma,”

“ You don’t know that,” the blonde joked and Regina continued to laugh.

“I’ll take my chances on that guess,” Regina smirked.

“You’ve been doing a lot of that lately. Sounds like I’m rubbing off on you,”

“How forward of you to feel the need to rub against me, Miss Swan,” Regina joked and Emma blushed red.

“The lady has jokes,” Emma teased.

“And fireballs,” Regina reminded and Emma’s smirk fell.

“I swear I will forever be afraid of you and that. You know, if you want our little one to love you more, you wouldn’t threaten their other mommy with fires, just a suggestion,” Emma said and Regina made a thinking face.

“Maybe I’ll rethink my threats,” Regina offered noncommittally.

“Such an angel,” Emma deadpanned, but there was a smile there. “Hey,” she said and Regina looked up. The brunette hadn’t taken notice that she wasn’t done fixing Emma’s tie clip.

“hmmm,” she hummed as her glassy light brown eyes caught Emma’s emerald ones.

“Thank you,” Emma whispered before she leaned in and lightly kissed Regina on the lips. Regina’s lips moved on their own accord and the two women lost themselves for a handful of seconds, kissing gently until reality struck and they pulled away, slowly.

“S-sorry,” Emma muttered but Regina just smiled and wiped her lipstick away from the blonde’s lips.

“You’re improving,” the woman teased and Emma started to laugh a little.

“Seriously. Still giving me a hard time over that?” Regina nodded and Emma shifted her lips to the side.

“Okay, fine,” she said before she turned. Regina thought she did something wrong until Emma’s turned back, quickly and effectively wrapping her arms around the woman’s back and lifting her off the ground. Regina’s slender feet slipped from her heels and both her feet went up and cross as her arms lay on Emma’s chest. She was laughing as Emma spun them around.

“Tell me I’m more than above average and I’ll put you down,” Emma said but Regina shook her head.

“I’d be ly- Emma!” she shrieked with glee as the woman spun them around once more.

“Say it,” Emma said but Regina pinned her lips shut.

“Nope,” she got out before Emma rolled her eyes and stopped.

“Tough nut I say. Tough nut,” she teased and Regina smirked.

“ Now you know I’m not one to woo without extensive plans,” Regina sassed as Emma placed her back down. The brunette fixed her skirt and shirt before she fixed Emma’s top once more.

The brunette climbed back into her shoes and made a come here motion with her finger as she walked out the room door.

“Come along sheriff. We have work days ahead of us,” she commanded and the blonde followed.

 

In a matter of steps, they were out the door with Emma’s insistence on dropping Regina to work.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The pair arrived to the office and Emma got out to walk Regina into her actual office. On the way they saw Clara in the employee kitchen with a smile on her face.

“Morning, Clara,” Emma said cheerily and the woman smiled.

“Good morning, Emma- Regina,” she regarded them both and Regina nodded.

“Good morning, Clara,” the brunette said before she and Emma continued until they were in the front of Regina’s office door.

“You don’t have to do this, Emma,” Regina said but Emma shrugged.

“Nah, I want to and besides, this’ll be good stuff to tell that little human about how chivalrous her blonde mother was,”

“You wanna be her favourite, huh,” Regina teased and Emma blushed.

“Maybe, but first I have to be her mommy’s favourite,”

“Maybe you already are,” Regina winked and Emma floundered.

“Then can I put a baby in you?” Emma dribbled.

“So soon?” Regina stopped and turned, regarding Emma with a smirk.

“Well, yeah,” the blonde continued to dribble.

“Emma,” Regina laughed. “No.. not yet at least. I need to be wined and dined and such things,” she reminded and the blonde groaned. “ You and your chivalry,” she mocked.

“Hey, chivalry is on a whim, not meticulously planned out,” Emma defended.

“Truer words have never been spoken by the lazy,”

“I’m not lazy,”

“No, you’re just selectively inactive,” Regina teased.

“Whatever,” Emma said. “ I have a job to get to before my employer has my ass and my future wife ends up agreeing with her,”

“She wouldn’t be wrong to,” Regina shrugged.

“ Exactly and I’m not chancing anything.. I’ll see you later, right?”

“Of course.. Is there anything in particular you want for dinner?” Emma shook her head.

“I was kind of thinking that maybe we could eat out as a family tonight, if you’re okay with it that is,”

“That would be a nice change of pace,” Regina nodded.

“Okay. I’ll come pick you up from work when you’re done then,”

“I would need to change my clothes first,”

“No, you’d be fine in what you’re wearing now, trust me. It’s not something that requires fancy dressing,”

“Yes and that’s exactly why I would love to change my clothes before going there,”

“Regina, it’s fine. Seriously. Look, I’ll bring you a pair of flats and you’ll be a bit more casual that way. Sound good?”

“No,” Regina answered honestly, but rolled her eyes. “ Okay, fine. I suppose I could go like this,” she conceded and Emma smiled.

“Good. See you later,” Emma said before leaning in quickly to peck Regina on the lips. The brunette found herself smiling momentarily as she watched the blonde exit. She heard Clara snicker behind her and shot the woman a glare who then pretended to whistle and do work. Regina rolled her eyes and entered her office before she sighed out.

“Trust myself and my emotions,” she chanted to herself before pushing off the door and sitting to her desk, her day just beginning.

There was a knock and acknowledgment for entry.

“Madame Mayor,” Clara’s voice floated through the room and then was when her day was truly about to begin with meetings and arguments with Mr. Crafter over Cora’s antics.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma strolled into the station a while after she dropped Regina off and found Little John at one of the deputy desks.

“Hey L-Jo, how’ve you been,” she asked as she sat in her chair and put her feet up.

“Sleep deprived,” the man said honestly. “ Robin’s still on this useless mission to scour the woods as if we actually have anyone besides us living in it,”

“His morals of taking from the rich to give to the poor coming into play?”

“You have no idea,” the man groaned as he placed his head down.

“Well, how about you take a nap for right now and I’ll just deal with the calls for this shift,” she offered and before the man could answer the station phone rang. "Seems I’m off already, If Arrow calls take a message,” Emma said as she got up quickly, answered the call and then grabbed her jacket before she was out the door.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Swan!” she heard the familiar voice shout as she neared the docks. Emma rolled her eyes as she neared the port and shifted her jacket. She’d gotten a call of disturbance about someone yelling, sparks flying and threats of hooks.

“Hook, why in the hell am I getting a disturbance call from people who are a good few metres away from you?”

“Because that bloody old bat nearly took me hook and shoved it up me arse,”

“ In English, please,”

“The EQ’s dear old mummy, threatened to take my hook from me and rearrange it up my ass,” he clarified and Emma’s eyebrow rose skeptically.

“And why would Cora come all the way out here to threaten you unless you did something to deserve it,” Emma said as she folded her arms and he huffed.

“Because she’s batshit,” he defended.

“Woah- can you stop talking about women as if they’re objects or you know, not human?”

“ Well, Love, I would if I wasn’t certain the older witch wasn’t human,”

“Right, anyway,” Emma said as she changed the subject. “ Where’s Cora?”

“How the hell should I know. She beat me over the head with a book and disappeared,” he complained. “ Swan, shouldn’t you be finding out how _I’m_ doing instead of worrying about some measly old woman who is a threat to us all,”

“It’s funny you’d think that considering Cora hasn’t done a single thing in literal years now, but okay. How are you _Killian_ ,” she asked in a condescending manner he did not catch.

“Well, I could use a small kiss for my head injury.. or maybe a personal nurse,” he said in a slimy tone that never sat well with Emma.

“I’m engaged,” she pointed out.

“I see no ring,”

“Yeah, and I see no morals or respect but I still believed you had them,” she spat and he faltered.

“What happened to your fun side, Swan,”

“It died along with the minute amount of respect I held for you,”

“Oh come off it, Love. You expect me to believe that you are truly in love with the Evil Queen? That you are truly going to marry a woman- have a child with _that_ woman that’s ruined your entire childhood and not even bothered to redeem your trust in her?”

“Okay, first off. Shut up about Regina. Stop calling her the Evil Queen because she is no longer that, _Captain HOOK_ ,” Emma emphasised. “ See, unlike you, _my_ fiancee- _that_ woman, redeemed herself of literally everything she could manage to redeem herself of and she didn’t go around asking for alms when she did it. She didn’t want people to see that she did it. She just did it. And Regina is not the only person who had a hand in ‘ruining’ my childhood as you put it, but then again, you’re a pirate and you don’t know about morals and high ground or any of that, so why am I surprised you made an assumption- emphasis on the ass part,” the blonde smiled. “Now, before I continue to rip you a new one, I will ask you again. Where. Is. Cora?”

“I don’t know,” he spat and she looked at him for a moment before she nodded.

“Alright then. If that’s all. I’ll be going. And please, don’t let me get another call of disturbance from you. You live far enough away that no one should need to be bothered by you,” she ended and heard the man huff and grumble as she walked away.

“They do not pay me enough to deal with this shit.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The woman heard a knock at her house door and wondered who in the hell it was that could have been there.

“Yes,”she answered as she neared the door.

“Mother, it’s me,” Regina said and Cora opened the door, immediately.

“Regina, darling. What is it?” she asked with worry but Regina just seemed to be too full of things to say and not sure where to start.

“Mother. I just had a meeting with Mister Crafter over the state of not only his site, but his main office and I was surprised to realize that the recap your grandson gave me isn’t even remotely close to what you actually did,” Regina said and Cora laughed uneasily.

“Well, I’m sure it’s not as bad as that old drying bag of nuts made it out to be,”

“Mhmm, I also thought the same thing until he brought by a few photos as proof,” Regina said as she pulled the pictures out. “ Mother, please explain to me why Mister Crafter brought by blank photos of his construction site _and_ his main office,” Regina asked and Cora held a straight face as she answered.

“Because I sunk them,” she held her head up and Regina dropped hers. Regina started laughing and then Cora started laughing, but then Regina’s laugh turned into one of those hysterical ones and Cora knew it wasn’t good.

“Oh shit,” she muttered before Regina’s eyes flashed with fire.

“Mother! What in the hell have you done!” her daughter yelled and she yelped.

“ Regina stop it or I’ll pee myself,” Cora whimpered but Regina continued.

“I don’t care if you lose function of your bowels all in this very second! You sunk a construction site and a main office all in one day,” Regina reprimanded and Cora pouted.

“But he was being mean, and to be fair.. it was in the space of about three hours,” she said petulantly and Regina rolled her eyes.

“That doesn’t give you the right to send his business to the underworld,”

“Working for that man was hell anyway. Why not stay true to nature and send it where it came from?”

“Because you do not work for Mister Crafter and had one of the employees come to me, I would have dealt with it accordingly,” Regina argued and Cora huffed.

“Your ways are too Snow-White-ish,”

“And yours are prehistoric and barbaric,” Regina shot back. “ What would you have me do, mother? Stretch his limbs until they snapped or left him to a plague of frogs?”

“I was thinking more along the lines of public shaming.. I’ve been watching this show called Game of Thrones-,”

“-I do not even want to know where this is going,”: Regina held a hand up but Cora swatted it away.

“Will you and your giant ass head just listen to me,” she said petulantly and Regina glared at her, sighed and let her finish. “Now, as I was saying before you rudely interrupted my plan... they made this woman walk from the chapel all the way back to the kingdom nekkid. I mean literal titties and all, Regina. All her bits were out. But there was no jiggle. Like her body lacked all of it’s nutrients. Were women of our time honestly that malnourished that they lacked a proper pair of tits?” Cora recapped and Regina rolled her eyes.

“Mother… the point of the suggestion,”

“Oh, right. Regina I do believe that would be just cause for his lies and betrayal. Think of how many women he’s lied to about that wretched thing upon his head he called hair? I mean, I doubt he’d have the A cup boobies she has, but he shouldn’t be far from a saggy C if you ask me-,”

“- Mother,” Regina growled but Cora continued.

“I wonder if he has a pancake ass like me. He does seem rather, oddly shaped. Then again, I guess I should expect such things from a man who’s done nothing to keep his nuts from almost low fiving Hades-,”

“-Mother,” Regina said again, but Cora was off on the rambles.

“Could you imagine having sex with that man. He’s practically another Leopold. Low bearing fruit. Low sperm count-,”

“-How in the-,”

“- Pot belly. He’s not even shaped like the letter P. He’s shaped like a sad letter d. Just like his jingles. He hangs low- they hang low! Do your jingles hang low, Is your nut sack to the floor? Who the fuck would tie that in a knot- or even tie a bow?-,”

“-MOTHER!”

“Gaaa, Fuck, Regina! Why in shittingsburgh’s name you wanna scurr me like dat,” Cora gritted out and Regina only held back part of her snicker.

“Could you please just stop and leave Mister Crafter alone. I get that you dislike him-,”

“-Dislike. Try loathe. He’s as close to that as Captain slimy bastard,”

“Dear God, what have you done to Hook?” Regina groaned.

“Nothing that can’t be undone….”

“Mother,” Regina growled.

“He’s fine- I swear. He’s still got his hook and all.. his ass might be holding on to it the next time I see him, but he’s still got it now… see, everything’s fine.. it’s.. fine,”

“No. Not fine,” Regina said. “ Because of your little stunt, he’s suing you and in the process, he’s suing me,”

“What the hell is he suing you for,”

“Because you’re my mother and apparently I let a menace run free in StoryBrooke,”

“What/?!” Cora yelled. “ I should’ve taken more than that damn Sasquatch he had on the top of his head. Next time I’ll take his jingles-,”

“- No, mother! Leave that man alone. Besides, I doubt he can even manage to erect the Eiffel tower anymore,”

“Haha, Good one, dear,”

“Yes, mother. Thank you,” Regina said dryly and Cora pursed her lips.

“How in the hell does Emma have night rod with you,”

“Mother,” Regina scolded.

“I prefer Your Grace,”

“Mother,” Regina said again but Cora hummed.

“It’s Your Grace,”

“GOD DAMN IT, CORA,” Regina yelled before her mother gasped at the use of her first name.

“mummy,” Cora whimpered.

“What in the-,” Regina muttered.

“If your grandmother were here she would beat you in the head with a wooden spoon for yelling at me,”

“I’m pretty positive Bubby would be proud of me for holding my ground when it came to you and your antics,” Regina smirked and her mother glared.

“Fine, whatever.. Now, that doesn’t seem to be the only reason you came. So tell me, what’s happened? Trouble in paradise?” Cora asked knowingly.

“How did you know,” Regina turned to her mother quickly. Cora merely hummed and guided her into the living room until she sat.

“I’m your mother for one. And two, you were always terrible with handling your own problems by yourself,”

“Yes, I wonder who’s to blame for my lack of self esteem and strength,” Regina deadpanned and Cora huffed.

“Less ass and sass and more talk of the past, please,”

“Alright,” Regina yielded. “ Emma and I had a little.. argument earlier this morning about a few things-,”

“- It’s not about the size of your lady business is it?”

“What the hell- mother, no!”

“How about your innate need to set a timer on romp city,”

“No, mother,” Regina sighed. “ Why in Hades’ blue hair are you bringing up odd facts about m-, never mind. I remember now. _You_ told _my_ son about my past sexual experience, as if that boy hasn’t been scarred enough about finding out that you and daddy did it… and then you did it with the guards, mother,” Regina whispered in hysterics.

“What can I say, I was a slut in my days, dear,” Cora shrugged and Regina smacked her lips in an tasteless way. “ You are such a prude. I’d have thought you’d have grown out of that after you let Daniel pound you all the way to euphoria,”

“Please, Gods, make it stop.. mother, can we _please_ just get back to this problem I’m having,”

“Fine- yes.. continue,”

“Okay,” Regina breathed.

“Dear wait.. start from the beginning,” Cora said seriously. Regina nodded.

“When I woke up this morning.. Emma was..gone,”

“Doesn’t she go for runs in the morning?”

“Well, sometimes, but something just felt different about this morning. I could just feel it. All of our running shoes were there so I ruled that point out,”

“Did she leave a note?” Regina shook her head. “ Ahh, no need to go any further. You thought she just up and left,” Cora said with a raised brow, almost as if she was in disbelief that Regina would be hysterical over something like that and Regina knew that’s what she was thinking. That’s why the younger brunette sagged into the couch even more and her mother rubbed her shoulders. “ Does Emma have a history of running?”

“She does,” the woman nodded.

“And you lashed out at her, I assume,”

“I did,” she nodded again.

“Dear, if I’m allowed to ask. Where did your.. fear of abandonment stem from?”

“Henry, I suppose. I was always afraid he would leave me when he realized who I was.. who I am. I figured that the same had finally managed to happen to Emma. I thought..”

“You thought she saw a monster in you, and that was the only image she ever had of you,” Cora said softly and Regina nodded as she felt hot bulbs of liquid seep from her eyes and trail her cheeks. She felt her mother pull her into an embrace and just allowed herself to fall into loving arms.

“Mother, why does it hurt so bad to feel like nothing but a monster in everyone’s eyes,” Regina whimpered and Cora cooed her.

“It’s because we are monsters, dear. We all are. It’s just that some people deem others worse than themselves, but we are all our own demons. It just takes the right person to find our light and our angels and love us, monsters and demons and all. That’s why your father married me. He saw past all of my transgressions the same way you and Emma see past one another’s. Oh, my sweet girl, she loves you, she truly does,”

“But she blamed me for ruining her childhood,”Regina sniffled.

“Regina, she was hurt,”Cora defended.

“But she hurt me,” the woman nearly bellowed and her mother rocked her.

“Sweetheart, we always hurt the ones we love. You two, whether you want to or not, will always end up hurting one another, but that doesn’t mean you don’t love each other and that doesn’t mean you don’t care about one another, it just means you’re both very headstrong, stupidly so. But that’s love. It’s intense and complicated and it’s never a complete float on cloud nine. You will drop through the skies and fall through the precipitation and become as heavy as Snow and Hail and damage things along the way, but once you can find the sunshine of another day in one another, that’s all that matters.. and that sunshine is what?” Cora asked but Regina shook her head. “ Regina, what is your sunshine?”

“Henry,” she mumbled.

“And?”

“Daddy,”

“And?”

“You,”

“Flattered,” Cora smirked. “ but who is your sunshine? What is your sunshine? Who will be your light through a stormy day?” Regina hitched a breath.

“Emma,” she breathed out and Cora smiled.

“And what is your sunshine?”

“Love,” Regina answered and Cora kissed her head.

“Muito Bom,” her mother praised and Regina found herself smiling a bit.

“But.. I don’t know how to love very well,” Regina argued.

“I seem to recall you telling me you told the same to Henry and yet, here he is, happier than before because you were a different mother, just like you said you’d always be,”

“I wasn’t at first,”

“But you got there.. Regina, it’s time you stopped blaming yourself for past mistakes and praise yourself for the way you’ve redeemed yourself. Besides, it’s more my fault than your own for your inability to love freely and entirely, but my dear, do know that I am extremely proud of you, mi pequeña, princesa perfecta,”

“Te quiero, mama,”

“Te quiero, Mija,”

“I’m so happy you’re here, mama,”

“Me too, little one. Me too.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina had managed to fall asleep on her mother’s couch and Cora wrapped her up in a blanket before calling in to the office and speaking with Clara on the rest of the issues Regina would have had to deal with that day. She then tells Clara not to cancel the rest, but to bring her up to speed on what was to be dealt with and with hesitance, the woman told her. Cora then called Emma, who was surprisingly already on her way.

 

“Well, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you ran into assrack,”

“I did,” Emma said as she sidestepped Cora and walked into the woman’s home.

“Dear, I haven’t invited you in. You know, the dead usually ask for permission to enter,”

“Cora, I get you love your Tv shows, but this is no time to get all Sookie Stackhouse on me and talk about privileges. Now, why’d you call me?” Cora pointed to the living room and Emma quirked a brow before walking in.

“Regina,” she said a bit concerned.

“Relax, dear. She’s asleep. She came over to reprimand me about low nuts’ lawsuit,”

“Yeah, I saw what you did to that place. You really did a number on it. I mean, it’s literally gone,” Emma acknowledged and Cora smiled.

“Yes, well, I pride myself on being just in Karma.” Emma rolled her eyes but smiled. “ And well, then she broke down over the argument you two had earlier this morning before work,”

“Yeah, about that,” Emma scratched the back of her head. “ She was in hysterics when she called me. I was out running an errand and she thought I just picked up and ran or got in trouble or was basically adultnapped. But then she thought I was planning some scheme with Hook of all people and that I was reporting in to him about bringing in her insecurities and vulnerability,,”

“Yes, dear I know. She told me, most of it at least; but what I can’t seem to gather is, what errand were you running?”

“I can’t tell you.. yet. It’s important and I want it to be perfect, so please, just don’t think about it, forget I brought it up. It’s really important and it’s for her,” the blonde begged and Cora tilted her head back.

“Alright then.. Since you’re here, sheriff, and Regina’s asleep, I’ll be taking her place so that she can rest,”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“How incapable do you think I am, Miss Swan?”

“Not very,” Emma muttered and Cora glared at her. “ I’m sorry, but this world is different. You can’t just walk in fashionably late and toss people against walls and then demand things of them. You actually have to listen to them and then come to some sort of consensus so that everyone’s happy to,”

“I can listen,”

“Without ripping hearts out and commanding them to tell you you’re right,” Emma laughed. “ Yeah, I think not. You’re not going in and that’s final,”

“When in the hell did you and Regina become mothers,” Cora scowled.

“The day Henry slipped out my doughnut hole and the day Regina adopted him,”

“It was a rhetorical question,”

“Well you got a non-rhetorical answer, now can I please check on my soon to be,” she motioned towards Regina.

“Yes- yes. Go ahead,” Cora shooed. Emma smiled and walked into the living room and sat where Regina’s head was. She stroked back long strands of hair and laid a kiss on Regina’s head. “ So beautiful,” she found herself admitting. “ Just, breathtakingly beautiful,” she whispered. She was shocked when she realised Regina was smiling in her sleep. _I guess I did that._

“That’s the sex dream smile,” Cora nodded.

“It is not,” Emma shot back.

“Okay, but when she’s moaning that she needs- she needs, I want you to tell me it’s still innocent,” Cora shifted before she exited the room. Emma rolled her eyes and turned back to the woman.

“It is not a sex dream,” Emma said to herself and then once more out loud before nodding. She looked down at Regina’s peaceful face and couldn’t help her smile. “ Why the hell are you so beautiful? Like have you ever thought of letting someone else be beautiful for a change? I get it you’re the fairest of them all, but damn. Do you know I have to see you in a wedding dress? Like I literally have to watch you be walked down the aisle by our son and you’re going to look like this mystical being of beauty. Light’s going to radiate around you and your smile would be so bright but nervous and you’d be thinking- if only your dad could see you now. I can see it now,” Emma said as she settled back into the chair and placed Regina’s head in her lap. She was unaware that Cora was listening in on every word. “ I’ll be standing there all awkward and shaking and nearly shitting bricks, but I’ll be so proud and stupid with glee…. We’ll have a little girl like you always wanted and you’d probably end up going into labour right after we say our vows, or just before. I’d quote the whole ‘sorry I’m late’ thing and you’d nearly rip me a new hole because your contractions would be shit. We’d spend hours in the hospital and have to deal with Whale’s terrible dye job. You would probably launch him through a window for making some idiotic joke and then re-conjure him all fixed and ready to go. She’ll come out all red and angry like Henry did- probably conjuring fireballs just because she can’t see. She’ll have the lights sparking and then she’ll probably launch Whale through the next window. I can see it now- her with your little mayoral voice, you having her dressed like a little business girl and then it’s just all downhill from there because she’s our little princess, but you’ll be so high on happiness you’d smile and tell me,’ always like you Charmings, coming into things at the wrong times’. But you wouldn’t mean it in a mean way. You’d mean it as a joke because she’d have my blood. Your hair and probably my eyes and that damn chin and dimple. My mom would probably still be claiming that it’s some sort of spell and my dad would try to steal her and kiss her til she’s screaming and wailing for one of us to put her out of her misery. Henry would beg to have her sleep in his room every night but avoid duties on diaper changing and spit up. He’d definitely read to her every night and sing to her the way he said you used to sing to him. He’ll be a little dad to her because he’ll be so attached to her that he won’t give us much room to be her moms, but you know what… it’s alright. So long as this is what your happy ending is. So long as it’s what our baby’s happy ending is and so long as it’s Henry’s. This just might be the best mistake I ever made in opening my giant mouth and I’m damn proud to be the one to say I get to see that hyphenated name on a marriage certificate,” the blonde smiled cheesily but it had a deeper meaning to it.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma had remained there with Regina’s head in her lap until she too ended up dozing off. It was a little over half an hour later when her walkie crackled to life and she jerked from sleep, effectively waking Regina in the process. The brunette groaned and Emma apologised, quietly before she picked up the device and answered.

It was a report of another disturbance, this town at the town hall and Emma threw her head back. She had a sneaking suspicion that Cora still went ahead to handle the issues she told her to leave alone.

“Please tell me it’s not who I think it is,” Regina asked groggily and Emma sighed before she nodded.

“I really hope it isn’t, but I’m pretty damn sure it is… how was your nap,”

“Effective, but too short,” the brunette said as she sat up. She stretched much like a cat before she rubbed at her eyes like an infant would.

“Mm.. go back to sleep then. I’ll call Henry’s school and get the bus driver to bring him this way and I’ll go deal with this hiccup and quite possibly throw your mother in a cell for timeout,”

“She has magic,” Regina said off handedly and Emma sighed heavily.

“Well, I’ll cuff her to my leg and block it with blood magic or something,”

“Do you even know how,” Regina asked as she fought back a yawn.

“No, but if she loses an arm in the process I’m sure you can bring it back,”

“I’d like my mother whole, not mutilated. This is not a Hannibal series, or are you channeling Will Graham,”

“I don’t have time for you constantly one upping me with knowledge on past tv shows and whatnot. I have to see why there’s another call of disturbance in the main part of the town,” Emma said before rising.

“Of course. Leave your not so pregnant soon to be wife all alone to deal with her quite possibly insane and senile mother,” Regina pouted and Emma laughed.

“I’m too fucking sleepy to laugh properly at that right now. Just.. do something and I’ll be back soon, I promise,”

“Fine, but it seems you may need to cancel that reservation-,”

“-Uh no. Not a chance in hell. We’re going to have a normal night as a family because the following months will be anything but.. I gotta go. I’ll call you- Love you,” Emma slipped before she froze and fixed her mouth in so many different ways she lost count. ” I-,” she said and stopped shortly. She had taken in a hitched breath on that one. Regina stood and slowly closed the distance between them before she looked at the blonde, studying her mannerisms and her attitude. Regina’s head tilted before she smirked just slightly. She leaned in and placed a chaste kiss to Emma’s cheek after tiptoeing to reach the woman.

“Go, sheriff. We’ll talk about it later,” Regina said before she turned and sat back in the couch and put her feet up. Regina picked up the remote and switched the channel. She paused when she realized that Emma did move and looked at her strangely. “ Something the matter?”

“Uh- no- no.. just.. nothing. I gotta go,” Emma said again and Regina nodded. the blonde quickly made her way over, kissed Regina’s head and hauled ass out the door.

 

_Good going, Swan, what the hell was that all about?_

“ I swear to God if some weird mojo or juju is on me I’m going to kill myself for my idiocy.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The sound of the cruiser’s police signal blared through the streets of St. B as Emma pulled into a parking spot and hopped out. She ran inside the town hall and stopped at the door at the absolute chaos before her.

 

Somehow there were angry geese running around and trying to peck at people. She was pretty sure that Robin was swinging from a chandelier.. or just a really old light fixture and screaming about his love for shiny things. Mister Crafter was screaming and pointing at his butt. Ruby had an annoyed and disturbed look on her face. Granny was killing herself with laughter over in the corner and Cora had a few people strung up like pigs. Whoever else was there was too busy running away from those damn birds.

“CORA,” Emma yelled over the noise and Cora spun around like a child who’d just gotten caught.

“I can explain,” she threw her hands up which in turn dropped all the people to the ground. The crunch and thud of bodies hitting hardwood did not go unnoticed as they all groaned in pain. Cora had a hard time biting back the laughter of watching them fall, but a glare from Emma quickly put that in place.

“Fix it,” Emma reprimanded.

“Bu-bu-,”

“-I said. Fix. It,” she scolded and Cora scowled.

“Fine. Now I see why you and Regina have night rod. You fuck like salty old women. Not there Mavis you old bag of dust- I said put the bengay on after I soak in my epsoms, did you turn your hearing aid off or have you completely lost all sense of brain matter.” Cora blurted and Emma turned red with embarrassment. Cora snapped her fingers and the geese were gone, the people were without pain, but Mister Crafter still was screaming and pointing at his butt and Robin had managed to swing to the curtains and wrap his legs around them.

“So soffffffft,” the man declared from high up.

“Fucking Tarzan shit! FOREST MONKEY, CUT IT OUT!” Cora yelled before waved him off. Emma sighed.

“ Cora, I thought I told you to fix it,”

“I did, but that. I ain’t fixing that. That bald fucker deserves it,”

“It’s not just him. Robin’s.. up in the air,” Emma said as she tried not to be literal but there was no way around it.

“Nature’s number two can stay there. He’s a pain in the ass and he’s a little bit more than special. He’s just plain stupid- like blonde hair, blue eyed, stupid,”

“Why are you generalizing?”

“Because your fucking society did that shit. Your society racial profiles and body shames and all that extra shit, but when I do it, a little old lady like me, I’m being rude or inappropriate-,”

“-Okay, fuck, MLK, will you stop?”

“No, because all he does is sit there and go d’ohhh. Shouldn’t he have some form of common sense by now to realize that if you’re proposing something you need to have at least one valid reason as to why your suggestion should be given a vote?”

“Regina usually dealt with that for him,”

“She’s not supposed to. She’s too lenient,”

“She’s the mayor,”

“Exactly, she’s the mayor. Not a lawyer and not a suggestion box that you pick cards from. She’s not a poll centre or a call centre, Emma. Regina is in power, she should not have to create points and reasons for another person when that’s the entire point of the meetings. That is not her job to do ninety percent of all the work and they reap the benefits because they depend on her so much but when things go wrong they’re quick to blame her. So no. I’m not about to fix it. I want this asshole to bond with his asshole,” she snickered as she glared at Crafter.

“See, this is why I’m suing you n-OWWWW!” he shrieked and Emma’s face pinched.

“What the hell did you do to him,”

“Would you really like to know,” Cora questioned with a raised brow. “ because we’ll find out in about six to eight hours. Four if you take a laxative,” she shrugged and Emma groaned.

“Cora, please tell me it’s not an animal in Mister Crafter’s you know what,” Emma motioned and Cora laughed.

“Far from it. Think more along the lines of.. renovation and suburbia- and HELL!”

“You did not,” Emma gasped.

“I watched ONE MAN ONE JAHAHARRRRRR!” she wailed. “ So. Much. Jar. So. Tiny. Butthole,” she shivered before she caught herself. “But,” she said sternly as she grinned. “This,” she pointed, “ Is,” she emphasised. “ A beautifully scaled down version of his precious office and construction site,” Cora smirked. “ Doesn’t feel so good getting fucked without consent now does it, Low Nuts,” Cora laughed.

“You literally shoved a project up his ass,” Emma blurted.

“Correction. I scaled it down and magicked it up his ass, huge difference, Dear,”

“Sheriff, please, you have to get this thing out of me,” he begged.

“I actually can’t,”

“Wh- Whyyy N-OOOT!”

“Well, because I do not want to be anywhere near you when that stuff comes out like shrapnel.. or diarrhea. And Cora’s the only one who can reverse it considering she probably put it in a specific place to begin with,”

“I’d rather die than ask her for help,” he spat.

“Funny because that’s just what I was hoping to hear. You just might if you can’t figure out what’s coming out first, the nails or the drill or the saw or the wood. Blow torch, Steel beams. Cement. Shovels and Axes and hoes- oh my!”

“Alright! Alright, fine I’ll beg, I will grovel. JUST. GET IT OUT!”

“Drop the suit and I’ll reverse it,” Cora commanded and he caved quickly.

“Fine, yes, the suit is null and void. I take back the suit,”

“And you will make a formal apology to my daughter for attempting to sue her as well when she had no involvement,”

“Yes -YES! Just please get this out of me,”

“I’m not done yet,” she said and he groaned. “ You will do another tour of that sorry excuse of a working environment you call a business for those children in my Grandson’s class and offer free courses to anyone en route to being a better contractor than you ever were.. agreed?”

Crafter ground his teeth and Cora coughed. “ I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

“I said.. ,” he sighed. “ okay,” he deflated and she smirked in triumph. Cora smiled and snapped her fingers.

“There,” she said. “ Everything’s been replaced and restored and your policies have been changed and signed- _by me_. So do not believe you can undo that contract to give those people better hours, better working conditions and better pay because I will find out and I will shove your precious little ideas so far back up your ass you’ll rattle like a compass attracted to a magnet,”

“Easy, momma bear,” Emma said as she shuffled Cora away from the chaos. “ I can’t believe you did all of that,”

“I didn’t do any of that but put Nature’s number two up on an old, rusty, Curtain hook and magic Low Nut’s belongings up his next mouth. The rest of them I was trying to save because Jefferson just went ape shit and set those fucking white demons full of feathers loose on the entire room. I knew Regina made a bad call when she made Whale the Doctor to assess mental patients. The man’s practically a fucking Looney Toon himself. That poor child . Poor Henry.. If he marries her, his father in law’s a real nut,”

“Just.. come on,” Emma said, confused before she led Cora out of the Town hall, glancing back at the people who seemed to be trying to find some sense of normalcy in it all.

“One day,” Emma muttered. “ One, fucking day.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hey, mom. How was work, today?” Henry asked as he placed his bag down in the foyer of his grandmother’s home. Regina smiled as she looked over the couch and responded.

“It was.. eventful but then I came here, fell asleep and when I woke up, your mother had to go deal with a disturbance in Town Hall,”

“Did Nana do something wrong,” he asked.

“No, surprisingly she didn’t.. well, not really,” Emma said as she shut the door and watched Cora float through and into the living room before she sat.

“What do you mean, not really,”

“Well.. Jefferson lost his nut.. Like the last one he probably had, and released a buttload of geese on the meeting,”

“How in Hades’ name did he get a hold of geese to begin with,”

“Whale’s twisted ass,” Cora said.

“Hey, we don’t know if it was him.. Hell, it could have been Archie for all we know. You know he’s unconventional,”

“Yes because the cricket would suggest violence,” Cora shot back and Emma looked at her as if to say ‘really?’

“Anyway,” the blonde said. “ I get there and Robin’s swinging from an old, rusted, curtain hook, Your mom’s got people hangin' like pigs, Granny’s laughing, Ruby’s disgusted and Crafter was screaming about ass pain,”

“In which part of this equation was my mother involved?”

“Well, she admitted she shot Robin up to the roof, but she was trying to save the other people from being geese snacks and she was just torturing Crafter,”

‘Torturing him how,” Henry asked and Emma gulped. Cora just pretended she wasn’t there, losing herself in tv and Regina looked at her mother’s unbothered frame.

“Try scaled down models of his two favourite things.. up.. his Hades,”

“His.. Hades?” the young boy tilted his head.

“She means that little pinched mouth behind his low nuts,” Cora corrected and Henry caught on before his eyes blew wide open.

“Just stop,” Regina said. “ That’s enough. I do not even want to know how that idea came about. That is it. No more. Henry, no more questions. I’m sorry sweetheart but this is not a story a young man like you should be hearing,” Regina shook her head.

“Then I guess you don’t want to know that he dropped the suit on both of you-,”

“-No, he dropped the suit on Regina,” Cora corrected. “ I made him drop the suit on Regina. She wasn’t involved.. and he’ll be apologising to you, publicly, whichever day you choose and Crafter has also agreed to a free tour of that place, once again and last but not least, I've improved his policy, so now, those who work for him are actually treated like humans and not malnourished cattle,” Cora ended and Emma looked over her with a unbelievable smile on her face. “ You’re too long winded,” she commented and Emma laughed.

“Mother.. why would you.. why would you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Fix it.. or at last, most of it,”

“Because I destroyed it to begin with,” Cora said simply.

“But you didn’t have to fix that. You were right, he deserved everything he got.. minus the Hades hole,”

“He did, but those children never finished their field trip although I don’t see why they won’t just let you graze with cattle.. you were not involved in the discord and he has no right treating people that way. How am I supposed to be reformed and redeemed if I let something like that slip past my eyes and deafen themselves in my ears?”

“Yeah, Ole Cora here’s a softie,” Emma grinned.

“Don’t tempt my badness Swan, it’s still in there somewhere,”

“Ha,” Emma snorted. “ I doubt it. You’d probably conjure a handful of flowers or a stuffed teddy bear instead of a fireball,”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cora turned her head.

“Oh my God,”

“Shut up,”

“Oh. My. God,”

“Shut. Up,”

“OH MY GOD!”

“SHUT UP!”

“ahahaa, you can’t fireball me if you tried.  You’re just made of rainbows and unicorn poop, now. You’re like a gay pride parade had sex with a build a bear workshop and flower shop all in one go and just gave birth to your magic,”

“Swan, shut it,”

“Emma, stop,”

“Ma, shhh,”

“Oh, come on. She can’t actually hurt me,”

“Do you want me to shove that lovely yellow beetle of yours up _your_ Hades hole?” Emma gulped.

“No thank you,”

“Good.. now, what’s the plan for the evening?”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma extended the reservation seating to one more person.. well, three. She felt guilty about taking Cora and not also extending the olive branch to her own lineage. The four arrived early to the restaurant that Emma had chosen. One which would conveniently allow Cora a broader range of foods to eat as well. Cora ordered herself some wine, but Regina turned it down and so did Emma.

“Hey, if you have to give it up. I’ll have to, with you. Can’t have you suffering alone right?” she asked and Regina smiled at her before leaning over and kissing her cheek. She took hold of Emma’ hand and smiled brighter.

“Thank you, Emma,”

“God, you have no idea how good it feels to hear you call me by my first name, again,”

“You’ve been trying to prove to me with consistency that you’re in this for the long haul and here to fix problems, not create more. That, I can appreciate. That, I can respect,”

“Well, thank you,” she smiled before kissing Regina’s cheek, and then her parents arrive, Snow was seemingly a bit more.. relaxed and David was more than laid back.

“Hey mom, dad,” she smiled and they exchanged pleasantries. " So how's Neal?"

"He's good He's with Ruby tonight. Still trying to talk, but he's fine otherwise," David said the conversations were a go.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Throughout the dinner, Emma and Regina found it to be more than bearable. It was lively, especially after they found out Snow was all drugged up. She’d apparently gotten a tooth pulled that same day and could only have room temperature water and nothing else, so she sat there all high off novocaine and pouting at everyone else eating but singing professions of love to everyone that they knew were true because intoxication leads to honesty. Cora relaxed more and ordered herself the roast beef with  a small serving of shepherd’s pie, David ordering the same. Regina ordered a salad with some chicken and Emma ordered spaghetti. Henry went for the traditional grease meal of burger and fries.

 

They all ate and conversed and made plans for the upcoming celebration of Miner’s day. Cora suggested they not do a fair this year, but do a shut in at the Town hall, considering it was large enough. They all gave ideas and suggestions on the new Miner’s day celebration they wanted to have and came to a consensus.. non inclusive of a loopy Snow.

 

The group ordered dessert. Everyone, except Snow, agreed to try the chocolate lava cake with a caramel drizzle and strawberry compote.

“Okay, I have never felt this in love before. I’m sorry, Gi, but I may have to leave you for the cake,” Emma admitted and Regina swatted her arm.

“I hope you know once you’ve taken your last bite, the cake would have left you,” Regina shot back and Emma made a thinking face for a moment.

“Okay, no I take that back. You can stay, but you have to make this for dinner sometimes,”

“Yeah, mom, it could be like a Saturday or Sunday night treat every few months and Nana and Grams and Gramps can come over and we can do this again,” Henry suggested and Regina just smiled at the way he lit up.

“He’s right,” David grinned his usual charming smile. “ That would be a really nice thing to do. I could get used to that.. I’d love to get used to that and soon enough, I’ll have a grand to teach swordfighting-,”

“- Uh, no. You will be absolutely no where near my child-,”

“- _our,_ ” Emma grinned and Regina rolled her eyes.

“Coming out of me. I get first claim. “ As I was saying. Until the baby is no longer a baby, can form sentences, walk, is potty trained and strong enough to hold a sword, you, Shepherd, come nowhere near them,” Regina smiled before she flicked some water at David who took it in stride and wiped it from his face.

“Alright. Fine, I give,” he held his hands up in yield. “ What about dragon slaying-,”

“-DAD!” Emma laughed.

“Fine,” he pouted.

“I see where the ‘charm’ comes from,” Regina teased and they all shared a laugh.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

By the time dinner was nearing its end, the waitress and waiter came over to take the last of their things and put them away before the waitress returned with the bill. Everyone was trying to pull out and pay but Cora waved them off.

“I’ve got it. I think I’ll start the ‘who’s paying the tab’ game by being the first to take this one. We’ll all take turns in paying it at some point. Seem fair?” The people nodded and Cora placed her card in it before handing it to the waitress whose hand lingered a little too long for innocence for Regina’s liking.

“Mother.. a word,” Regina said and Cora followed.

“Please tell me you’re not playing bang the jailbait with that waitress?”

“I’m doing what now,” Cora asked lazily. “ Banging who and which one?”

“Oh, I don’t know, the one you gave the bill to,” Regina spun her mother around and pointed to the petite frame of an auburn haired girl with rounded hips and a rather normal sized chest. She had a few freckles and extremely straight teeth, cute little nose and hazel eyes.

“Oh, shit. She was flirting with me?”

“You mean, you _didn’t_ know?”

“Dear, I’m about as blind to the mechanics of wooing in this world as I am to seeing my vag past its flaps,”

“Oh sweet Jesus, mother, not another visual,”

“Oh hush. You stretched it halfway when you came out. Your father finished me off. I’m surprised it doesn’t clap when I walk or sheds tears at plays,”

“I swear to God you have got to be on something other than a renewed heart. Is it too pure for you that you forget the vanilla and just swirl everything into one? Mother, what colour are you,”

“I’m a bit of everything.. well, since I have had a bit of everything. Sometimes twice,”

“Stop it,” Regina groaned.

“You shouldn’t have asked,”

“Whatever, mother.. yes, she was.. in her own way, flirting with you,”

“But what would she want with an old sand bag like me?”

“A sugar momma,”

“Regina.. you’re terrible,”

“What have I done now,”

“You’re supposed to tell me I’m not a sandbag,”

“But I’d be lying,”

“THAT’S THE POINT!”

“Oh will you quiet down!” Regina hissed a whisper.

“I will not!” Cora hissed loudly and Regina smirked at her triumph. Cora caught on and glared. “ I hate you sometimes,”

“It’s all the same here as well, mother,” Regina said back before they laughed together.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

With dinner a big success, everyone departed and went their respectable ways. The trio retired to their own home and Henry immediately went up to bed and crashed before he could fully get out his clothes. His mothers found him dangling off the bed and helped change him into his clothes and tuck him in before shutting his lights off and closing his door.

“I’m pretty positive he’s got homework he didn’t get to do because of tonight,” Emma said as she was now feeling guilty about her plans.

“He’ll be fine. One night of missed homework won’t kill him or his grades, besides. He was with his family tonight. The one normal night you asked for.”

“Almost.. My drugged up mom isn’t exactly normal,”

“It was either that or another interrogation,” Regina shrugged as she and Emma headed into the kitchen and sat at the island for a bit and talked about random things.

“Sooo, about the I love you thing-,”

“-Emma, it’s fine,”

“Is it, though, because I know we don’t love each other in that way and we don’t love each other in any other way that isn’t platonic, but is it really okay to let my slip of the mouth pass?”

“Yes, because it was a slip of the mouth. Emma, there’s no point in beating yourself up over words I’ll more than likely hear frequently once we do manage to become true loves. I wasn’t offended by it. I was actually rather impressed and flattered,”

“You were,” Emma asked with confusion.

“I was.. It’s claim and it felt like it was real, even if you were unaware of the reason you said it,”

“And you’re sure it’s okay,”

“Yes,” Regina nodded with a smile. “ Positive.. now can we please head upstairs? I am exhausted and my feet need to soak,”

“I can give you a massage if you want,” Emma offered.

“I can’t ask you to do that,”

“You’re not. I’m offering. It’s a simple yes or no,” Emma grinned. Regina thought hard for a moment before she finally conceded.

“Okay. Fine, but don’t let me find out you have some form of foot fetish,”

“Trust me when I say, I do not.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After the women head upstairs and Emma takes a shower, Regina takes herself a shower and then soaks her feet before she climbs into bed and lies down. She had settled for one of Emma’s old giant t-shirts and a pair of leggings as Emma settled for pj boxers and a tank top. Emma waits for her to be comfortable enough before propping Regina’s feet up and beginning the massage, pressing into the soft flesh of caramel skin. Regina hummed in content as Emma worked out the stinging pain of the day.

“This, feels..,”she bit back a yawn only somewhat. “ a-mazing,”

“Good to hear I have a satisfied customer,”

“Mhmm, very,” the woman moaned lightly and Emma continued.

“ So, I have a question,”

“what about,” Regina asked sleepily.

“True loves.. Are we supposed to meticulously plan it out or just let it happen naturally?” Regina was silent for a moment and Emma thought she’d fallen asleep.

“In our case, that’s complicated because we have a time frame, however, True Love can’t be forced. It’s its own form of meticulous,”

“So, we wait. We work towards it, but we wait,”

“mm, exactly,” the woman mumbled.

 

Emma nodded and continued the massage, talking to a very sleepy Regina in and out and in and out until she was done, shut out both their lights and settled them under the covers.

“I got the stars tonight,” Emma said happily. She’d already seen the night sky and her mind drifted freely and easily as she conjured up their ceiling sky. Emma smiled and Regina gave a sleepy chuckle.

“Such a child,” the woman managed to tease and the blonde laughed lightly.

“Yeah. I’ll agree with you there,” Emma said and Regina yawned.

“Oh.. no. seems I’ve lost.. my.. edge,” she groggily spoke and Emma smirked.

“Regina.. just got to sleep. I’ll still be here in the morning. I promise,”

“Promise,” she asked and Emma nodded.

“Promise,” Emma repeated and the woman gave a weak nod. Slowly Regina drifted and Emma watched the rise and fall of her chest until she heard the smallest of snores escape Regina. _Wow, she really must be tired._

 

Emma slowly slipped from the bed and went over to her leather jacket and pulled out the ring box. She quickly took the ring from its holder and made her way over to Regina’s side. Emma knelt down like she’d done nights before. She kisses Regina’s forehead, directly where her ribcage curves, directly below, the left side and then the right.

 

“Hey, Egg. Day five. How are you feeling? I know I’m feeling extremely exhausted after such a crazy day. Once again, your grandparents are insane, but I love them, they love us and they love you. Hell. I’m positive everyone will love you and want to steal you from your mom and me. I think it’s because they know we’re going to make the most gorgeous little girl in the world and they just want to bear witness to it. And yes I’ve taken to calling you our daughter because me and your mom are convinced that if and when we do have you, you’re going to be a girl. So if you’re a boy, tough luck, bud… anyway, me and your mommy had an argument today and it was both of our faults and we were both being hysterical and shallow and rude about things, but I want you to know something really important, Egg. Your mother is the most strongest, and most beautiful, bad ass I’ve ever had the pleasure of being threatened by,” Emma laughed. “ I’m serious though. She’s redeemed and refined and reformed and she is just so breathtakingly attractive and well spoken and educated that I feel so dumbfounded when I think of how lucky I am to be able to imagine seeing her walk down that aisle to come to me.. to marry me.. Egg, you have no idea how blessed I feel to even be in her good graces. To have her trust me and believe me and believe in me. You have no idea how much I wish that I could just show her what she’s given me and what she’s done for me. Egg, your mommy, this woman right here, she is everyone’s happy ending and she can be anyone’s happy ending, but I’m going to make this one all hers…. I have the ring.. she never lost it. I took it off to take it into a friend today. I wanted him to look at something on it for me and give me a few estimates. She never lost it and I got it back for her because it’s her safety. He was her safety.. Daniel is her safety and I hope I can be that for her as well, but as of right now. Her heart only has room for one.. and that’s him… so I’ll talk to my little Egg tomorrow because-,” she yawned and then laughed lightly. “- that’s why. I’ll put this back on her finger and she’ll wake up, and she’ll have safety again. You think that’ll work, Egg? I think it will, but I’ll talk to you later. I love you, Egg,” she said before she rolled Regina’s tee back down and reached for slender fingers. She slid the ring back onto Regina’s finger and smiled.

“One day,” she whispered before she climbed into bed and under the covers and pulled it up over herself. Emma slowly drifted to dreamland, the stars on the night sky, fading with each ounce of sleep taking over.

 

 _One day_.

 

“One day,” Regina whispered with a smile as she wrapped herself around the blonde and fully succumbed to sleep.


	7. A somewhat truce. A fight. Six kisses

Tuesday

 

It was a beautiful mist of orange, pink and a sifted tinge of yellow in the sky on this very quiet Tuesday morning. As usual, it was 5:59 am, however, Regina did not move, considering she finally got rid of the alarm clock. Her eyes fluttered and focused on the door of the bedroom that was still closed and a lazy smile formed on her face. _No curses, no magical idiots, no worries._

The brunette stretched a little bit, a small baby dinosaur noise escaping her lips as she felt more than comfortable in her very large bed, blankets swallowing her tiny frame. She wiggled where she lay, burrowing herself into them even more until she stretched out an arm to turn over and found that something was missing.The bed felt cold where she lay her hand and she shot up, quickly looking over to the vacant spot on the bed. Regina’s face fell. _She left._ She was sad- but then it slowly morphed, once again, into anger.

“She _left_ .” Regina growled angrily as she yanked the blankets from herself and got up and out of the bed. She stomped towards the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. Scoffing at the ‘weak’ image before her, the brunette raged quietly. _I should have known she would leave me! Everyone always leaves me! Everyone always has a plan to ruin everything I’ve ever worked so hard to keep! Her promises mean nothing- NOTHING! NO-_

“Hey.. you’re awake,” she heard the voice float into the bathroom, softly, as the body leaned up against the frame of the bathroom door and regarded her with a smile. Regina spun quickly, natural curls swinging with the motion of her head. Her face fell into question - almost, as she looked at the blonde who was smiling at her with a knowing look. “ I could hear you stomping from downstairs and had a feeling you thought I left.. Again,” the blonde said before pushing off the post and making her way over to the woman.

“Im-,” Regina began as she personally scolded herself for what she’d just managed to let control her mind, but Emma cut her off.

“-no need,” Emma whispered as she put her hands on Regina’s shoulders. “Just come downstairs after you shower, okay,” the blonde motioned towards the room door and Regina nodded. “Still here. All real, all me. I promised you, didn’t I?” Regina nodded, mutely.  Emma turned. “Good,” she winked before she began to walk towards the door.

“Emma- wait,” Regina said suddenly and the blonde turned back, eyes widening in question.

“Hmm?” She regarded the brunette and Regina’s head dropped, fingers fiddling with one another, teeth worrying her bottom lip and eyes shifting left and right.

“m-sorry,”she muttered, sadly.

“Sorry, what?” The blonde scrunched up her face. Regina breathed in deeply before she looked up at Emma and slowly walked towards her.

“I’m..sorry,” she managed. “ I’m sorry I just.. Can’t get over this- over this fear that you will leave me- that you will leave me to suffer. I’m sorry that I can’t just trust you the way you want and need me to. Emma I-,” she stopped short. “- I’m sorry that all I manage to do is make you feel like you have to step on eggshells with me just because I don’t know how to trust someone who says they won’t hurt me-,”

“-but, that’s because everyone has managed to hurt you in some way.. I’m amongst one of those people who’s hurt you the most without even being related to you,” Emma argued as she tried to explain in a roundabout way that she could see why Regina was hesitant. She would be the exact same way, and that- she could admit. Regina shook her head.

“I shouldn’t do that with you.. I shouldn’t do that _to_ you, when you’ve done nothing but make up for all your past mistakes and I continue to hold on to them like rafts,”

“But we all need something to hold on to every now and then, don’t we,” Emma asked and Regina nodded.

“We do… but not that way.. Not this way,” she said strongly. “ I should be holding on to the positive things, not the negative,”

“Sometimes it’s the negative mistakes that one imposes on us that protects us from the ‘justified’ and ‘justifiable’ positives people impose,” Emma spoke in such a profound manner, Regina found herself looking up at the woman in awe.

“I don’t want your negatives to protect me.. I don’t need them to protect me,” Regina combatted.

“So,” Emma began as she stepped closer to Regina. “ What _do_ you need, Regina?” She looked at the woman before her, so small in comparison to her height and size. Emma observed Regina’s frame. Her natural curls were tousled, messily and her usual dark brown orbs, were lighter. She internally smiled at the little baby freckles on Regina’s face. One directly near her ear, another near her eye and another right on her nose.

There was stalk silence for a moment on Regina’s part as her head dropped slowly, eyes meeting the ground, until she whispered, almost too lightly-

“ _You._ ” Emma swallowed, but didn’t count on Regina continuing, or repeating it for that matter. “What I need, Emma… is you,” the brunette said once again as her eyes flashed to look into green ones.. “ I don’t want or need your negatives because- because... I need your positives, not the justified ones.. Just your positives. Every promise of positivity you ever gave me is what I want.. It’s what I need. Emma.. I need your promise- I need you.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Now Emma was the one silent at the admission. Her mouth fell open, slightly, as she blinked insanely slow. Regina looked down once more, ready for the rejection to come.

“Okay,” the blonde managed just as lightly, it was practically mute. She swallowed. “Okay,” she repeated. “ My positives,” she repeated and Regina nodded but her eyes remained low. “ I give you my promise just as I give you myself, and I ask nothing in return but your trust to take a chance on anything I may suggest, or offer.. Or even give it thought,” Emma offered as she held out her hand. She flipped it open, palm facing Regina’s lowered eyes. “ If you take my hand, you take freedom,” Emma recited.  “If you take my hand, you take my positivity, my light- my hope- my belief,” she smiled as she shook her own head. “ If you take my hand,” she breathed in and out deeply before she placed her fingers beneath Regina’s chin and brought the woman’s sight up to meet hers. “Regina, if you take my hand.. If you take my hand, you take my strength, my peace, my happiness and my soul… Take my hand and you take my love… you take-,” Emma swallowed thickly, her lashes wet from the admission coming from her as she realized she meant every single word in her promises- in her offerings, in her agreements. The blonde realized that there was never another she offered to give so much of herself for and all of, so quickly, whether it be because she was the one who messed it up or otherwise. “ Regina.. Take my hand and you take, my love.. Regina- you take, _me_ ,” she sputtered the second she said it and found herself swallowing shallow breaths of air, shaking and clenching her eyes shut. Emma felt she may pass out, that was until she felt soft and small fingers slip through hers and her eyes snapped wide open. They were glossed over with unshed tears of truth as she looked up into red-rimmed, brown orbs of safety. They darkened with every passing second, the emotion filling them as time around them, moved. It was a silent response, but it was a yes. It was a resounding yes.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma looked down at the joined hands and back up into Regina’s eyes.

“You take my love- you take me, Emma Swan,” Regina said back between cracked breaths and Emma nodded before she pulled her in and laughed, wetly.

“I think we just ruined our future wedding vows,” the blonde joked and Regina laughed just as wetly as the blonde. Regina sniffled.

“Well, at least we know it was all real, and movie worthy,” Regina joked back and Emma laughed as she hugged the woman tighter.

“I’m serious about what I said,” Emma managed after the laughter subsided and she and Regina just settled into the hug.

“I know,” the brunette whispered back to her and Emma sighed, happily.

“Good,” she sniffled once more before she pulled away and looked Regina in the eyes. What she saw before her, was a smile. It wasn’t just any form of smile either. It was a smile that turned the tides. It was a smile that truly opened the doors to the words ‘try’ and ‘trust’. Emma and Regina released one another and Emma smirked at the brunette. She tapped her on the nose and watched as Regina scrunched up her face and shook her head, a pinched smile was forming.

“What did you do that for,” she asked as she continued to avoid Emma’s intruding finger.

“You look like a toddler who climbed into her dad’s clothes,” the blonde responded as she pointed to the giant t-shirt Regina was wearing. Regina tilted her head and slightly scowled at her.

“It’s yours.. and it’s… comfortable,” she admitted.

“It is,” Emma agreed as she stopped. She sighed.

“What was that for?” Regina asked once again as she looked at the blonde who just seemed.. out of it.

“Hmm?” Emma asked in a distracted tone.

“I asked-,” Regina began before taking the blonde by the hand and forcing her to sit on the bed “-what was that for?”

“What was what for?”

“The heavily done, sigh,”

“Nothing.. Guess I’m just tired or something,” Emma shrugged. Regina tilted her head in observation and found that it truly did seem to be nothing. The brunette nodded and let it be.

“So, what am I putting into your hole of a stomach this morning?” Regina jokingly asked and saw Emma flash a small smile.

“Nothing.. I’m not hungry,” Emma shrugged.

“Really?” Regina asked, very surprised. Emma rolled her eyes as she laughed.

“Yes, really. I’m not always hungry, you know,” she responded and saw the look from Regina that made her laugh even more. “ Okay- okay. You’re right. I always am hungry, just not right now,” she shrugged.

“Okay,” Regina conceded.

“Okay?... It’s that easy?”

“What’s that easy?”

“I just agree with you and that’s that. You smile and shrug it off?”

“Well, yes. You’ve explained and the answer is sufficient enough,” Regina eyed her weirdly, confused by Emma’s confusion.

“You’re not going to try and convince me to tell you something else because you ‘know’ there is something else?”

“Is there something else?” The brunette questioned and Emma faltered.

“Well-no, but-,”

“-then I’ve no reason to pressure you into an answer,” Regina said simply and Emma gaped at her, stupidly. “Close your mouth or you’ll catch flies,” Regina smirked before using her fingers to shut Emma’s mouth. Emma continued to gape at her until Regina did the same exact action to her. “ What?” She asked with curious inquisition.

“I.. don’t.. know,” Emma whispered as she leaned in.

“Well, neither do I,” Regina responded as she too leaned in. The woman rolled her eyes playfully at the blonde and changed the subject. “ So, what’s gotten you up this early in the morning?”

“Huh,” Emma asked distractedly and Regina laughed a little.

“I asked, what has you up this early in the morning,?”

“Oh,” Emma managed as she finally caught wind of what Regina was on about. “ Nothing, actually. I guess I just couldn’t sleep or something. What about you?”

“Internal alarm clock,” Regina answered easily and Emma nodded.

“Well, I was watching the sunrise because it usually helps me calm down, or helps me think about things that could leave me stressed out... I don’t know if you would want to.. You know..” Emma rubbed the back of her head with the usual uneasiness of being shy.

“I’d love to,” Regina smiled and Emma looked over at the brunette with shock on her face.

“Y-you would?” She asked unsure and Regina nodded.

“I would,”

“O-okay,” Emma got out until she swallowed and smiled. “ Okay. But shoes aren’t allowed,”

“Are they ever,” Regina asked and Emma shook her head.

“You’d be surprised as to who watches a sunrise with shoes on,”

“Ahh, I take it you know of the ‘When the sun rises, so does the energy it brings, through the earth. We absorb energy, firstly through our feet’ thing,”

“H-how-,” Emma began only to be waved off.

“Yoga. I used to do it with the morning sunrise.. That was until.. Well, nevermind. We can watch the rest of the sunrise- after I brush my teeth,” Regina said and Emma smirked.

“Your breath is fine,”

“Yes, fine in your books, gross in mine,” the brunette responded before she stood and walked into the bathroom. Emma shook her head but followed and stood in the doorway quietly as she watched Regina brush her teeth with ease and precision. After the brunette was done, Emma helped her set the bed and they descended the stairs, together.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Henry,” Regina questioned, surprised. “ You’re awake,” she concluded as she watched the boy’s head turn back to regard her with a smile.

“Morning, mom,” the boy said with enough energy to warrant Regina to wake up fully.

“You’re awake,” she repeated, dumbly and the boy rolled his eyes.

“I can wake up early, you know,” the boy chuckled and both his mothers looked at him as if to say ‘really?’. “ Are you going to just stand there, or are we going to watch the sunrise- well, what’s left of it,” Henry said before he turned his head back, not waiting on an answer. Regina rolled her eyes as Emma smiled and both women sat on either side of their son.

 

They all lost themselves in conversation, not just about life, but about the mysteries of the world, colour contrast in the morning sky being the biggest one. Henry had made mention of the hues melding together so well that even in the sky they didn’t form that usual brown that tended to happen when you mixed so many together.

 

The three people watched the rest of the sunrise, the colours of the morning sky drifting away into the reflected blue sea. The vibrant contrast of colour to white shading of clouds in the sky was enough indication that nearly an hour later, their sunrise would in a good few hours, become a sunset.

“I’m gonna go get ready for school,” the teen announced as he got up quickly and exited. They both laughed when they heard the distinct sound of his heavy footsteps making their way towards the boy’s bedroom.

“That boy and his feet,” Emma commented, looking over at the brunette.

“Yes, stealth is not his forte,” Regina agreed as she turned to see Emma’s glassy green eyes. “beautiful,” she found herself whispering as she dozed in the shading that flashed emerald, specks of blue and brown and a tinge of caramel. Regina’s head continued to tilt in admiration and awe and Emma looked at her, slightly frightened. Regina shifted closer to the blonde and smiled. “They’re not fully green,” she commented and Emma’s mouth fell open slightly.

_No one’s ever noticed that- not even Neal._

“W-what,” Emma sputtered lightly as she saw Regina smile wider.

“Your eyes.. They’re not fully green. They’re not actually green, really,” the brunette commented as she looked even closer. Emma swallowed as Regina continued. “ Around your pupils.. When they dilate, the brown around them become darker, like caramel.. and you don’t have a regular baby blue.. You have-,” the woman tilted her head in pause “-powder blue, in a faded green. Flecks of black that look brown.. Kaleidoscope,” Regina breathed in lightly as she leaned back in awe. She sighed, happily before she stood and exited, leaving Emma gaping and sputtering to herself.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina walked up the stairs and towards the master bedroom. She sifted through the closet for something to wear that day and settled on her electric blue body conforming dress, sheer stockings and four inch heels. She laid them out on the bed and tilted her head as she assessed them. She really wasn’t feeling the heels today, but sadly, nearly everything she wore, casual or not, seemed to only go with heels. Regina rolled her eyes at herself on that one. _Idiot_. She sighed and shrugged before grabbing herself the fluffy towel she usually kept on the hook, but stopped when she realized it wasn’t there.

“Odd,” she commented to herself quietly. The woman exited and headed towards the linen closet where she pulled out a new towel and headed back into the room. Regina walked into her bathroom and turned on the tap before she pulled the knob up and heard the shift from running water, to showerhead. She slowly stripped and tossed her clothes where the basket would usually be, however, that wasn’t there either.

“What the-,” she began before she stopped herself and rolled her eyes. The brunette peeked through the curtain and concluded her bath towel was also missing. She wrapped the new towel around herself and went back to the linen closet and retrieved another bath towel before she went back into the bathroom and stepped into her shower. It wasn’t a long one, but it wasn’t short either and throughout it, she found herself humming, happily. She didn’t bother to figure out why nor did she care to find out why, and after, the woman went through her usual routine of getting dressed.

 

There was a knock at the door and Regina regarded whoever it was.

“Hey, mom, you ready?” She heard her son ask as he made his way into the room. Regina turned and smiled.

“I am, what’s the rush,”

“Ma,” he said simply. “She wanted to take us out for breakfast because we spent so much time watching the sunrise, she wanted to make sure we all ate before I went in for school and you guys went in for work,”

“Ahhhh, how sweet of her,” the brunette commented as she climbed into her heels and pulled her jacket off of the hanger.

“Yeah.. Hey, mom,”

“Yes, sweetheart,”

“You look really nice today,” the boy smiled at his mother before he walked over and hugged her tightly. Regina returned the hug as she whispered.

“You look handsome as well, my little prince.” They pulled out of their hug and Regina brushed his head back and kissed his head before she flattened out the nonexistent wrinkles in his shirt. “Someone’s gotten better at ironing,” she praised and the boy blushed.

“I had to.. You stopped ironing for me,” he said.

“Yes and that was because you told me to. Apparently you’re too old to have your mother iron for you.. Maybe I should stop cooking for you as well,” Regina threatened with no real threat behind the words and the boy’s eyes widened.

“Mooooom,” he whined and she laughed.

“I’m kidding,” she conceded as she kissed his head once more. “ But you do need to learn how to cook if you expect to marry Grace,” she sing-songed and he blushed redder.

“I won’t leave home, that’s all. And I’m sure Grace won’t mind eating your cooking. She’s eaten it before,”

“Oh she has, huh,”

“Yup. I shared my lunch with her. She prefers it over a lot of things,”

“Well, tell her I said thank you,” Regina smiled.

“Sure.. but like I said, not leaving home, so just get used to seeing me losing my hair by the time I’m like thirty or something,” the boy joked and his mother looked horrified.

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Regina said in an almost shrill tone and her son laughed.

“Mom, chill. It’s a natural part of life,”

“As if any part of our lives is  a ‘natural’ thing,” Regina mumbled and the boy continued to laugh. Henry shook his head at his mother.

“What are you going to do, concoct some spell for my head so I’m stuck with a full head of hair?” He laughed and her eyes flashed. “ Mom-no. No spells on my head. I’d like to age the right way if you don’t mind,”

“Fine,” his mother pouted. “ But you can’t live home forever. No matter how much I may want you to, your mother would surely reprimand me about that.. Besides, what example are you going to set for your little sist-,” Regina stopped short on the word. Henry looked at her with a smile on his face.

“Mom,” he called and she shook her head.

“No,” Regina looked away, but the boy continued to smile.

“Mom,” Henry said again before he tugged her closer to him and hugged her. “ Please tell me you want a little girl,” the teen begged and she melted into her son’s hug. Regina nodded. “ Mom,” he whispered as a smile formed on his face.  “I want a little sister,” he admitted before she pulled away quickly and looked at Henry with shock. He nodded at her silent question and a watery smile formed on her face.

 

“GUYS!” Emma shouted from the bottom of the staircase, causing mother and son to laugh.

“I think that’s our cue to go,” Henry said as he motioned towards the door.

“It is,” Regina agreed before she turned to retrieve her things. She picked up her glasses and her purse along with her keys and a notepad she usually kept for errands.

“I’ll go get my stuff,” the boy announced and she nodded before she picked up a pen and scribbled something on the notepad before she circled it and smiled.

“GUYS!” She heard Emma shout again and chuckled before descending the stairs.

 

“When did you change,” Regina asked the blonde who was fully dressed in her police uniform. _Police casual_.

“I assume around the time you took a shower.. Didn’t you hear me in the room?” Regina shook her head, no as she walked closer to the blonde and began to fix Emma’s shirt for her. “ Oh. Well, yeah. I’d already showered earlier, so I just got dressed and came back down to deal with some stuff,” Emma shrugged. She stood perfectly still as Regina made work of buttoning her Police shirt and putting the clips on the collar as she also did Emma’s tie and put the clip on that too. She pressed out the existent but not nearly as noticeable, wrinkles in Emma’s shirt. Regina rolled her eyes and Emma smirked.

“What?” The blonde asked.

“Nothing, except for the fact that our son is better at keeping his clothes pressed than you are,” the brunette smiled and Emma continued to smirk.

“Well, if someone would show me how to iron properly, maybe I’d have straighter clothes,”

“Hmmm, or maybe that person should just iron for you,” Regina commented before she froze. She hesitantly finished off Emma’s tie and removed her hands. She cleared her throat and put some distance between them. Emma knew why, but refrained from commenting because that would just push Reigna into a hole. Instead, she changed the subject.

“Henry, you can come from behind the wall now, we’re decent.. Not that we were doing anything anyway,” the blonde mother said and their son emerged with a light blush on his face.

“Sorry, I thought you guys may have wanted some.. Privacy or something,”

“We’re fine, Kid.. so,” Emma clapped her hands.  “Everyone ready to go?” Henry nodded and Regina nodded slowly. “ Okay, Kid, we’ll meet you in the car,” Emma said and Henry nodded before he went outside. Emma walked over to Regina and nudged her. “ Cheer up. I don’t think women that beautiful are supposed to pout the way you do,” she smiled, but Regina seemed to be lost in her own thought. Emma sighed and stood directly in the front of Regina before she lifted the woman’s chin. “ Stop,” she said and Regina blinked before her eyes focused on Emma’s. “ stop,” the blonde repeated in a whisper. “ trust yourself, remember?” She continued to whisper, but the words seemed loud in Regina’s head. Finally the brunette nodded. “ Good, now would you mind going out to the car, I just have one more thing to do and I’ll take us to get something to eat.” Regina nodded again and Emma kissed the side of her head before releasing her and heading upstairs.

 

After Emma did whatever it was she had to do, she grabbed her keys and everything else she needed as smiled as she shut the door and locked it. She shook the house key and smirked at it before closing her palm around it and shoving it into her pocket. Regina and Henry were sat in the car, the teen on his phone, more than likely with Grace and Regina idly fiddling with her rings.

“Okay,” the blonde said as she sat in the driver’s seat. “ Let’s go.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The car ride was somewhat silent as Emma drove the short distance. She and Henry had random conversation until they got to Granny’s and sat at their usual table.

“Hey guys,” Ruby greeted, “ good morning?” she asked as she saw Emma and Henry smiling back at her. They nodded and then her eyes settled on Regina who seemed, content. “ Madame Mayor, are you okay,” she asked and Regina blinked a few times before she too nodded.

“I am, thank you for asking,” the woman responded as she looked up at the waitress and Ruby being Ruby, wasn’t shocked at Regina being nice to her. She wasn’t surprised there wasn’t a cutting remark. Unlike most people in St. B, Ruby and Granny pretty much shrugged everything away and nothing Regina had done or said before would actually change that.

“Okay, well, give us a bit on your orders and we’ll have them out soon,” the woman smiled before she attempted to walk away and that confused Regina.

“We haven’t ordered anything,” she said and Ruby turned back, nearly ready to answer.

“I-,” Emma interrupted as she brought the woman’s attention back to her. “-called ahead. I figured with the amount of time we have, I should,” the blonde said with an uneasy smile and Regina looked back and forth between Emma and Ruby for a moment before she smiled a little.

“Of course,” she conceded. “ My apologies, Miss Lucas,”

“You know, you could just call me Ruby,” the woman offered and Regina nodded.

“Yes, of course. My apologies, Ruby,” she corrected and her mouth nearly twitched at a smile when she saw how much Ruby lightened at the use of her name. _I wonder if they’re all like that._

 

Ruby left the family to their own devices for a bit and the brunette and blonde mothers watched as their son pulled out his homework and attempted to get the rest of it done.

“Sorry about taking away from your homework time, Kid,” Emma apologised but Henry shrugged.

“It’s cool, Ma. I liked the whole family thing we did last night. I just wish we could do it more,”

“We’ll do it more when pigs fly, or your grandmother stops assuming everyone is once again under a spell by me. And If I’m being honest, I’m betting on the pigs,” Regina said.

“But that’ll never happen,” Emma commented and Regina looked over at her.

“Neither is your mother believing everyone is spell free, but I’ve more faith in swine flying than I am in her actually switching beliefs,” the brunette answered and Emma shrugged.

“Fair enough,”

“But, what if she does.. Could we do it again,” the teen queried as he and Emma looked over at Regina. The woman sighed.

“Yes, we can. However, my mother would need to be the one who’s drugged or else we will all leave those dinners very scarred,”

“Agreed,” Emma and Henry both shivered at the thought and Regina couldn’t help but laugh a little. They only talked for a bit longer until Ruby had returned with their meals.

Almost as if it were planned, Regina and Emma both felt queasy at the scent of the food before them.

“Rubes,” Emma managed behind her hand. “Sorry, but-,” she paused to gag. “ -what is that,”

“It’s exactly what you ordered,” she commented as she looked worriedly at both women.

“Moms, are you guys okay?” Their son questioned as he rubbed Regina’s back and looked over to Emma who was busy, shivering. Regina heaved, dryly and turned her head away.

“No, dear, I don’t think we are,” she managed before she heaved again and practically ran from the table and towards the bathroom stalls. Henry tried to get up quickly but Emma waved him back down before she gagged once again and excused herself from the table.

“Ruby, what’s wrong with my moms,” Henry asked as he stared at the plates that sat idly on the table. Ruby slid into the booth and pulled the boy in at her side.

“I don’t know, Hen. I’m not sure what it is, but if it’s making them sick to just smell it.. It’s probably not a good thing,” she said as she sighed.

 

Three plates of food, nearly identical in appearance, soon went cold at the table as Ruby stayed with Henry and tried to keep his worry tamped down. Meanwhile, both his mothers were in the restroom, practically throwing up their meals from yesterday.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina emerged first, her forehead glistening with a light sheen of sweat, throat dry and a limp hand wiping away at the remnants before she stumbled towards the sinks and washed her mouth out. She groaned as she realized her purse was still at the table.

 

Emma wasn’t faring any better. The blonde pretty much hung her face in the bowl and collapsed against the stall wall for a while until she dragged herself out and leaned against the sink.

“Should- I,” Emma stopped as she shoved her face under the now running water. She continued to talk and Regina, for the life of her could not understand a damn thing. Emma shut the tap off as she saw the woman look at her, strangely. “I said, should I even ask what it is that just caused that,” she managed before retrieving paper towels and wiping her face. Regina shook her head.

“I wouldn’t be able to tell you even if you did ask,” she admitted, truthfully and Emma groaned before she washed her mouth out and spat. She stood up with a heaviness in her entire frame.

“I guess breakfast is a no go,” she sighed heavily as she continued to lean over the sink, the hollowness of it, expanding the octave of her voice.

“It would appear that way.. Or maybe something a little less, predictable,” Regina responded as she let her head fall back.

“I need a mint.. Or some gum,” Emma finally commented after a break of silence.

“As do I, but my purse is out in the diner,”

“Ugh, but I don’t think I can stomach the scent of the food.. Or anyone else’s for that matter,” Emma groaned before she fell over the sink once more.

“I can tell,” Regina deadpanned and Emma could barely glare at her.

“Fine,” the blonde huffed. “Let’s go.”

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


“Moms!” Henry said loudly before he ran out of the booth and into both his mothers who hugged him on instinct.

“We’re okay, Kid.. well, we’re trying to be,” Emma commented weakly before the boy pulled out the hug and looked at both of them.

“Do you guys know what’s wrong?”

“No, sweetheart, we don’t,” Regina sighed before she motioned to the table that had been cleared of their meals. They all sat and Regina instinctively pulled out a mint for herself and one for Emma. The blonde mouthed a thank you and they both turned back to talk to their son.

“Your mom and I don’t know what’s wrong, but we’ll try to find out, okay,”

“Okay,” Henry agreed with a nod.

“How’s the homework coming along,” Emma asked as she changed the topic and her son shrugged.

“S’okay, I guess. Just a bit left and then I’m done,” Henry answered noncommittally.

“Sweetheart,” Regina called and the boy’s eyes fluttered over to meet his brunette mother’s.

“Yeah, mom,”

“Are you okay,” she asked and the boy nodded. “Honey, are you sure,” his mother pushed and he nodded again.

“Gi,” Emma said accidently but was surprised that the woman regarded her with questioning eyes. “ Just let him be. He’ll tell us when he wants to, right Kid,” Emma smiled as she turned to Henry who nodded once more but the smile on his face was grateful. Both he and Emma knew that had he voiced his worry, Regina would blame herself and she would end up fretting over it for longer than necessary, at least in their books. Regina sighed and settled into the booth a bit more before she too nodded and let it be. “I think I’ll go call Ruby and ask her to make us a smoothie.. Maybe some bananas and strawberries and flax. It’ll be gentle on your stomach,” Emma said before she rose and walked over to the counter. Mother and son sat in silence as she watched her son complete his homework and pick at the remainder of his cocoa. Emma walked back over with a smile on her face and two matching smoothies before she handed one to Regina and motioned for her to drink it. As Emma suggested, it was gentle on not only on Regina’s stomach but hers as well. It made Regina moan in appreciation, not just because it was refreshing, but because the sensitivity she had earlier, completely dissipated. Emma grinned at the brunette who hadn’t bothered to rectify the sound, she pretty much smiled back at the blonde. Henry observed his mothers with a very relieved look on his face. He knew they would be okay by the way Emma practically gulped it all down and the way Regina’s eyes fluttered like she’d just tasted heaven.

 

“Okay, Kid, we gotta get you to school, so, pack up and meet me out in the car, yeah?”

“Sure, mom. Mom, I’ll see you later,” Henry smiled before he kissed his mother’s cheek and she grinned.

“See you later, little prince,” she cooed as she ruffled his hair and he groaned.

“I’m not _that_ little anymore, mom,” the boy argued and Regina merely made a noise of acknowledgment.

“If you say so,” she teased and Henry scrunched up his face at his mother. Regina moved out of her seat so that Henry could exit the booth and hugged him before he waved over his shoulder at Ruby and Granny. Regina watched as her not so little man exited and found herself wondering,

“Where did my little boy go?”

“He didn’t go anywhere,” Emma whispered.  “he just grew up a little.” Regina spun around to face the blonde, her eyes welled up with glassy bulbs of liquid, ready to fall if Emma did what she truly hoped the blonde wouldn’t do. And just as she hoped Emma wouldn’t do it, the blonde did it. Emma stood and closed the distance between them before she wrapped her arms around Regina and hugged her tightly and closely. Regina broke, instantly. She fell, limply in Emma’s arms and all she heard was the blonde’s cooing words that it’s okay. And truth be told, it was. It truly was okay. She wasn’t sad about it.. Regina was proud of it- of herself- of Emma. She felt Emma lead her back to the booth and sat her down before the blonde sat directly next to her and put an arm around Regina’s shoulder and pulled her in. “ That’s what they do, they grow up, little by little, everyday. And our little prince is going to be his mothers’ not so little, King. So long as you actually let the boy leave home,” she joked and Regina laughed. The brunette sniffled before she commented,

“You must have been a fly on the wall in our conversation this morning,”

“Why would you say that,” Emma asked.

“Because,” Regina sniffled once more before she attempted to sit up a little straighter and Emma removed her arm to give the woman space. The brunette looked down at Emma’s now tear stained shirt and frowned.

“What’s the matter,” the blonde asked and Regina pointed. Emma looked down and shrugged.  “It’s just tears, they’ll dry,” she waved off. “ Now why was I a fly. Couldn’t I be something else, like a ninja or something,” she asked and Regina rolled her eyes but smiled.

“Fine, _ninja_. Henry and I had a conversation about his improved abilities in ironing and I told him that I should probably stop cooking for him and he nearly lost his marbles. I then explained to him that if he expects to marry Grace, he should at least know how to cook and he said that he would pretty much just marry her and never move out and I’d have to watch his receding hairline as he aged,” she managed to get out before Emma lost it giggling and she scowled at her. “ It’s not funny,” she reprimanded but Emma continued to snicker.

“It kinda- it kinda,” Emma stopped to laugh more. “ It kinda is,” she finally managed. “ I mean, he and Grace would literally outlive us and he’d probably still wake up screaming how he can’t smell pancakes and proceed to haul ass into our room and yell about it more,” the blonde painted that picture and Regina smirked. “ But he’d be a pretty lazy big brother, don’t you think,”

“And that’s nearly what I told him. He has to set a good example for his sister,” the brunette got out and Emma stopped laughing.

“You actually told him about the gender of the baby,” she asked and Regina fell mute. She felt she was under observation, close observation at that. Finally she nodded.

“By accident,” she admitted and Emma nodded.

“You didn’t want him to know?” She asked and Regina nodded again. “Why?” Regina shrugged. “Truthfully,” she pushed but the woman shrugged again.

“I honestly don’t know… I guess I just didn’t want him to get his hopes up because.. it’s ..sensitive and it’s something that may never happen,” the brunette spoke and Emma remained silent as she let the words drift in the air.

“I get it, but, he’s our son and what makes you happy- makes him happy,” Emma began and Regina nodded. The blonde sighed. “Regina look, Henry knowing about the gender of the baby we both want is something that not only gives him hope, but gives him his happy ending, and I kind of think the reason he wants a little sister is because he knows deep down, he still wants to be _your_ little prince,” she smiled and watched as Regina’s eyes flashed with something akin to understanding in them. “ Our son, wants a little sister who he can protect and beat up her boyfriends when she starts dating- or be the angry dad with when she plans to sneak out or something. Henry wants a little sister because this entire family has created nothing but little boys- except me, but I have been confused for one a while back,” she joked and watched Regina smile a bit more. “ Henry wants a sister who can finally reap the positivity of what we both didn’t get to have, and that’s the life of a princess,” Emma said as she leaned back into the booth a bit more. She placed her hands behind her head and stared at the ceiling. “I’m pretty positive he knows we’re going to spoil her. Or at least, I’m going to spoil her and you’ll just have her active in whatever you can get her hands in.. or on,” she grinned and Regina smiled wider. It was true. The brunette could see that being a thing that would happen. Emma was such a child in that manner that it wouldn’t surprise her if the blonde completely regressed to that of a toddler with their little girl. _A little girl_ Regina thought to herself. Her heart fluttered at the thought of a little girl just running through the house, her massive curls from both of them just completely covering her face. She could see their little girl having these enormously coloured eyes, a mix from both of them and her skin falling in between theirs. She’d be a gorgeous little girl, Regina concluded as she looked at Emma who was still staring at the ceiling. Suddenly, the blonde’s phone went off. “It’s from our kid,” she concluded as she opened the message.  “He said Jefferson’s taking him and Grace to school,” Emma read as her eyebrow rose and Regina merely let the words hang in the air. “ I’m starting to feel the motherly worry kick in with this kid,” Emma said  as she scratched the back of her head and Regina laughed a bit.

“Why,”

“I don’t know. I guess because I literally just realized he’s growing up and not just growing up, but he’s … Regina he’s practically turning into a miniature version of your mother with the lack of filter and the not so vanilla speak,”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right,” Regina said as her smile fell. “I need to have a conversation with my mother on what it is she tells him because he may end up prying his eyes out in the end before he thinks it wise to repeat anyone’s sexual past… or enable his grandmother’s need for destruction,”

“How is it that with her practically living on the outskirts, she’s still this… wordy,”

“I have absolutely no idea. However, she did explain at some point after she got her heart back that she may say things that seem rather ’un queenly’. I guess that dam finally broke,”

“Looks like it did more than break. I swear it’s as if some perverted old man manifested in her mind and she’s never been able to get it out since,”

“In my mind, mother is a perverted old man.. Or as she called herself, sandbag,” the brunette grimaced and Emma lost it laughing.

“Sandbag! OH MY GOD! that’s funny,”

“You have the humour of a child,” Regina shook her head but Emma continued to laugh and soon, the brunette found herself giggling at the blonde.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After the women recovered from the minute giggle fest that was, they finished off their smoothies and talked like old friends until Regina checked the time and nearly swore.

“Shoot, I’m going to be late to work,” she ground out before she stood quickly and Emma watched the woman worry herself over time.

“Hey-,” the blonde said quickly as she too stood up. “-I can take you to work. You’ll be more than on time,” she offered but Regina shook her head.

“We’re both going to be late. I need to get to work, now, and so do you. I can’t cause you to be late on my account,” Regina dismissed and Emma deflated slightly. “ I’ll see you later,” Regina said as she picked up her coat and purse. She was nearly about to just walk away but turned back quickly and lifted Emma’s chin with ease, to meet her eyes “ I’ll see you at _home_ ,” she corrected before she closed the remainder of the distance between her and Emma and kissed her on the lips, softly, her right hand resting atop the blonde’s shoulder, and the left limply holding onto her items. Emma’s eyes snapped open before they hazily settled and she pulled the brunette into her and wrapped her arms around Regina’s waist, thumbs rubbing lovingly at the woman’s sides. Emma pulled Regina in tighter as she felt something flutter ever so slightly, in her chest. The shock of the flutter made her flinch and blush as Regina pulled back and studied her.

“Are you okay,” she asked with worry etched on her face and the blonde nodded frantically.

“Y-yeah.. Just.. something with my chest-,”

“-your chest.. What’s happened,” Regina asked as she immediately dumped her items and proceeded to place a hand to Emma’s chest. Emma shook her head as she took hold of the brunette’s hand and rubbed her thumb on the back of Regina’s hand.

“It’s not that serious.. It was like a flutter. A little frantic flutter, but I’m fine,” she smiled. “ I’m okay, I promise,” Emma found herself reciting because something in her told her that Regina was definitely worrying. Regina stood there for a moment more before she swallowed and nodded, accepting Emma’s answer.

“Okay,” she whispered and Emma shook her hand.

“I promise, I’m okay,” the blonde pushed before she placed the woman’s hand to her chest. “ Feel,” she commanded as she slipped the rest of Regina’s fingers between the shirt. Emma closed her eyes and Regina’s fingers itched to move for two reasons. It looked wrong in public and the indication of her face turning a bright red just added to that. Then there’s the point of any part of Emma’s chest could actually be hurting, and the blonde could just be putting her hand somewhere where there is no pain for her. Her mind kept swimming as she stood there with her hand firmly inside the blonde’s police shirt and Emma just breathing in and out as if it were normal. Finally Regina had enough of both her rising embarrassment and her lack of evidence.

“Okay,” she managed before Emma’s eyes opened and she let go. Regina’s hands slowly slipped from between the shirt and instinctively went to right the positioning of it. Emma let her, considering at this point it seemed to be the thing the brunette needed to do to calm herself down. After Regina was done, she stepped back and grabbed her items.

“I should be getting to work,” she muttered and Emma nodded, not giving away at anything in the slightest.

“Me too. I’ll come by later with some more reports and then we can go for lunch.. If you want,” Emma offered and Regina nodded.

“That would be lovely,” Regina responded. “Seems that you’re on the ball because you now have to live with your employer,” she joked and Emma smirked.

“Yeah, well, my future wife and my employer have way more in common than I thought. I don’t want her to not walk down the aisle because I missed the November reports or because I misspelled someone’s name or spilled coffee on a contract,”

“She sounds terrible,” Regina mock gasped.

“She’s not so bad, once you get her to cuddle with you on the couch, and watch really weird tv with your son,” Emma shrugged out a smile and Regina smiled back.

“Now she just sounds terribly weak,” Regina commented but Emma shook her head.

“Don’t let that fool you. She’s like a viper when she’s mad,”

“Poisoning her prey and watching them stumble away and die slowly before she rejoices in their downfall and reaps the benefits of her vile harvest,” Regina said nearly condescendingly in reference to herself and Emma stopped smiling right then and there.

“Stop it,” the blonde said and Regina looked confused. “ You’re doing that thing where you self deprecate, wayyyy too much and you’re being really smart about the amount of rudeness towards yourself. So, stop that, because I can hear it,”

“How did you.. know?”

“I know you, Regina. I’ve known you long enough to know that no matter how eloquently you speak about negative things, when they’re involving you, you use this tone that gives it away. So.. please stop,” Emma somewhat begged but it was up to Regina to agree or not, and she did.

“I’m sorry,” the brunette said.

“No, don’t be sorry, just don’t do it.. or at least, cut back on it, that’s all I’m asking. Stop bringing yourself down. You worry too much about other people doing that, why add yourself to the list of people you want to blast into another world. You won’t escape them if you keep doing that.” She was right.

“You’re right,”

“I know. I tend to be that every blue moon.. Now, let’s get you to work because this will not end well if I have you there later than needed. Clara might rip me a new one too.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The two women had gotten into the car and Emma drove to the Town Hall, quickly before she escorted Regina to her office door and went through the usual good mornings with those in the office.

“Be ready for lunch when I bring those reports,” Emma said before she quickly pecked the woman on the lips and waved over her shoulder as she exited. Regina waved back, smiled and then scowled at a grinning Clara before she walked into her office and sat. Not long after did she hear a knock and the words,

“Madame Mayor,” rang through her office.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

There was a knock, once, then twice, then once again. The woman walked towards her door and pulled it open after asking who it was.

“Cora?” Snow questioned as she looked at the woman who was modestly dressed in the clothes Regina had bought for her. Snow had to admit, she looked very nice. Cora wore a pair of dark wash jeans and a cardigan over a simple green shirt with a scoop neck and flats. Her hair was curled a little, quite possibly the natural ones she passed on to her daughter.

“Yes dear, it’s me, flesh and all,” the woman answered and Snow narrowed her gaze.

“Why are you here,” she asked and Cora sighed.

“To discuss our children, why else?”

“I don’t know, you could be under a spell for all I know. You could be here to kill me so that no one else notices and pretend you were home the entire time. Or you could be here to threaten me” the woman responded and Cora sighed deeply.

“Dear, please get off of the damn spell, would you. Murdering you would be too bloody a job, and threatening you is not my forte. I don’t really care about what happens to you in this, just what happens to our children and our grandchild, Do you honestly believe that Regina would have enough power to put her own mother under a spell, even if she wanted to? ”

“Yes, because _your_ bloodline can apparently do a lot more than I thought,” Snow muttered and Cora laughed.

“Regina may be powerful, but I’ve studied and practiced magic much longer. Even if she could put me under, I could break it just as quickly. But do refrain from believing that my daughter is as vile as you think her to be. It’s truly disheartening when you are supposed to be this white light of purity and believing that everyone can change and has changed and that not everything that goes well for someone who was once evil, means it’s because of a spell. I’m truly disappointed if that is how you see your soon to be daughter in law, still,” Cora shook her head and Snow deflated. “Well, aren’t you going to invite me in, dear,” the woman asked exasperated as she looked back at Snow who seemed to be drooling over her appearance, or just overly observing it.

“Uh- umm, sure, come right in, Cora,” Snow said hesitantly as she stepped aside and allowed the woman access. Cora nodded and walked in, looking around the small yet… cute, apartment.

“My- my, how very small it is,” Cora commented.

“I’m sorry?” Snow asked a bit offended and the woman turned back quickly.

“Oh, nothing. I just realized that your daughter was not lying when she informed me that it is rather.. Quaint,”

“Right, and what else has my daughter managed to tell you,” Snow asked as she folded her arms and Cora shrugged.

“Nothing short of the ordinary… Is that Jasmine tea I smell,” Cora asked as she changed the subject and Snow’s eyes widened a bit.

“Y-yes, it is. Would you like some?”

“Of course- of course! I drank it everyday when I was pregnant with Regina,” she recalled.

“So that’s why she made it so much in the Enchanted Forest,” Snow whispered as she began to walk into her kitchen that was literally five feet away.

“Pardon,”

“Oh.. it’s just that Regina used to make it a lot when she married my father,” Snow recapped.

“Ahh, yes, another decision I regret making,” Cora grumbled and Snow stopped short.

“My father was a lovely man!” The brunette defended and Cora snorted.

“Your father wanted a replacement mother and I was stupid enough to offer my child as barter for protection. He was about as lovely as Crafter and that man is a dick,” Cora said before her face scrunched up at her own admission. “ Jesus was I stupid,” she commented as she shook her head. The woman took a seat and kept eye contact with a scowling Snow White. “ Oh, do stop staring at me like I murdered the man myself. He was practically in his grave and My CHILD ended up marrying him. Out of all the idiotic things I’ve ever done in my life. That took the fucking cake,” Cora continued to berate herself and Snow’s face fell.

“Cora I-,”

“-Do not give me the I’m sorry line because in all honesty, you’re terrible at keeping secrets too. You’re worse than Henry, and that boy can keep a secret.  I mean, she begged you to keep it and look what you did. You fucking yammered it the second you heard about a mother caring so much. How naive were you?! Did you honestly not see the fear in my child’s eyes when she begged you to keep your mouth shut over the issue? Did you honestly believe that at that point when she ran after you, literally ran after you and begged you to not say anything, that she was lying over what I was capable of? Then again, I suppose my quest for power and your inability to remain quiet did bring it full circle. She’s marrying Emma and I’m gettin’ me a magical grandbaby. But damn it Snow, could you not just shut the hell up about Happy Endings or did your mother really fill your airhead full of lies about how Happy Endings really happened… didn’t you experience it yourself at some point? Did you still believe that those were ‘HAPPY ENDINGS’ as people keep putting it? There’s no such fucking thing as a happy ending, just a happy slap to the face by reality. Happy endings don’t exist. We make them and she wanted to make that and both of us, mothers now, ripped that away from her so easily.”

“I just wanted her to know I cared,”

“Yes, and I told her the same thing, but at that point it was a damn lie, so what makes you think that what you did would have been any different in her mind… Snow, walk with me- talk with me,” Cora began before she slid off the stool and put an arm around the woman. They made their way into the living room, neglecting the tea entirely. “ Think about it this way and then I’m sure it will all be clear to you, hmm?” Cora said before she let the woman sit and then began to speak again . “ Imagine.. your shepherd , okay,” she asked and the woman nodded. “ Okay, imagine David was your best friend, or in Regina’s case, your only friend, because you weren’t allowed to have other friends- better yet, imagine your father- no! Imagine your mother. We’ll mimic the scenarios… Imagine your mother being exactly the way I am,”

“I can’t. Because my mother was and is nothing like you,”

“Oh for the love of flat assess. Snow, I said imagine and that woman’s been dead from like season two!”

“Season? Two,” Snow scrunched up her face.

“God,” Cora rolled her eyes. “ I swear I thought this was going to be easier, but you have a fucking peanut for a brain right now,”

“I do not have a peanut for a brain!” The woman shrieked and Cora huffed before she rolled her eyes again.

“I said right now. God, stop being so damn defensive,”

“You’re in my house-,”

“-apartment,” Cora corrected and Snow growled. “ Fine.. your ‘house’”

“Yes, MY house and you can’t just come in here like it’s your God given right,” Snow said and Cora snorted.

“The princess believes in a God,”

“Jesus Christ, Cora!”

“Oh, that’s our Lord and Saviour’s name, is it,” Cora taunted and Snow just growled deeper. “ Dear, you’ve managed to drift from the whole point of the conversation..”

“Then get to the point because I’m about two seconds from tossing you out of here,” Snow threatened and Cora kept a tight lip because had she not, she would have laughed at Snow, right in her face. _Does she honestly believe she can just toss me out of here without leaving more bruised in the end?_

“Very well then...Imagine that your mother controlled every single aspect of your life down to the exact time of your birth. Imagine that the second you were born, she gave you a name that meant queen, which in turn fuelled her drive for power in order for you to become a queen. Imagine that your precious mother lied to you at every turn in your life about every single situation that has ever occurred and all she continuously tells you is that she does it because she loves you and just wants what is best for you. Imagine her saying she did it to give you your best chance, and because she ‘ _cares_ ’ when in reality, it’s to fuel her quest to rule. Snow, dear, imagine your mother never letting you leave the castle walls, let alone your own desires, or reprimanding you with physical actions that hurt just as bad as the verbal ones...imagine.. Snow, imagine your mother taking away your meals on certain days in order for you to remain thin, or because she’s found new ways to punish you when you want to ride your horses or tend flowers in the garden or even so much as create lasting relationships when any of the palace-hands. Dear, imagine that an innocent girl who wanted nothing more than the mother she knew she should have, turning into someone who trusted no one because the power and the magic her mother contained, controlled the hearts of the people she cared about most, even her own mother’s. Dear, you must understand something. I had no heart, therefore I had no emotion when it came to my daughter other than my original agenda for power. Regina became a pawn in my quest for the throne and that is what truly made my daughter question every single thing I’ve ever done in her life. Daniel comes along, and he’s fresh and he is sweet and he is unlike anything in her life and she begins to believe again. And do you know why?” Snow shook her head. “It’s because that little girl was still in there somewhere. The little girl I should have raised was still in there, fighting to believe in a reality even she knew would not change. The little girl inside my daughter lost her fight to be happy the moment I took my heart out and placed it in that box. The little girl that Regina tried so hard to hold on to- the innocence of that little girl, lost her fight the minute I set your horse to run amuck with you on it. The moment she saved you, what did you see? What did you truly see?” Cora questioned and Snow swallowed.

“I saw..I saw,” she swallowed once more. “I saw.. Hope. I saw Life. I saw the little girl,” Snow answered quickly and Cora nodded.

“And where did it all go?”

“I don’t know,” Snow shook her head. “ But it’s gone..”

“No dear. It’s not gone anymore,”

“How do you know that,”

“Because-,” Cora began before she breathed in lightly. “-Because she has Emma now. She has Emma and she has Henry. She has me- the way she should have had me. She has David. She will _always_ have her father because he lives in her... but the only person left, is you,” Cora said softly and Snow went mute.

“Wh-why me?”

“Because, Snow. No matter how much my daughter may claim to despise you, a big part of her still cares so deeply for you. Had she truly wanted you dead, she would have killed you long ago. She could have killed you multiple times whilst you slept or poisoned your food, but there was always some part of her that never wanted to harm you, it was just extremely hard for her to get over the betrayal when she felt she was finally free of my actions. She felt she was finally free of the demons I unleashed on her life, but she wasn’t. She believed you to be just like me when you said you cared and you just wanted to do what you thought was best for her. Snow, you mimicked my words and through Regina’s eyes and in her mind, that was enough to kill off the last shred of hope for that hidden little girl.”

“I ruined her life- she was right- she was right,” Snow recited over and over but Cora shook her head and went over to sit in the same seat as Snow. She placed an arm around the woman’s shoulders and rubbed gently.

“You didn’t ruin her life, sweetheart. You gave her hope-,”

“-yeah and then I took it away.. I turned into.. Into.. _you_ ,” Snow said before she yanked herself free of Cora’s hold. “ This is your fault- ALL OF IT! HAD YOU JUST LET HER BE, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED! SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER NEEDED TO MARRY MY FATHER! I WOULDN’T HAVE TOLD YOU ABOUT DANIEL. SHE WOULDN’T HAVE LOST HER FIRST LOVE! SHE WOULDN’T HAVE TRIED TO KILL ME! SHE COULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY AND YOU TOOK THAT AWAY FROM HER! YOU MADE ME TAKE THAT AWAY FROM HER! ALL THIS TIME, I COULD HAVE- I COULD HAVE- I-I..GET OUT! GET. OUT!” Snow yelled and Cora stood. The woman nodded and exited without even so much as a sentence of arguing. Cora picked up her things and walked out the door.

 

By the time she was home, she sighed so heavily she found herself feeling, almost on the verge of tears from the display of anger, earlier. She went with the intent to solve the problems and at that point, all Cora had managed to do was make Snow even more angry… at least she was off the whole spell thing. So why shouldn’t she take it in stride.

“Progress,” the woman muttered to herself. “Progress.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Henry, hey,” Grace called and she walked over to the young boy and smiled. It was their lunch hour and Henry was sitting on a bench, reading a comic book. He flipped it close and looked up at the girl.

“Hey, Gracie,” he teased and she blushed. “Need something?” Grace shrugged as she sat next to him.

“Not really, just wanted to know if your moms would be okay with you staying over this weekend,”

“I don’t know, I’ll have to ask, but I’m pretty sure ma can convince mom to let me stay over,”

“Cool, cus Nick and Ava have been up my butt about it,” she joked. “ But, what about your grandma.. Did your mom ever deal with that thing with Mister Crafter?”

“Oh yeah,” the boy grinned. “My nan dealt with that. She forced Crafter to offer us another tour after she.. Well,” he paused before he whispered it into the girl’s ear and Grace nearly lost it giggling.

“Poor Hades,” Grace smirked.” I wouldn’t wanna be associated with anyone’s rear end,” she giggled and Henry smirked. “ So, how’s it feel ?”

“How’s what feel?”

“You know, having your moms together and you being a big brother, soon,”

“Oh, that… I dunno. I guess it’s surreal because I never expected it to actually happen, but.. Grace,” the boy stopped. “ about the whole moms and baby thing.. There’s something I gotta tell you but you have to promise you won’t tell anyone, not even Nick and Ava- or your dad,”

“I promise,” the girl nodded before offering up her pinky. Henry looked at it for a moment before he linked them and took a breath.

“Okay, you know how out of the blue everyone finds out that my moms are getting married and having my magical sibling?”

“Yeah,”

“Well, that’s kinda...not true,” he said as he waited for her response. She didn’t say anything and he continued. “ They’re trying to make it true because ma kinda sorta made a verbal contract and mom’s pretty much bound to it and if they don’t get it done.. They could.. Die,” he swallowed and Grace seemed to be unfazed by it.

“Well, now I owe Ava twenty dollars,” Grace laughed and the boy looked highly confused. His friend sighed as she responded.  “We already knew. We kinda figured with the way you keep telling us they were acting that something was up. We wanted to know if you could stay over so we could plan something to help them actually get together,” the girl ended as she watched her friend’s face light up.

“I swear, you guys are the most amazing best friends I could ever ask for,” he grinned and she grinned back.

“I think Nick’s more happy about this than anyone else. He’s already been trying to figure out how to go about it and he’s been raging about it on Tumblr.. The forum is practically losing its mind,”

“How many people are in it?” The boy asked with just a bit of concern.

“If you count everyone in our class.. About thirty, but don’t sweat it, they don’t know that your moms are doing this for another reason. Nick’s got them too worked up over being the first to get pictures of them ‘going at it’ as he puts it when he literally just means them kissing,”

“Nick’s an idiot,”

“He’s also a perv but we’re still his friends,”

“Yeah, I’m beginning to rethink that. I don’t want him sneaking pictures of my moms. If anything, I’ll get the pictures and only what I approve goes up,” Henry said and Grace laughed. “ What?”

“Nothing,” she said as she continued to laugh. “ It’s just that we both know Nick won’t listen and it’ll pretty much take us tying him to something for him to leave it alone,”

“If he doesn’t I’ll let my nana deal with him. She’ll probably scar him enough that he won’t want to see anything even remotely sexual,”

“She that bad, huh,”

“You have no idea,” the boy laughed.

 

“HEY, HENRY!” Someone yelled and both he and Grace turned around to see someone that neither wanted to see. “ HOW DOES IT FEEL HAVING DYKES FOR MOMS, DUDE!” Nico yelled and as usual, his band of idiots laughed on cue even if they didn’t see the humour in it or the point.

“HEY, NICO, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE DUMBEST SHITHEAD IN SCHOOL?” Grace shot back and as usual, his band of idiots laughed until he glared at them. The boy stalked over to where the two teens sat and snarled.

“Funny you should talk when your dad’s been to the nuthouse how many times,”

“Enough times to snap your fucking neck if you mess with his little girl,” Grace growled as she rose from the bench. Nico faltered for a moment and stepped back slightly. “I wonder if your band of idiots know how many times you got held back, or did you leave that out of your resume in the list of skills you possess, besides asininity and just flat out poor humour,”

“Watch it, bitch,” he snapped.

“Hey!” Henry snapped. “ Don’t you ever call her that,” the lanky boy rose before he stood before Grace and glared at Nico,

“And what are you gonna do about it, get your dyke cop of a mom to arrest me,” he snickered and Henry’s eyebrow rose before he answered.

“No. I’ll get my ‘dyke’ cop of a mom to pass me her gun and blast your brains across the pavement. Or I could get my ‘dyke’ mayor of a mother to make it so that you never get a job in your miserable fucking life! Grace which do you think is better?” Henry spat and Nico shoved him.

“Watch it you little prick,”

“Funny considering what I heard is that you’re the one with the _little_ prick,” Henry singsonged and one of the boys who usually followed behind Nico laughed out loud.

“Shut up, Chris!”

“Why?! It’s true,” the boy continued to laugh.

“I said,” he growled before he turned to grab the boy by the shirt. “ Shut. Up!” But the boy continued to laugh and Nico shoved him away before he stalked back towards Henry. “You’re dead,” the boy threatened, but Henry stood strong.

“Right,” Henry taunted. “ I’m dead. Oh my goodness! Grace please call the funeral homes, Nico’s gonna kill me,” Henry joked and Grace covered her mouth to laugh.

“I’m warning you, kid,”

“Warning me about what, catching your idiocy sickness? Tell me, Nico. What’s two plus two- and no, the answer isn’t d’oooohhh!” Henry joked as he crossed his eyes, mocking the boy. Nico ground his teeth.

“Your mom’s a slut,” he spat. “ Sleeping with everything that walks or breathes. But no one loves her, no one likes her and everyone leaves her. She killed Sheriff Graham because he couldn’t stand her and she’ll probably kill this one just because she’s sick in the head,”

“TAKE THAT BACK!”

“IT’S TRUE. SHE’S A SKANK AND THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.. I BET IF I WAS OLDER SHE’D SLEEP WITH ME TOO,” the boy continued, hitting very low blows as he went along. “ YOUR OTHER MOTHER GAVE YOU UP BECAUSE SHE WAS AND IS USELESS! SHE COULDN’T EVEN KEEP YOU BECAUSE YOUR DAD’S A DEADBEAT AND HE WALKED OUT ON HER,” Nico seethed as he stood over Henry. Henry’s fists clenched at his sides, Grace holding onto his arm because she knew if anything made him snap, he would probably bloody Nico’s face.

“That’s enough, Nico,” Grace said.

“Why? Because your dad’s a nut case and he’ll come after me? You’re probably just as insane as he is! You’ll end up in the ward with all the other nut cases and we’ll get to watch them wheel you out, wrapped up like the fucking sick creature you are-,”

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Henry snapped as he finally lost his last nerve on the issue. “ You have a problem with me. You take it up with me. She’s a girl and you don’t just get to disrespect her like that! Where in the hell did you grow up! Did your mother teach you nothing about how you treat a woman!”

“Don’t talk about my mom!”

“WHY?! YOU TALKED ABOUT MINE, YOU FUCKING IDIOTIC, DICKHEAD! YOU DISRESPECTED MY MOTHERS AND GRACE AND YOU EXPECT ME TO ROLL OVER AND LET IT FLY! FUCK YOU, NICO! FUCK! YOU!” Henry belted before he shoved the boy back and Nico’s clique tried to pull him away, but the boy was stupidly about to have it out with Henry.

“Don’t push me you little shit,” He growled lowly but Henry shoved him again and the boy raised his fist before he attempted to swing at Henry, missing, because Henry dodged it.

“Nico, come on, man. Let him go,” his clique started to plead around the boys antics but he blanked out, attempting to hit Henry at every open opportunity but the boy kept dodging. Nico threw insults back and forth as Henry avoided each swing and practically pushed Grace out of the way. It wasn’t until Nico hit the lowest blow he could hit that Henry paused in shock and was struck in the face.

“Your little sibling’s going to be a retard like you!” Nico spat and Henry’s mind snapped before he blacked out and tackled the boy. They fell back and Henry swung, pounding the boy in the nose and the mouth over and repeatedly.

“DON’T. YOU. EVER. IN. YOUR. FUCKING. LIFE. TALK. ABOUT. MY. LITTLE. SISTER. YOU PIECE OF SHIT! FUCK! YOU!” Henry shouted as he continued to effectively bloody Nico’s face. Henry slammed his wrist down on Nico’s eye and took glory in listening to the boy scream in pain, but he didn’t stop and no one tried to stop him. He continued to punch the boy in the jaw and all around the face before he stood and kicked him square in the stomach. Nico sputtered and spat out blood as Henry stood over him, glaring. Henry then bent over him with a carnal stare and a sadistic smile on his face. “ How about you go and crawl back under that rock of yours or get swallowed in the nonexistence of your own common sense, _Nico_.” Henry then turned to regard Nico’s crew who flinched on sight. “ Get out of here,” Henry said. “ Unless you wanna get in trouble with him. Leave,” he clarified and the boys did not have to be told twice before they ran. Henry soon felt his adrenaline crash and nearly fell until Grace caught him and walked him over to the bench. She had managed to get him to sit and took notice that Henry was bleeding a little before a teacher as well as the principal came out in a mad dash to see what had just transpired. Nico continued to groan and wallow on the ground as he clutched his face, hissing at each amount of contact his hands made with it.

“HENRY MILLS!” His principal yelled and the boy rolled his eyes.

“Yes, Mister Dannon,” the boy answered but ignored the man’s rambling and ragin words. Henry just watched the teacher help a very beaten Nico to his feet and guide him towards the school.

“WHAT IS THIS TRAVESTY BEFORE ME? IS THIS HOW STUDENTS ACT!”

“The only travesty here is your inability to show up to a bullying scene on time,” Henry ground out. “What is my mom letting you be paid for? To just yell at me without even figuring out what happened?”

“Mister Mills, you would do well to watch your tone,”

“And you would do well not to threaten me considering you’ve done nothing but yell at me over an issue you have no knowledge of. I could sue this school and you’d be out of a job, _Mister Dannon,_ ” Henry ended as he continued to let Grace wipe away at the remainder of blood on his face. Dannon fumbled at the threat before he puffed up.

“In my office, now,” he spoke and Henry shrugged before he and Grace got up and followed behind the man.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

She was doing the final pages of her report when a call came in. Looking down at her cell phone and remembering the number, Emma panicked and neglected everything and everyone around her before she hauled ass out the door, grabbing her jacket along the way and getting into her car before she sped down the street.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

She was in a meeting, one in which she desperately wish she did not postpone for a Tuesday. Then Clara came through the door with a quiet interruption of their being an emergency on the line for her. Heart pounding fast and feet moving swiftly as the woman excused herself, she rushed towards the phone and let the words from the other line drift through her ear and into her mind before the receiver in hand clattered to the ground and she gulped. She ran back into the meeting room and pulled all of her items off the table that she usually carried with her and briefly excused herself, telling Clara to deal with it. Regina then dialled another number and waited in a panicked moment until Emma answered.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

By the time she was outside, Emma had pulled up and was running into Town Hall. She buckled into Regina and took the woman by the hand, the silent conversation leading them both back to the Bug. Emma put the car in motion and sped even faster towards Henry’s school.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They both launched themselves from their respective seats and frantically made their way towards the school’s office.

“Where’s my son!” Regina belted as she pushed her way into Dannon’s office. She saw Henry and Grace sitting in the corner of the man’s office, Grace’s partially asleep on his shoulder. Both she and Emma rushed over when they spotted Henry and looked him over. Both also took into account that his jaw was a bit swollen and his lip had a cut on it. “ Oh My God! Henry what happened,” Regina asked in a panicked tone as Emma turned back and glared at Dannon.

“What the hell happened?!” The blonde demanded and Dannon made an easing motion which she did not take to.

“Miss Swan, do calm down-,”

“-Calm down! Are you fucking kidding me?! My son’s got a swollen jaw and a cut on his lip and you’re telling me to calm down?! Do you want me to cuff you and toss you in a cell,” she threatened and the man swallowed.

“There’s no need for that, Miss Swan-,”

“-Yes and there also looks like there’s no need for useless men like you who can’t even protect the students he has temporary custody over for seven hours a day!”

“Emma,” Regina breathed before she made her way over to the blonde and placed a hand on her back. She rubbed slowly and the blonde felt herself instantly relax into the touch. “ Let him speak and then we’ll see if he’s worth the threat,” Regina pleaded before she continued to rub the blonde’s back. Emma sighed but nodded, still, she turned to glare at Dannon once again.

“What. Happened?”

“Henry and.. another student got into an altercation and it turned into a physical fight. We had not gotten word of it until after it was over.. One of the other children who usually associates himself with said student had come to inform us after the altercation had ended,”

“So where’s this other, Kid,” Emma asked as she looked around and Dannon stuttered a bit.

“He had to be taken to the infirmary.. He was a bit more bruised than Henry,”

“A bit- try a lot,” the boy spoke before his mothers turned to face him.

“What was this altercation over,” Regina found herself asking as she turned back to regard Dannon.

“You,” the man motioned between the two of them.

“Us?” Emma asked and he nodded.

“Why us,” Regina queried and the man explained in short form what exactly the issue was over. The women listened intently, Henry correcting it along the way and Dannon looking very appreciative for the clarity. Regina’s eyes widened at the breakdown of the fight as Emma seemed to be boiling with anger.

“There was also a detailed account of what exactly it was that was said on both parties.. A student had recorded the events and without a doubt, your son was being bullied.. However, his retaliation led to this,” Dannon said before he fast-forwarded the video to show how bloodied Nico truly was. Both Emma and Regina hissed upon sight and waved the phone away. “ Miss Mills, Miss Swan. Both boys will be suspended for a period of one week on Henry’s behalf and two and a half weeks on Nico’s behalf. His father has not arrived as yet, so if you would like to discuss the situation with him any further, I’d suggest you wait.” Silence was in the room as both mothers just waited on their son to gather himself so they could leave.

“I don’t think us waiting to hear this man take up for his son’s homophobia and threatening words and blatant disrespect is something we should stay for,” Emma said as she stood but Regina tugged her arm.

“Emma, wait..let’s just hear him out,”

“Hear him out? Regina, are you serious? His kid is a prick and I’m nearly positive he’s right there with him. It’s fucking 2015 you’d think that by now people would be at least tolerant of alternative lifestyles. No one’s asking you to accept it, just stop fucking attacking it,” she spat and Regina actually flinched in fear. Emma’s face fell as she sighed and fell back into the chair. “ I’m sorry,” she whispered. “ I’m just so pissed about this whole thing. They’re kids, what do they know about life enough to comment and disrespect people that way.. How don’t we know his father is just enabling this shit he’s spewing. I don’t want my kids to grow up in a place where they feel threatened or insulted because someone couldn’t get their head out of their ass long enough to teach their child to not fucking disrespect people that way or at all,”

“I know,” Regina breathed. “ I know, but wherever they go they’ll have to deal with someone not liking them for something.. We can’t always hope that everyone who meets them is nice because that would be a lie and nothing in this life is perfect, not even us,” Regina said and Emma sighed heavily.

“Alright, we’ll hear him out, but if he’s a prick, I’m punching him,”

“If he’s a prick, I won’t stop you from punching him,” Regina agreed and Emma actually smiled.

“Look at you enabling bad behaviour,”

“I’m enabling new forms of dealing with slander,” Regina refuted and Emma rolled her eyes.

“Riiight,” she grinned before she leaned over and kissed the woman’s cheek. “ Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what,” Regina whispered back with a smile.

“Grounding me,” Emma said simply. “For keeping my head screwed on right in a situation like this,” she continued before she kissed her cheek once more.

“Thank you for protecting your family,” Regina whispered with her own smile matching Emma’s.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

True to the nature of Nico’s father, he was a prick and Emma did punch him, Regina didn’t stop her because Emma basically had to hold the brunette back from nearly frying his ass and then she and Regina took both Henry and Grace out of school, of course it was with Jefferson’s knowledge and permission. Whilst they drove in the car, both mothers refrained from bringing the situation up, instead, they cancelled the rest of their day and decided to spend time with the teens, hopefully to keep both of them from feeling so torn up over the fight. They went a little ways out of the town, towards a somewhat cafe kind of place and settled into their respective seats. The waitress came over and dropped off their menues with a smile before she informed them she would be right back to take their orders. The table was silent for a while longer until Emma broke that streak to not talk about it.

“Sooo, you guys wanna tell me what really happened,” Emma said and Henry sighed.

“Nico was being an idiot and I reacted,” the boy said simply.

“We know, we can tell by the video.. But what exactly did he say.. He seemed to refrain from speaking about anything at all unless it was about what you did and Dannon didn’t clarify anything else,” Emma responded. Regina looked over to Grace as Emma and Henry went off into conversation.

“How are you feeling, sweetheart,” she asked and Grace shrugged lightly.

“Okay, I guess…. Miss Mills,”

“Yes, Grace,”

“Why are people so mean,” she asked as she sniffled and Regina’s face fell.

“Because, most people don’t have a heart and even those who do are still so damaged that they only find solace and joy in hurting another,"

“But.. he was so mean to me- to Henry.. He just.. Miss Mills he hurt me,” Grace sniffled again. “He hurt me emotionally because he attacked me, he attacked my dad and then he attacked Henry and you guys and then.. Henry just lost it when he talked about his little sister.. He blacked out and Nico.. he deserved it, but why- why are people so.. So-,”

“-vile,” Regina offered and she nodded tearily. “ I truly don’t know, dear.. But I’ll tell you something. I’m so grateful Henry has someone like you who stood by him and stuck with him through the entire thing. Grace, thank you for keeping my son as grounded as you could and taking care of him when we couldn’t be there and I am so truly sorry you had to be a victim of this all because of some bully who had an issue with me and Emma,”

“No- no. It’s fine. You guys are like family.. My dad already told me what you did for him and he told me never to turn my back on someone who seems one way but is an absolute angel in disguise.. So thank you,” the girl said and Regina smiled a bit. The waitress came back over and took their orders before she took the menues and went to hand the ticket to the chef.

 

“Grace,” the girl heard her name be called and spun to see that it was her father.

“Daddy,” she cried before she ran from her seat and into his arms.

“Gracie, my sweet little girl. I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry,” Jefferson apologised profusely, but she shook her head.

“No- no. Henry protected me and I protected him, just like you said,” she informed her father as he ran his finger through her curls. Jefferson nodded before he released her and wiped stray tears from her face. He pulled her back in for a hug until she made a joke about her father suffocating her with his love. Jefferson then looked over to the three people sat at the table and gave them a grateful nod before he attempted to turn and leave.

“Gracie, go get your things and let’s go home,” he said and she nodded.

“Jefferson, wait,” Regina called and he stopped. “ Stay.. we could use the extra company,” Regina offered with a smile and Jefferson watched as both Henry and Emma nodded. He smiled back and sat before Emma called the waitress back and she requested a menue.

 

After Jefferson placed his order and the waitress left, they waited with comfortable conversation and soon after their food arrived. Whilst they ate, Jefferson asked questions about the fight and both Henry and Grace told it fluidly.

“So, what caused you to snap and rearrange his face,” Jefferson queried as Henry took another bite of his food and swallowed.

“He started talking crap about my little sister and that was it. He already disrespected my moms, and he got on Grace, but that just.. That pushed me over,” Henry said as he shook his head. Jefferson nodded before he pat the boy on the back.

“Thanks for sticking up for her, Henry,”

“I had to.. She’s family,” Henry said and Jefferson smirked.

“They suspended him, too,” Emma said as she motioned to their teen son.

“Why?”

“Because he really did a number on that kid,” Emma answered and Jefferson’s eyes widened.

“How bad?”

“Bad,” Grace said.

“Jesus,” was all Jefferson could manage.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After the impromptu lunch, Emma and Regina took Henry home and talked to him about the fight even more. The only thing they did tell him was that they were proud of him for sticking up for them, however they would have to take away his laptop and comics for that period of time. He agreed easily and they were surprised, but then he explained that he realized that no matter the good deed, all deeds came with some form of consequence. Of course his grandmother called and told him how proud she was of him for handling Nico the way he did and yes the boy did gloat about it, but he had the decency to look sheepish when his mothers somewhat glared at him. They just had themselves a normal family evening after that and a good while after it was time for bed.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“ I cannot believe sweet, innocent Henry did that Kid’s face the way he did,” Emma said as she pulled back the duvet and climbed under. She already taken her shower, tied her hair up into a messy bun and put on her usual flannel and t-shirt.

“I know,” Regina agreed as she exited the bathroom and braided off her now, lengthy hair. The brunette had thrown on a pair of short shorts and a cami and soon climbed under the duvet as well. She and Emma left their lights on as they continued to talk about the stress of that day. “ I’m proud of him, though,” Regina admitted and Emma looked over and grinned.

“Me too.. Kid’s got a mean swing,”

“He does.. And that, he definitely got from you,” Regina grinned and Emma laughed.

“I’d say all of his violence came from me,”

“You would be correct,” Regina nodded. They were silent for a moment until, “ Emma?”

“Yeah, Gi,” she answered and nearly sputtered after she realized she used the nickname once again. Regina just smiled before she leaned over and captured Emma’s lips, completely surprising the blonde. Emma squeaked and the minute feeling she felt earlier, fluttered once more before Regina broke the kiss and Emma panted lightly.

“Thank you,” Regina whispered across Emma’s lips and the blonde swallowed.

“I- I’m all for it.. But.. why?” She asked and Regina slowly raised her hand and smiled wider before she kissed her again. Emma looked at the glowing ring on Regina’s finger and caught on. She felt her heart speed up.

“Thank you,” she whispered once more and Emma grinned. They pulled away and shut off the lights before they settled in the bed.

 

“When do you think we’ll fall in love.. Or how do you think we’ll fall in love,” the blonde questioned.

“I don’t know,” Regina answered as her eyes fluttered open and the night sky cascaded across their room. “ But I don’t think I do want to know. I’d like to be surprised as to how you woo me and make me fall in love with you,” she said softly only to hear a light chuckle next to her.

“I’d like to be surprised by that too.. Regina?” Emma asked a bit sleepily.

“Hmm?”

“Why’d you kiss me,” Emma asked and Regina turned her head to face Emma.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you could have just said thank you and be done with it, but you kissed me.. Why?”

“I suppose I wanted to,”

“You wanted to,” she asked and Regina nodded.

“It felt like the right thing to do..and I wanted to thank you some other way than with words,”

“Well.. you’re welcome,” Emma smiled and Regina shifted closer before she placed her head on Emma’s chest and rubbed lazy circles.

“You told me to trust you.. and I do.. Emma-I.. “ she paused but the blonde sleepily pushed her to continue. “ I never felt this safe, this quickly and I’ve never felt this protected or cared for.. When you told me to trust you and trust myself, I thought this would be hard, and stressful and that I would be on the verge of quitting but I find myself falling deeper and deeper into safety and I find myself fighting for us to be happy every single second of the day.. Emma.. thank you for everything and for every promise.. Thank you for making me believe in something again. Thank y-,” she heard Emma snore and smirked. Regina looked up and kissed the underpart of Emma’s jaw before she settled back on the blonde’s chest.

“Thank you,” she whispered and slowly drifted to sleep.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma woke nearly an hour later and found that Regina had wrapped herself completely around the blonde. She smiled at the woman before she slipped from Regina’s hold and went to get herself some water, bumping into Henry along the way.

“Hey, Kid. You okay?”

“Yeah,” Henry nodded as he looked away from his room door.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, ma. Sure,” he answered and she nodded.

“Come with me,” she said as she motioned to the steps. He nodded and followed.

 

Emma then made them both some hot cocoa and sat with her son and talked to him for a bit. She could tell her was upset over the fight and that the words won’t just go away in a handful of hours.

“I hate him so much for what he’s said about you guys,”

“I know, Kid,”

“He’s an idiot,”

“I know,”

“He’s.. He’s so disgusting, attacking Grace like that and then he talked about Jefferson’s mental health and then he called mom a slut and he just- I _hate_ him,” Henry bit out.

“I know,” Emma said for the third time and he looked at her.

“How are you?”

“Better than you are I suppose. How’s your face?”

“It’ll heal,” he shrugged and they fell silent and drank their cocoa. Emma and Henry then watched a bit more tv together until she told him she was heading to bed and that he shouldn’t stay up too late. He nodded and she left him to his own devices.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma settled herself on Regina’s side of the bed like she did every evening and lifted the cami that Regina was wearing. She placed six kisses to Regina’s stomach and smiled as her thumb stroked the woman’s navel.

“Hey, little egg. Day six and boy do I have a story to tell you,” Emma began and she went off in conversation with Regina’s oh so flat stomach. She talked about the entire day from everyone’s perspective and gloated about how proud she was of Henry for sticking up for her and for Regina and even little egg. Emma talked on and on until she began to yawn again and then she smiled.

“She was so happy when she got the ring back, Egg. So happy. She said thank you and I swear, that’s all that matters to me right now. Your mommy is so happy to have Daniel back with her and that’s all I can smile about because I can literally see her happiness. It’s all right there and she’s letting me be apart of it.. Anyway. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, same time, kid.. I love you, Egg. Be safe in there.. If you are in there.”

 

Emma then climbed back into the bed and pulled Regina’s body against hers. She soon felt the brunette latch on and squeeze and she smiled.

 

_I think there’s something there already._

 

She drifted into dreamland. She drifted into happiness.


	8. Flutters, Two New Holes, Seven Kisses(completion)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do not have the frighten. No the story isn't complete. Hell this is so far from over, I've barely got my foot in the door so do not panic, we have a good ways to go.
> 
> Do enjoy
> 
> ;)
> 
> I wouldn't say I'm back because I actually ended up becoming sick, like really sick and well.. yeah. I was off for these four days so I'm writing for you lovely readers.
> 
> Hugs and Love,
> 
> Megan.

  
  


Wednesday

 

Emma woke first for the morning. Much like the morning before, she felt it was because she just couldn’t sleep and found herself stretching as she sat up in the very comfortable bed she was now sharing with Regina before shoving her feet into some socks and wiping at her eyes. The blonde walked into the bathroom and flicked the lights on, wincing slightly at the brightness of it as well. Emma rolled her eyes at her figure and went to wash her face and brush her teeth before she decided to take a shower. She stopped short on turning the tap on and remembered she was supposed to  have something finished from the day before. Emma makes her way downstairs and into the laundry before she pulls the dryer open and pulls out the last of the clothes she washed for everyone. She quickly folds them up and places them in their respective baskets before climbing and descending the stairs to deliver them at the doors. She then takes all the towels and sheets and puts them in the linen closet before making her way back into the master bedroom, basket on her hip. Quietly, she slides them in the corner before she places them all in their respective drawers and shuts them before stripping herself of her current clothes and changing her mind once more about showering. She sifts through the drawers and finds some leggings and a sports bra. She puts them on and slips her feet into some running shoes. The blonde then pulls her hair up into a nest and goes to open the room curtains. She only cracks them wide enough to allow light in before she opens the windows and a gust of air breaks through the screens before it flows into the room, cool and calming. It brushes over Regina’s frame and the woman only shivers slightly in her sleep. Emma smiles before she finds that on her side of the table there was a pad and pen that she’s nearly positive had always been there. So, she quickly writes a note, rips it from the pad and folds it before placing it on top of the pillow where she usually lay her head at night. She walks around the bed and kneels on the side where Regina’s body is currently taking up residence. Emma places a kiss to the woman’s head before she stands and stretches.

“I’ll be right back,” she finds herself whispering before she’s out the door and down the stairs. She quickly goes through the house and opens all the curtains and blinds and windows and allows the cool air of March sift in. Emma sets the coffee maker and pulls down Regina’s favourite travel mug and sets out the things she knows Henry usually uses to make hot cocoa before she darts out the door, in need of an adrenaline rush.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

There’s a draft building around her and every few seconds the wind is thicker and colder and the hair on her arm rises and she shivers. She shivers violently at one point and searches out, blindly, for warmth. Not just any warmth. The warmth of a body and not just any body. Emma’s body. Her fingers, they trail the cool surface of the sheets and the rigidness of the air makes her rethink her search until she squints and opens her eyes with a flutter. The body’s gone again. Emma’s body is gone again, but she looks up and she sees a note and for some reason she can feel a tingling right near her forehead, almost as if she was kissed there… and it makes her smile. It makes her do more than smile. It makes her brain short circuit because there was the smallest of flutters in there somewhere and she thought to herself that she must have been panicking when in reality, she wasn’t. She sits up and she reaches out for the note and she flips it open. Surprised that the penmanship is not only beautifully written but detailed on the whereabouts of her source of warmth and comfort, Regina grins widely at the placard before she places it down. She scrambles from the bed and rushes towards the window and looks out over the town with a smile on her face. She knows she can’t see the woman from there because she more than likely lost herself on the forest trail, but Regina imagines she can. She imagines she can see Emma running back up the pathway after a workout, glistening and sweating but proud of herself and Regina’s waiting for her. She isn’t just waiting to wait, but she’s waiting so she can rush downstairs in nothing but a silk robe and equally silk night dress that remains its usual short length of above the knees. She sees herself running down those stairs to run into Emma’s arms because that’s what happens in happy endings, right? Emma comes home and Regina tackles her and won’t let her go, right? Maybe, but she can dream that Emma would never get used to that because she knows Regina is about as expressive as a canvas.

 

She blinks, slightly flinching and winces.

“Odd,” she shakes her head and shrugs it off as she goes to set the bed and shower. 

The brunette woman gets ready, but continuously stops as she notices that things she saw were missing the day before had been put back and were clean and smelt like they’d been washed. As she sifted through her drawer she realized they were washed. Everything had been washed and folded and put away, respectfully. She’s smiling again, because her noble idiot did it and she couldn’t be more grateful and surprised over the gesture. It’s sealed when she exits her own bedroom and sees a basket of Henry’s things all folded and waiting to be picked up by the young boy and once again, she smiles. So she descends the stairs and stops short once more. The coffee’s been made and supplies for hot cocoa are out. With the roll of her eyes and yet another smile, Regina takes a cup of coffee and sets it for herself before she begins on making some hot cocoa, not just for their son, but for the blonde woman who is such a secret offender.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It isn’t until Emma hits the last bend of the forest trail that she runs into Ruby and her lanky friend joins her to finish the run. Their feet hit the pavement in tandem as they pound their way through the last of the forest trail and on through to the park.

 

“So,” Ruby begins as they slow to a stop and Emma bends over to catch her breath. “ Why are you out so early?” She queries before she too bends over to catch her breath. She peeks up to look at her friend who squints  and looks beyond Ruby’s eyes.

“Couldn’t- sleep,” she breathes out a bit heavily before she stands up straight and bends her back. Ruby looks at Emma for a moment before her head tilts and she opens her mouth.

“Trouble in paradise,” her friend inquires but she shakes her head.

“Anything but,” Emma answers honestly. “ I think it’s just me. Guess I’m just not used to being able to live somewhere that has no high expectations for me to be something I’m not. She doesn’t expect me to be perfect and neither does Henry,”

“Because they love you,” Ruby reminded and Emma shrugged. Ruby stands up straight now and stretches her limbs.

“Maybe,”

“No. Not, maybe. Yes. Emma, listen, Regina may have been this tyrannical overlord at some point but when she loves, she loves hard and she loves without mistake. Her not expecting anything from you was because she made that promise never to be the way her mother was with her. Expecting so much from someone who just wanted to be free to be themselves.” Emma shrugs again and Ruby sighs. “ Besides that, how are things? How’s your mom’s accusations of witchcraft and sorcery and Cora’s less than sound self?”

“They’re… pretty much the same,” Emma said after she’d given it thought and both she and Ruby grinned. “ Things at home with me and Regina and Henry and the baby are going good. She’s moody, so am I though and we haven’t really done anything. We just go to work, do our thing, come home, talk and sleep,”

“How very domestic of you,” Ruby teased. Emma smirked and silence was there before Emma and Ruby began to walk.

“If I tell you it’s the best thing I’ve ever felt in all my years, what would you say to that?”

“I’d say she gave you something no one ever could, not even Neal,” her friend shrugged and he nodded

“I was thinking the same thing, but do you think that’s it.. Like, do you think that’s all she’ll give me. She’s already given me the safety Neal couldn’t and that’s literally it. It’s all I ever truly wanted, safety… is that it, though? Is that all I’m ever going to get from her,” the blonde questioned but it wasn’t really directed at Ruby any more, however, her friend did answer.

“No.. it’s not all you’re ever going to get from her,” the woman sighed and Emma spun back to face her. “ Em, you’re marrying her, you’re living with her. She’s having your baby and she’s openly and freely changing for you. You know, not everything someone gives us is emotional. Sometimes it is the physical things that they do, we tend to overlook. Besides, it’s kind of on you to want more for yourself,”

“But I never got the choice to-,”

“-You’re getting the choice now and putting it all on Regina and what she wants to give you.. Did you ever think that for once all those times Regina has been telling you to do things for yourself, find things for yourself, curb your craft for yourself- isn’t just because she was saying it, but because she wants you to have things for yourself that you’ve created…”

“..like a home,” Emma whispers and Ruby nods.

“She’s not going to do it for you.. You have to do that for you.. And her.. And Henry and the little bundle of baby in her,” Ruby grinned and Emma looked over at her friend before she smirked.

 

“Thanks Red,” Emma says before hugging her friend tightly and Ruby pats her back.

“No need.. Soooo, what’s the plan?” She asks as they pull away and can see the smile forming on Emma’s face.

 

_ Time to woo my future wife. _

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

He’s up at his usual time for school, but he doesn’t need to be. His mothers haven’t come in to get him up- He’s been put on suspension anyway, so why wake up this early to go nowhere. His jaw still does hurt but he shrugs it off because it’s not that bad. The boy scrambles from his bed and throws the dangling blanket back onto it before he yanks his curtains open to allow light into his man hole. His parents were proud of him for sticking up for himself and them, he remembers as he looks out to the backyard. Grace is grateful, and so is Jefferson and the prick is sporting a beautifully battered face in lieu of his decision to spew homophobic garbage at Henry. He turns back and looks at his bed. He decides he’ll fix it later and walks towards his bathroom instead before he takes a shower and throws on some casual clothes. His feet are heavy when they stomp down the two flights of that imperial staircase. His hair isn’t brushed and he isn’t about to brush it because he’s starting to want a different haircut. He’s starting to want to change things. For a moment, Henry thinks it’s normal teen things, but then he realizes, after that blowout it’s almost a mental breakdown where he just wants to cut all his hair off and revamp his entire closet. He wants to do something crazy- as if being kidnapped and constantly on hero missions with his moms is anything but crazy. But, no, not that kind of crazy. He wants to base jump or skydive- something. Something that isn’t magical. Something that doesn’t need magic to be done.. Something like-

“I got it,” he whispers to himself just before he steps foot in the kitchen.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” is his mother’s usual way of greeting him.” How’s your jaw?” She asks. He looks up at her and she’s smiling at him the way she always does. With love. With pride and with faith in all of his actions. He’s forever grateful she never gave up loving him, even when he felt she didn’t deserve his. She’s cradling her coffee cup and looking out to the backyard once more, as if she were searching for answers in an open field of nothing.

“Morning mom, it’s fine. Can’t really feel a thing,” he smiles before he walks over to her and hugs her. As he stands next to her, he laughs to himself at how much he and his mother match in height. “ What’s for breakfast?” He asks and she shrugs. For the first time, his mother shrugs on the breakfast question.

“I was waiting to see what you wanted when you got up,” she answers as she turns to face him and he sees something different in her eyes, almost as if she realizes or senses that he wants to change things. To do things differently. Hell, if he wasn’t so in love with pancakes, he probably would change that too, but not today, not ever actually.

“The usual,” he shrugs back, “but, I’ll make it if you show me how,” he smiles and she tilts her head, just slightly before a smile creeps onto her face and she nods.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

She’s back home.  _ Home _ . She will never get tired of saying that word. She’s home to her soon to be wife and son and little egg. It’s a home she has to make for herself because Regina has to be her wife, but she doesn’t want it to just be that way. She wants Regina to want to be her wife- to be happy to be her wife. She wants Regina to be happy. Point blank. She wants Henry to be happy. Point blank. She wants Egg to exist and be happy. Point blank. Fuck- Emma herself wants to be happy. Point blank.

 

She dashes up the walkway and then the few steps to the mansion before pulling her keys from her pocket and unlocking the door. The aroma hits her instantly as she tosses her key on the table in the foyer, watching them as they slide toward a corner before she blindly toes the door closed. She pulls her hair from it’s tie and walks into the direction of the smell of banana pancakes.

“What’s cooking?” She smiles as she steps into view and sees Henry at the griddle, flipping pancakes and turning bacon.

“More like, who’s cooking,” he corrects as he turns, spatula in hand to regard his blonde mother. Regina slides in front of Emma’s face with a  fresh cup of juice and Emma smiles at her gratefully before she kisses the woman’s cheek. Something sparks from the mix of their scents and both jump back slightly, but they brush it off. Regina walks away from Emma as she speaks and the blonde sips her juice and listens.

“Our son wanted to learn how to make his favourite breakfast food, so I’m teaching him,” the brunette explains and Emma nods over her juice. She sips again before leaning against the post in the kitchen.

“So how’s he doing?”

“About as good as you did the first time you wanted to help,” Regina answers and Emma looks impressed

“Good job, Kid,” she congratulates and he grins cheekily.

“I’m a fast learner,” he responds and that prompts his blonde mother to push herself away from the post and walk over to inspect his work.

“Yeah, but you kinda missed something,” Emma says as she comes closer and he scrunches up his face. 

“What’s that,”

“Watch all your corners, Kid,” she grins before she sneaks a hand around to steal some bacon and without even looking, Henry swats her fingers with a spatula, a very hot one at that.

“Gaaa- sh-,” she begins but Regina’s eyes widen and she whimpers, “ -oots. Shoots,” she repeats and Regina settles. “Gi, he swatted me with a hot spatula,” she whined and Regina only somewhat laughed.

“She told me to watch all my corners,” Henry defended and the brunette laughed more.

“Yeah, but that thing was hot. I’m gonna bruise now because of you,” she complained but Henry shook his head.

“Again, you told me to watch all my corners,” he reiterates and she scowls at him.

“Fine,” she pouts before walking away and dropping heavily into the chair at the island. Regina is also sat there and she turns to regard Emma for a moment.

“Let me see it,” she commands and Emma holds out her now swollen hand. Regina feels pity for the woman and rises before she gets a frozen bag of something and rests it right on top. She blows cool breaths over it and wraps it up and smirks.

“Better?” Emma nods like a toddler as she stares at Regina, more so, the woman’s eyes.

“Beautiful,” she whispers, leaning in closer to the brunette before her. Regina doesn’t move, doesn’t flinch, she just, sits there, dazed with a smile. “ Absolutely beautiful,” Emma admits in such a heavily bitten whisper her body shakes at the admission. She shakes her head in disbelief as she leans away and stands. She kisses both of Regina’s cheeks and says something over her shoulder about going to take a shower. Regina nods and Emma ascends the stairs.

“What was that about,” Henry asks as he walks over to his mother and leans on the island.

“I don’t know,” his mother whispers but she’s still smiling.

“Is it a bad thing?”

“No,” she answers quickly as she shakes her head. “ No, sweetheart, not bad….. Something’s.. Here,” she says as she places a hand over her chest. “ There,” she says as well before rubbing over her heart with her thumb.

“What do you mean, mom?” He asks and she lazily turns her eyes to meet his.

“Something’s.. Here,” she points to her heart, but Henry seems confused, and she doesn’t try to break it down because… because- “ Something’s.. _ there. _ ”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Once Emma is clean and in comfortable police clothing she tumbles her way back down the steps and into the kitchen where the plates are set and the food is waiting, much like the mother and son before her.

“You waited for me,” she smiles and both Henry and Regina nod.

“We’re a family. We eat together, right mom,” Henry asks Regina who merely nods with a smile. Henry begins passing the food around and they all take up their own portions and pour their own drinks before they eat. It feels so much like what a family would do and does and Emma smiles inwardly because she’s apart of one, through her own screw up, she got a family out of it. They settle into quiet eating and Henry sees this as the opportunity to speak.

“Guys.. I wanna get my hair cut,” he speaks up and both his mother’s stop eating to look at him.

“Sure, Kid. I’ll take you after my shift today if you want,” Emma offers. Henry shakes his head.

“No, I kinda wanna go by myself. I just wanted you guys to know,” he says and Emma’s eyebrow raises before she takes another bite of her food and shrugs.

“Fine by me,” she answers and he smiles. His attention turns to Regina who’s staring back at him with question.

“What kind of haircut are you planning to get, Henry?” She asks and he shrugs.

“Just something different,” he answers because he never actually gave thought to the kind of haircut he wanted, he just knew he wanted something different.

“Henry, this doesn’t have anything to do with… the fight you got into yesterday, would it?” And there was the question he was kind of hoping to avoid, but as usual, his mother knew something was slightly off. He sighs and answers her, about as honestly as he thinks she needs right then and there.

“It’s more of a personal thing, mom,” is his answer and it’s true, but it’s also a lie. His mind actually lost a screw and he got tired of being predictable so he wanted something to change. His hair was just the first step in that. His mother nods, because she just does and she knows it’s something more but she won’t push because much like her, Henry forms a shell around himself when he feels ‘threatened’ persay. 

“So,” Emma begins as she changes the subject and both brunettes look at her. “ Are you coming in with me to the station today since you’re suspended for a week. Little John could use the rest and that’ll make you acting deputy for the day,” his blonde mother said and the boy practically bounced out of his chair for a moment.

“That would be so cool- wouldn’t that be cool mom. Can I go? Pleaaaase,” he begged and his brunette mother laughed.

“Of course, but you didn’t need to ask me for permission. Emma offered, she’s your mother as well. You  _ can _ make decisions without me, you know,” she winked before ruffling his hair. He might miss that if he comes home with none at all.

“I’m coming with you, but I wanna get my homework from Grace too, so I can’t stay all day,” the boy says and Emma nods.

“Sure, Kid,” she agrees and he rushes to hug her, pulling her up from her seat. She hugs him back Well, you’re gonna need to look the part,” she says before motioning to his clothes. “ Go get dressed in a t-shirt and some comfortable jeans and your hiking shoes and we’ll get you a police shirt when you get there, kay?” She offers and he nods with excitement before he kisses her cheek and runs from the kitchen after kissing Regina’s as well. His brunette mother shakes her head and laughs.

“I wish he was that excited to go with me in the office when he was younger,” she grins and Emma looks up with a thoughtful smile.

“He’s a kid,” she shrugs. “He’s more inclined to look for danger than balance annual expenses,” she jokes and Regina smirks before she stands and begins to gather their plates. Emma stands as well and helps before they both empty the few flits of few left on the plates and Regina sets water to wash as Emma sets up to rinse and dry them and put them away.

 

The pair work in tandem and talk about nothing and everything. Regina mentions how washing used to be a her and Henry thing and Emma is highly interested.

“He really used help you with the dishes,” Emma asks as she looks over at Regina who washes the first plate and rests it in the sink of water that Emma had just set. The brunette nods.

“He was more adamant about him washing and me drying,” she rolls her eyes.

“I take it he didn’t do a good job,” Emma laughed and Regina smiled.

“Not at first, no. But then he watched me and he perfected his own version with every opportunity. He’s almost as good as me- almost,” she says before she winks at Emma and the blonde bumps her shoulder.

“You know he loves you, right?” Emma asks and Regina pauses on the dish she’s currently washing. Her hands drop slightly before she turns to Emma and somewhat smiles before she turns back, looks down at the dish in hand and begins to clean it again.

“I know,” she nods. “ I didn’t for the longest time. But, I do know now,”

“Good.. because, I love you too,” the blonde admitted and Regina nearly dropped the dish on the ground as her head snapped and her eyes met Emma’s. Emma smiled. “ Yes, I said it. You’re family and I love you. Not for reasons you may think, but because you let me back into Henry’s life when in all honesty, had you really wanted me gone- you’d have gotten rid of me. You taught me how to control my magic. You made me believe in myself. You never expected anything of the me the way everyone else always has and always is. You didn’t let my past be my crutch. You made me get up and fight for something. Regina- hell, you’re doing this whole True Love thing with me and you’re willing to let me see the vulnerability in you. You’re letting me get to know you. You’re letting me live here as if we already were together and already had this planned to be together. Regina- you’re willing to carry our baby. You let me in and told me you wanted us to have a little girl and you let that part of yourself exist, knowing I could make fun of you for it or hold it over your head and yet still after all my screw ups, you trust me enough to believe in an us. So, I love you and I will work to fall in love with you,” the blonde said and Regina couldn’t say anything. Being mute was beginning to become a thing between her and Emma. “ Thank you,” the blonde whispered before she leaned over and kissed the woman’s cheek and Regina’s face tinted pink as she continued to stare at the woman.

 

The thundering feet that came down the stairs alerted Emma that she needed to go. She looked back before she dried her hands and put the dish down on the stack. She folded the already crumpled towel and lay it on the counter.

“Ma. Ready,” Henry announced and Emma nodded.

“Bring something to keep you distracted?” She asked and he nodded.

“In my backpack,” he answered before he walked over to the table. Emma nodded at him before she looked back at Regina.  _ Something’s there. Something’s...here.  _

“I gotta go,” Emma sighed. “ See you for lunch, right,” she asked and Regina nods, dumbly. Emma smiles before she wraps an arm around Regina and kisses her lips, soundly. Regina isn’t surprised, in fact, she’s completely fine with it. She has been since they started this whole thing. Her eyes shut and she feels the kiss just ends too soon for it to be one where Emma doesn’t feel worried about something. So when the blonde turns to leave, she pulls her back and looks her dead in the eyes. Emma understands now that the woman can feel it in her aura that she’s somehow uneasy. Regina puts it to rest when she smiles at Emma and mouths the words ‘we’re okay’ before she kisses her, just shy of her lips and pulls back.

 

Henry is watching and obviously he’s smiling because his moms are getting there..slowly, and he thinks that maybe he and his friends don’t actually need to get involved at all. He tosses his backpack on his back and waves over his shoulder as he tells his brunette mother goodbye and informs his blonde mother that he’ll be in the car and she nods at him.

“Come here,” she hears Regina whisper to her and she obeys. She smiles because she’s pretty positive she knows what it is Regina is about to do and she revels in the fact that she has someone as concerned about her appearance as Regina is. So as the brunette is going through the little things here and there by retying Emma’s tie and then placing the silver clip on her tie before she makes sure the woman’s collar is straightened and her badge is on, Emma grins like an idiot because she feels taken cared of and loved. She thanks Regina by kissing her and for some reason this is different. It’s filled with joy that she felt bubble over in her expression to kiss the woman almost frantically but Regina feels the change and she understands it and she lets it swallow her. Emma is grinning against her lips because everything feels perfect and okay and safe. Everything feels like it’s supposed to and for the first time in however long, she’s not worried that the one stupid thing she did may end badly- no, she’s happy she did it now because something is telling her, that’s how it’s supposed to be. This is who she’s supposed to be with and she believes the voice. She believes her voice. She believes.. Herself.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After everyone leaves the house and it’s locked up, Regina heads into the office and does her usual with the good mornings and the meetings and the proposals and the settlements, but somewhere in between that she takes a break and asks Clara to do the same.

“Madame Mayor,” Clara says but Regina waves off.

“We’re on a break. Regina’s fine,” she corrects and Clara nods. She sits and Regina offers her something that she shrugs and bites into. The woman moans in delight and Regina grins.

“What is this,” she asks between chews and Regina rolls her eyes.

“It’s a cookie, what else,” she wise asses and Clara scowls.

“I mean what type, Queen Sarcasm,”

“Cranberry and oatmeal,” Regina shrugs as she looks at the container. Clara nods and reaches for it before she pulls another out.

“Can I have these,” she asks and Regina nods before she sighs and settles into her chair even more. Clara finishes her first cookie and dusts her fingers before she looks over at her boss and tilts her head.

“Something’s wrong isn’t it,” she asks and the brunette tilts her head from it’s position to regard the woman.

“Why would you ask that?”

“Because you’re taking a breaking and offering me cookies and sighing like someone is about to get their feelings crushed,” Clara said and Regina rolled her eyes.

“No.. nothing’s wrong. Everything’s right. Everything and everyone’s right,”

“So why the sighing?” she asks and Regina sits up.

“Did you ever think that something was just- too perfect?”

“All the damn time, but that’s because I’m a mess of a person and I live in a place where people believe that happy endings are these perfect things that just happen to you. So yes I’m always skeptical if that’s what you’re asking,”

“Well, that’s how I feel,”

“Like things are too perfect.. Or too perfect, for you?”

“Me,” Regina admits with a shrug. She lets her head fall back as she stares at the ceiling.

“You’re waiting for the other shoe to drop or for something to go wrong because it always seems to, even if it’s not with you. You’re just waiting for something or someone to not be perfect,” Clara says because Regina won’t say it and Regina nods because that’s why she hired Clara. To say what she can’t. Do what she can’t and like she admitted before the woman was cute and not the annoying kind of cute either. They’re silent because usually when Clara says what Regina’s thinking, they fall silent and they just let it stick until Regina sighs, stands and tells Clara thank you. Clara pretends she doesn’t know what Regina’s on about and they get back to work, but today, that’s not the case. Regina doesn’t tell her thank you, instead she tells Clara she’s wise and Clara smiles because that’s new to her. Regina also tells her to take the rest of the day off because Clara could use it and Casey could use her mother and Clara makes a move to argue but Regina doesn’t let her. She tells her that she can bring Casey back to Town Hall if she would like, or she could spend the day with her child on her first day out of the hospital and Clara is surprised because she didn’t tell her boss this, but it just proves how much Regina cares. She takes the offer but tells Regina she’s bringing Casey by to see her and Regina says she looks forward to it because she is looking forward to it.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Little John, the angels have shined down on your life today,” Emma grins as she walks through the doors with her lanky son behind her and the man looks on confused.

“How, I’m still here,” he complained and Emma rolled her eyes.

“Kid’s with me today, so you can go home and get some rest,” she pointed her thumb at Henry who waved at Little John. He smiled and waved back before he stood.

“Are you serious,” he asked as he walked over to them and Emma nods in absolute which in turn makes the man smile.

“Thank you,” he whispers and she pats his back.

“No problem, but I suggest you actually find an apartment, that way, Robin won’t be taking you on any misadventures through the forest, again,” Emma grinned and Little John grunted.

“You have no idea how badly I wanted to punch him yesterday. He’s always trying to scour the place and there’s no one there. Ever,” the man shakes his head.

“Look for four walls, indoor plumbing and an actual bed and you’re golden,” she says once more as she pats his back again. He nods before he pats Henry’s shoulder.

“Good luck, deputy,” he salutes and the boy salutes back. “ You gonna need a shirt though,” he points out and Emma nods.

“Already got it under control. He’ll wear one of mines. Everyone else’s is too big for him,”

“Good choice,” the man says. “ Well, I’m out. Again, Swan. Thank you,” he says and she shakes her head.

“You need the rest,” she shrugs and Little John is not one to be overly affectionate, but he hugs her and he hugs her with intent.

“You are a gem,” he tells her before he picks up his things and is out the precinct. Emma shakes her head and pulls out a shirt for Henry to put on and he does before he sits behind the desk and his first question is.

“So.. what’s my job?” For which his mother laughs and begins delegating.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Lunch rolls around and she takes Henry with her to pick something up from home before they head into Town Hall and towards Regina’s office. Henry knocks and Regina walks toward the door and answers it because she already knows who it is. Upon sight, she smiles because two of her favourite people are matching in their little police uniforms and she can’t help but smile at them. The dark blue of the shirt really did go well with Henry’s skin tone and the black skinny tie with the silver clip added to it.

“Officers,” she addressed them and snickered because both of them were wearing aviators.

“Ma’am,” Henry said in an all serious tone. “ We have a warrant out for your arrest,” Henry continues.

“But I’m innocent I tell you,” Regina says as she plays along and tries not to break character.

“Says here, you haven’t cashed in on your lunch yet with your future wife and son, therefore we have a court ordered warrant to take you into custody and out for a nice meal to the park,” Emma informed as she showed Regina the actual warrant form, signed and all. She’s gonna have to frame that warrant, now.

“Well, I guess if I have to, I must,” she conceded and Emma breaks character to inform her.

“The Kid wrote it up. First thing I teach him and he decides to use it on you,” she shakes her head but Regina is smiling because Emma teaching Henry something is a breath of fresh air and Henry putting it to use is another, but she also knows it makes Emma feel proud of herself.

“I’m glad he understands the importance of a warrant, now,” Regina says simply before she picks up her bag and coat and they get the hint to leave.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The trio have lunch together because they can and they all just wanted to be together for once. It felt nice and Henry was starting to see that this is what he misses in school. Whilst he and his friends think his mothers are literally skittish kittens around one another, it turns out, they aren’t. They’re making jokes and laughing and sitting very very close to one another. They pick on each other in a playful way and compliment one another seriously. He notices that they do talk, but it’s not just any kind of talking. It’s a silent conversation in the way they look at one another in adoration and appreciation without having to voice it because it shouldn’t always require words, and that’s something he realizes he misses when he’s in school. They are doing something, but they’re doing it at a pace where they grow to know one another.. They’re being a team and they’re working together.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Henry has to leave because he has an appointment to get to with the hair dresser because he’s positive that a hairdresser would cut his hair the way he wants it, better than a barber. He also has another appointment to go to, but he’ll do that after. His mothers drop him off and head back to the office where little Casey darts to Regina and launches herself into the woman’s arms. Regina is quick to catch her and hug her close and grin. Casey yammers about how happy she is that she’s out of the hospital and Regina and her just go off on a walk around the place as Clara watches Emma watch Regina with that look Henry saw earlier, but Emma looked like  a lovesick pup at that point even though she wasn’t.  _ Maybe she just looks at everyone like that. _ She waits for Regina to have her moments with Casey before she walks the woman back to her office. They talk for a bit longer until they someone manage in a tangle of goodbyes that turn into Emma pulling Reigna in and kissing her. It’s heated, but with both women, it’s not fuelled by sexual want or emotional attachment. It’s literally just become a thing they do. She pulls away and smiles like a shy teenager before she waves over her shoulder and Regina’s waving back.

“See you at home?” The question is asked and there’s a smile. It’s as genuine as the head nod she receives and it’s more than enough.

“Home.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Mulan’s at the station and so is her dad, which means it’s almost time for her to knock off from work, something she is wholeheartedly ready for. 

“Good lunch,” the woman asks her because the dopey smile on her face gives it away and she shrugs with a noncommittal flow to it because she isn’t giving away special details.

“Maybe,” she says and Mulan rolls her eyes but she’s smiling.

“She had a good lunch,” her father concludes. “ Talk around town of the mayor and her fiance out and about with their teenaged son doesn’t happen quite often,” David teases as he leans against her desk. Emma sits up straight at that.

“What talk,” she asks and he laughs.

“The usual anytime anyone sees you two out and about or with Henry. People are either gushing over it or betting you won’t last,” he shrugs and Emma deflates.

“Why are they betting on that?”

“Because, you’re engaged to the Evil Queen,” Mulan says as if Emma should have realized it sooner.

“Can you not call her that,” she scolds but Mulan shrugs.

“It’s not me you need to worry about. It’s everyone else who’s against. I don’t see her as the Evil Queen, it’s just what other people say. And if it’s not that it’s about the fact that you’re two women and that’s where I really pull out because I am not about to be put in a cell for rearranging someone’s face,” Mulan shakes her head and Emma sighs.

“I really do not wanna go through this again.. You know Henry mangled some kid’s face because of something like that,” she whispered and both sets of eyes widened.

“That was Henry,” David asked as his face dropped and so did his arms. He turned to look at Emma who nodded.

“I heard about that, but they wouldn’t say who it was. I’ve seen the pictures, the boy’s dad’s been threatening to sue…” Mulan informs before she leans back . “ Wait, you punched the dad?!”

“Yeah. He was a prick like his kid and then he got at Regina and I just.. Lost it. She threatened to ignite him on the spot, in the front of his son and I think we know she wasn’t kidding about that,” Emma said, rubbing the back of her neck and working the tension spot.

“How did it happen to begin with,” David asked and Emma shrugged.

“Henry and Grace were just minding their own and he shouted across their courtyard ‘How does it feel to have dykes for moms’ or something something like that. Grace asked him how it felt to be the school’s shithead and then it slowly morphed into a …. I have no idea what it morphed into, but it wasn’t just some simple fight.” David sighs and stands up before he paces. Much like Regina, that pacing was his version of rising anger. “ Dad, just let it go. It’s not even worth it. Trust me,”

“He’s not worth breathing. He’s worth the ass kicking I’ll put on him when I see him,” David growled but Emma smiled and he looked at her like she had another head.

“I love you dad, but seriously… he’s not worth it. We’re okay. I mean, Hen got suspended for a week, but we’re okay,” she says and he relaxes only slightly.

“Are you sure you’re not just saying this because you know I would go and hunt him down,”

“No. I’m not. We’re really okay.. Now, let’s get this stuff done. I’ve had enough talk about the walking pair of them,” she says and as per request the other people nod and they get to work.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

His mothers are going to kill him. No, they are not going to kill him. Regina will verbally kill him then physically kill him, resurrect him and kill him for real. Emma would probably just have that look. The one she was famous for since the beginning.That uneasily placed smile of unsurity. It was enough that he went out and he got what he got done to his hair, but then he went one step further and he just… yup, he was dead. Completely dead.

“I’m gonna die,” he says to himself before he nods, his lips curled into that knowing position. 

Henry makes his way to Grace’s because he has to go and get his homework and they have a project to get done. It’s enough that he’s walking, but the beanie he throws over his head will keep everything hidden until he sees her.. And then his grandmother because he’s pretty positive he’ll be needing to ask her for a few nights.. Or years of residence with her. So he walks and he doesn’t stop walking until he reaches Grace’s house and she lets him in.

 

“Okay, now don’t freak out over what I’m gonna show you, but,” he begins before he unwraps his scarf because he goes everywhere with that thing and shrugs out of his coat. At first she squeals because she thinks that’s his surprise and then he remembers. Cop shirt. He lets her have it because her reaction may end pretty soon. He hangs them up and walks through the house before he looks around.

“Nick and Ava?”

“On their way,” she answers and he nods. He sits, and just as he does, the bell rings and Grace’s brow raises. “Must be them,” she says before she leaves to go get it. Sure enough, they’re there and she lets them in. The twins change quickly before they shuffle into the room and Nick rushes over to Henry.

“I thought you died, man!” He says and Henry grins.

“Obviously not,”

“I really thought you’d have been dead because your moms would not have let you walk out scott-free for popping that dude in the face,”

“Dannon didn’t let me, but my moms were pretty okay with it. He started it and he got on Grace and then he got our family. So, you talk crap you shouldn’t, your face gets rearranged.

“Still,” Ava says. “The pictures are gross. He’s banged up, Hen,” she says and he shrugs. “ You don’t feel bad at all do you,” she smirks and he shakes his head. “ Good. He was a dick and I was waiting on someone because Nick just acts like he’s friends with him every time he comes around for money,”

“He bullied you too,” Henry asks as he turns to Nick who glares at his sister but she looks at him in a challenging manner and he rolls his eyes.

“Let’s not call it that,” Nick says and it’s because the girls are there, but they’re snickering in the background at him.

“He bullies him,” Ava says, because she doesn’t have time for Nick’s fantasmal way of putting things.

“ANYWAY!” Nick shouts and everyone looks at him.  “What’s with the beanie?.. And the cop shirt?” His head motions to the top of Henry’s and then at the boy’s torso and the boy remembers.

“Right.. Grace, remember when I told you I had something to show you?”

“Yeah, but I thought it was the shirt,”

“No. I just went into the station with my mom today- which reminds me. We actually don’t need to create a mission to get them together because they kind of already are,”

“NO WAY MAN! HOW’D WE MISS THAT?”

“Will you calm down,” Ava scolds as she thumps her brother. Henry shrugs.

“Everything happens when we’re in school. I realized that today,”

“So, we don’t need an operation?” Grace asks and he shakes his head.

“Nope.. but back to me. Everyone ready to see what I did?”

“Yeah, why not,” Ava smiles and so does Grace.

“Show us, man,” Nick says and Henry laughs before he pulls the beanie off his head and smooths his hair back. His friends are not only mute, but they are so silent, you can literally hear the cogs in their heads turning as they look on at Henry.

“I got my haircut.. And my eyebrow pierced.. And my ear pierced,” the boy said before he sat and looked at his friends whose eyes just followed him. Henry’s haircut was actually pretty nice. It was shaved down on the sides but the middle remained lengthy enough and he could style it in a pompadour or something 1920s kind of classic. His sides were nicely tapered, but what everyone was so busy staring at were the shining metal pieces that sat so comfortable on his face and in his right ear lobe.

“You.. are so-dead,” Nick finally got out and Henry dropped his head. “ So- sooooo dead, man!” Nick said and the octave of his voice rose.

“Is that real,” Ava asked wide eyed as she stepped closer and reached down to touch it. Henry nodded and let her.

“It’s all real,” Grace whispered and the boy nodded. “ Like really real?” she asked as if she wasn’t even remotely sure. He nodded again and then a big ass grin spread out across her face. “ Sweet,” she congratulated and he grinned.

“Dude, do your moms even know you were getting those?”

“No and they won’t know for a while because I still haven’t figured out how to tell them yet,”

“But dude, you put a hole in your face and another in your ear. What are you gonna do? Wear a beanie for the rest of your life?”

“It’s an option,” Henry joked but Nick seemed genuinely concerned. “ Nick, just chill. I’ll live… I think,” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

“This is bad news, Hen,”

“Maybe, but I already did it. I don’t think it could get much worse than this….soooo, can we get to this project cus I kinda wanna go see my grandma when I’m done?”

“Y-yeah, sure dude,” Nick mumbled and the four teens got to work.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Honey I’m Hooooooome,” Emma sang as she walked through the door of the mansion. She could do that because Regina’s car was already there and she was sure Regina was in earshot. Sure enough the woman in question appears with a grin on her face and a tea towel in hand and as she dries them.

“Oh darling, how was work today?” She asks as she plays along and Emma makes motion of tossing her hat down.

“It stinks,” she says in an old voice. “Working with people is a stress I tell ya,” she continued and Regina has to keep her mouth covered because she doesn’t want to break character. It all adds to it because she has on an apron and Emma has on one of those really predictable cop shirts and it’s all laughable. Regina puts her hand akimbo as she talks.

“Well dear, I’ll make your favourite and give you a good massage after. How’s that sound?” She bats her eyes and Emma smirks.

“Best dang offer I got all day,” she says before closing the gap between them and copying exactly what they did in those old shows. She pulls Regina into her and kisses her all over before she spins her around, dips her and kisses her again. Regina continued to play along and skips before Emma’s mind short circuits and she palms Regina right on the butt. They both pause but laugh it off and the joking continues. “ Where’s my little baseball star? Henry!” She calls and Regina swats her with the tea towel.

“Now dear, you know he doesn’t play sports,”

“Well he should. He’s got a legacy to uphold,”

“He wants to do science,”

“He does, huh,”

“He does,” Regina nods. Emma looks at her and gives her a face.

“Oh, alright. I’ll think about letting the boy get a chemistry set… so, where is he?”

“He hasn’t come home from getting his homework yet,” Regina answers and that’s when she breaks character.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

There’s a knock and it sounds distant. She groans at it in reality but in her mind, in her dream, it’s distant. The knock comes again, but she refuses to answer it. She swats at the air, trying to tell the faraway knock, to go even farther away. The knock becomes persistent, like a banging and she’ll be damned if she got up for that. She flips it off because she’s face down in the couch and trying to fall asleep again. She binge watched a new show and then lost her soul in the process. She’s got three different bowls filled with three different things and a giant ass bottle of water directly next to them along with some advil because she had a feeling she’d witness shit.

 

It isn’t until an actual stray brick comes flying through her back window that she snaps awake and nearly falls off the couch, swearing as she went along.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!” Cora groans and stands up straight before she stomps through her house and towards the backdoor. “ I swear to fuck if it’s another bloody stray animal on course to attack me, I am going to fucking snap Snow’s neck,” she seethed until she halted and realized that it damn sure was not up to her expectancy. “WHO THE FUCK THREW A DAMN BRICK THROUGH MY FUCKING WINDOW!” She snaps and receives immediate response

“ME, NANA!” Henry yells and she pauses.

“Boy,” she regards him and he rolls his eyes as he walks to retrieve a broom and a dustpan. He sweeps up the shards and she just stares at him as he does it. Once he’s done she looks at him, pointedly. “ What in the hell were you thinking, breaking and entering?”

“It’s not since you’re my grandmother. Technically I just destroyed family property,”

“Henry, do not make me string your scrawny ass up by your underwear.. Why did you throw a brick through my damn door?” She asked.

“You wouldn’t answer the door and I wanted to come see you,” he explained and she nodded.

“Yes, well as happy as I am that someone wants to see me, there was no point for you to smash my window. There’s a key under the flower pot,” she informs and he shrugs.

“Didn’t know,”

“Well now you know? And what the hell are you doing out at this kind of time? Shouldn’t you be home with your mothers, having dinner?”

“I would be, but I kinda can’t go home, at least not right now,” he says as he walks to her fridge and pulls out something to drink. Cora throws her head back.

“No. no-no-no-no-no. What did you do, boy? And in the police uniform no less,” she whines as she throws her head back again but Henry shakes his.

“It’s not anything bad for anyone else,” he says.

“So what is it?” She asks and he places the bag she now realizes he’s had strapped to him, down. He then strips of his coat and scarf before he tells her,

“You might wanna sit for this,” and she’s hesitant but she does and boy is it a doozy when he pulls the beanie off.

“Holy-,” she starts.

“-I know,” he answers.

“-Fuck!”

“-I know,” he repeats.

“What the fuck, are you going through a mid-life crisis or something? Why would you put a hole in your face? Do you know how much your mother will murder you and then me- and then you again?! She’s going to think I let you do this shit. Nope. Nuhuh. Hell no. I’m calling her-,”

“Nana, no!” He says and she stares at him.

“Have you lost your damn mind. Boy, your mother is going to have that baby early if she finds out about this. She’s going to rip that thing right out your little porcelain face and then make you wear the scar to school. She’s gonna fricassee my ass because you came here with a fucking hole in your face… and your ear,” she says as she notices the glittering gold stud. “ Oh holy fuck I’m dead,” Cora muttered to herself. “ So, fucking dead! Why’d you come to meeee!” She hisses a whisper.

“Because I thought you’d be able to protect me,” he hisses back.

“How in the fuck am I going to protect you? I can’t even protect myself from your mother and you expect me to what? Hide you somewhere? You shouldn’t have gotten it done!”

“Thanks, Nana,” he deadpans and she scowls.

“Do not get spiffy with me. We are calling your mother,”

“Fine,” he pouts.

“Ohohoho no. You don’t get to do that because the last time I upset your mother she nearly made me piss myself on the spot. I am not going through this with her.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma and Regina had made themselves busy with dinner and were having their own version of fun as Regina delegated tasks to Emma that the blonde fulfilled with exemplary work. Regina was proud of her but not more proud of Emma than the blonde was in herself.

 

A call comes through and they stop.

“It’s mother,” she says.

“Well, answer it,” Emma says and Regina nods.

“Hello, mother,” she smiles and listens to her mother. “..okay.. And Henry’s there, now.. Yes mother, we’ll be right over,” Regina says and hangs up.

“What was that about?”

“Mother said Henry has a surprise for us and we need to be there to see it,” she shrugs.

“You know what would be funny, if he got like a piercing or a tattoo,” Emma laughed but Regina shook her head.

“No it would not.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Her bell rings and she answers the door quickly.

“Mother,” Regina smiles.

“Regina dear.. Emma,” Cora says and hugs them both.

“Where’s Henry?” Regina asks and Coar points.

“In the living room,” Cora points.

“So what’s his surprise about,” Emma asks and Cora sighs.

“Oh, you’ll see,” she says and leads them into the living room. Cora sits far enough away from them because truth be told, the woman was still afraid Regina would roast her. Both mothers see the back of their son’s head and they can already tell it’s his near haircut. Regina and Emma look at each other before walking further into the room.

“Hey Kid,” Emma says and the boy’s body goes rigid. He turns his head just slightly and neither of his mom’s miss the slight shimmer of metal in his ear. Regina’s mouth falls open and Emma’s eyes widen. Henry stands up and turns around completely and Regina just about passes out when she spots the eyebrow piercing. Emma is there to catch her but the look she maintains is priceless.

“Kid..” his blonde mother swallows. “ Please tell me those are.. Like, not real,” Emma begs but Henry uneasily shakes his head. “ Henry,” Emma manages. “ They’re-they’re.. real?” He nods and she swallows thickly. “Okay.. okay, umm.. Why?” Is all she can ask but he doesn’t necessarily have an answer and his brunette mother closes the space between them before she looks closely at his face.

“Oh My God. It’s real,” she says and Henry nods as if to tell her yes even though he’s more than positive she’s sure they’re real. “ You put a hole in your eyebrow.. And your ear,” Regina says and he nods, slowly.

“Going through a mid-life crisis here, Kid?” Emma asks with a laugh but she really does not have the playfulness to truly be laughing at it. She’s shocked and that’s about all she’s managed to register.

“It’s the same thing I said,” Cora piped up from her corner.

“Mother, did you let him do this?” Regina accused and Cora stood up.

“I told you she would blame me for this,” the woman said. “ No. I didn’t and here’s proof.. Your bad ass kid threw a fucking brick through my back door window because I wouldn’t get up to answer the door,” she clarified and Regina looked at her son, quickly.

“Henry did this? Did you do this?” she asked as she turned to her son and he nodded again. “ Why?”

“She wouldn’t answer the door and I thought you’d kill me over these,” he says,making motion to his piercings.

“You have no idea how dead you actually are for breaking your grandmother’s window,” Emma says firstly. “ And those.. Those, Kid, I dunno, but we’re gonna have a serious talk about those when we get home. Go on, go get your stuff,” Emma commands and his head drops before he sulks over to get his things. Regina looks over to Emma and Emma mouths that they’ll be in the car and she nods. “ Tell your grandmother good night and let’s get going, son,” Emma says and he waves at his grandmother who waves back. Once they’ve left the room, Regina apologises.

“Mother, I’m sorry for accusing you of letting Henry get this done and I’m sorry he broke your window,”

“Oh posh about the window, but you should know, I may have been a terrible mother, but that- that would be just too much to be  _ that _ kind of Grandmother. You’re worried about him and that’s all it is.. Now, go deal with it because he’s been suling for far too long over it,” she says before shooing her daughter out the door and then kissing her goodbye.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The drive home is silent because no one knows what the fuck to say and the minute they reach home, Henry is out of the car, slower than a tortoise. Emma puts an arm around his shoulder and for a moment he feels okay as she leads him up the walkway, the pair trailing his brunette mother.

“Go put your stuff up, Hen. Dinner’s gonna be ready soon,” Emma tells him and he nods. He goes up the stairs and she lets out the sigh she never realizes she’s been holding in. Emma rubs her eyes and goes to find Regina who is in the kitchen finishing off the last of the cooking. “He’s in his room getting ready for dinner,” Emma says before she sits at the island and Regina stops. She turns to see the blonde and her face falls.

“Our son got his eyebrow and ear pierced,” is all she says and Emma nods. “ I know I should be upset about this, but part of me feels as though, this isn’t rebellion,” Regina says and Emma looks up from behind her hands.

“I feel like I’m the one who’s going to be upset about it,” Emma admits.

“And you are allowed to be, but maybe Henry isn’t rebelling. Maybe he just wanted something different.. Like how we are,”

“Regina, that’s different. We’re his parents. He can’t get rid of the two mothers thing but he can get rid of those piercings. If he wanted to be different, why didn’t he change the colour of his hair, not get two piercings done without telling us,”

“Isn’t it you who always tells me that he’s a teenager and you just said it today, he’s a kid, he’s prone to search for danger, not file annual expenses,”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” the blonde says as she drops her head again and Regina walks over to her. The brunette places a hand to her back and rubs.

“We have to talk to him about this,”

“I really do not want to right now,” Emma says but Regina kisses her head and tells her,

“We have to. He’s our son and he did this for a reason. We need to know what that reason is.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Dinner is ready and Regina summons Henry who comes down with a blatant hesitance in his walk and they can understand why, but he still comes to the table and he sits. He just doesn’t say anything when he does sit.

“Kid,” Emma begins and he can already feel his anxiety smack him as he fidgets in his chair. Emma never starts and her starting means she’s not okay with it. “ Your mom and I had a talk before you came down and we just wanna know… why did you get them done?”

“I-I don’t know,” he answers at first, but then he looks over at his brunette mother who isn’t angry. She speaks.

“Sweetheart, we honestly just want to know if you did it for any specific reason, so that we can fix it. Was it for attention?” He shakes his head. “ Are you upset with us?” He shakes his head again.

“So, why, Henry?” Emma asks.

“I just wanted to be different, I guess,” he says and his mothers look at him because they can see that it’s more than that. “ Something in my mind just.. It snapped and I didn’t want to be the same anymore.. I just, I wanted to do something that didn’t need magic. I wanted to feel alive and the only way I could do that was to cut my hair the way I did and get these done,”

“It is a very nice haircut,” Regina says as she smiles at him and he would smile back but Emma’s still lost on the issue.

“Henry, you could’ve gotten something from those. Do you know how unsterile most places are and you went and got it done, without telling us. Kid, if you wanna be different and feel alive, colour your hair, wear dark make up, but don’t go out and do something as asinine as this,” Emma scolds.

“Emma,” Regina says and the woman glares at her.

“No, Regina. You’re going to let him get away with this kind of behaviour. You do realize our son. Our fifteen year old son went ahead and got his eyebrow and his ear pierced from God knows where,”

“I do see that and I’m not letting him get away with anyway. It’s expression, Emma. Something he should be able to do freely considering he has two mothers and we already are out of the ordinary as the homophobes of this town put it. Henry is a teenager and he is expressing himself and yes he did a stupidly reckless thing, but are we both really going to crucify him for something as small as this when in reality, you and I have done so much worse?”

“This isn’t about us,”

“Well it should be, because we both did something we shouldn’t have at his age. I am in no way giving him a free pass, but whatever happened to your free spirit. You were supposed to be the one telling me to let him express himself,”

“He could have done that without sneaking behind our backs and meeting someone who shouldn’t be piercing minors. Henry doesn’t know about the risks of what he could have caught if they person pierced him wrong. That’s my issue. You wanna express yourself. Do it with common sense and safety, not reckless abandon,” Emma bit out and Henry watched his mothers argue back and forth over the issue before his eyes watered.

“Moms,” he choked out and they stopped. “ Please don’t fight.. I’m sorry.. I- I just wanted.. I just wanted to see what it felt like to have fun that didn’t involve magic. To express the change I feel inside without someone doing it for me. I just.. I just wanted to be me… and I feel more me, but if this makes you two argue, I’ll take them out,” he says.

“No you won’t,” Regina says as she looks at Emma, daring her to change that. Emma all but glares and sighs as she folds her arms. “Sweetheart, the reason your mother is so upset isn’t because of what you did. It’s because of the fact that you never mentioned that you wanted to do this and you did it in secret as well as the fact that whoever put them in, did something illegal. We thought you talked to us and this feels like you’re slipping away from us and we’re just concerned. She’s concerned because she is correct, had they not done it right or had they not done it in a sterile environment you could have quite possibly ended up with something that would lead to infections and other things. We love you and all we want is for you to tell us these things before you make a decision to do something as drastic as that, okay?”

“Okay,” he answers and nods.

“Good, let’s eat dinner,” Regina says and they do, but it’s done with sparse conversation and Emma’s a pouty bot but she realizes that Regina was right. Regina still gave her credit about her concerns, but Regina was right about the situation.

 

After they finish the dishes, Henry washes up and Regina conjures up some cotton balls, dettol, peroxide and alcohol.

“You’ll need all of those to keep it clean. Dilute the dettol first and then just dab it over until you can clean it better, okay,” his brunette mother said and he nods before taking them and kissing both his mothers good night. Emma stops Henry however and apologises to him but he tells her she had every right to be upset with him and he understands because he would probably be the same way about it. She nods and the boy heads upstairs, and shortly after, so do she and Regina.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They take their respective showers and Emma is laying in bed and staring at the ceiling. By the time Regina is done and climbing into bed. Emma’s light is already out, so the brunette kills hers as well. Emma’s eyes slid shut, momentarily and opened once more, the night sky cascading in galactic colours across the ceiling.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers quietly and Regina turns to see her face.

“Why?”

“For arguing in the front of Henry,”

“You were worried about our son. I can’t be upset at you for that or give you fault for voicing your displeasure,”

“I know, but we shouldn’t argue in the front of him at all,”

“We won’t always be perfect. He knows this,”

“Does he?”

“He does,” Regina reassures her as she scoots over and places her head on Emma’s chest.

“Regina, are we doing this parenting the teen thing right?” Emma asks and Regina giggles a little.

“I’d say we’re doing our best, why?”

“Because I feel like we have a whole hell of a lot more secrets we’ll be finding out as he ages,”

“Well he is a boy… and a teenager.. And your son,” she jokes.

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” Regina grins and Emma rolls her eyes but smiles. She wraps an arm around Regina’s middle and continues to stare at the ceiling.

“You think our daughter’s gonna be the same,”

“If I’m being honest. Yes. She has us for mothers. If she doesn’t have a temper problem then she’ll have an expression problem,”

“God,” Emma groans and Regina laughs.

“But,” Regina interrupts even though she’s laughing. “ She’ll also be beautiful because she has you for a mother. She’ll be noble and active and she’ll be your little twin as she walks around the way you do like you’re in the old west,”

“I do not walk like that,”

“Either that or someone rearranged a pole up your ass,”Regina says and Emma loses it laughing.

“Wowwww Regina, how nice of you,” she says and the brunette shrugs.

“I think she’ll look like you. Somehow Henry even looks like you, so I think she’ll look like you, ain’t that right little one,” Emma cooed as she rubbed Regina’s stomach and if Regina were pregnant, she’d probably swoon. The brunette yawns and Emma continued to rub her side.

“Good night, sweetie,” Emma whispers when she’s sure Regina’s about to completely nod off and Regina mumbles all adorable and completely conks out. Emma remains there for a bit and her eyes close as her mind flashes forward to their not so little tween daughter and her insanely long hair. She’s dressed preppy and Emma smirks, but then she’s got like three piercings in one ear and Emma whimpers because she’s almost positive that’s gonna happen.

“Stop thinking so hard, I’m trying to sleep,” Regina scolds as she grips onto Emma’s shirt and slowly drifts back to sleep. Emma grins to herself and extracts herself from tan arms and the bed and goes to get a glass of water. Before she heads back to her room she goes to see Henry who is reading and doing his homework.

“Knock.. Can I come in?” she asks and he nods. “ What are you working on,”

“Just a history paper,” he says and continues to scribble.

“Kid,” she sighs. “ Can you put that down for a minute,” she asks and he does. “ Listen Hen. I’m sorry about earlier, but like your mom explained to you, it’s not even that you got your ear and eyebrow pierced, it’s just how you did it. People aren’t sanitary or legal these days and they just proved one of my points by doing that for you when you’re not even sixteen…. I just want that if you want to do something, you tell us first and we’ll talk about it because I’ll more than likely say yes, but Kid, piercings are serious. Do you know how many people get boils and have to get pieces cut off because it’s not done right or they don’t take care of it?” Emma asked him and he shakes his head. “And that’s my fear that you or your sister would do something and not know the underlying consequences of it. What if your little sister was born and let’s just say she was as young as five and she saw you do something like that and then she thinks she can do the same. Not because something doesn’t happen to you means that she comes out the same.. You get it?”

“Yeah, ma. I get it,” Henry answers and she nods.

“I do like them,” she finally concedes and he smiles a bit. “Wish I had your guts, but I’m squeamish,” she admits. Henry is still silent and Emma decides to let him come around in his own time. “I’ll leave you to your homework.. Good night, Kid. I love you, Hen,”

“I love you too, mom.. Good night,” he answers and she kisses his head before heading into her own room.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma does as she always does and places the kisses to Regina’s stomach with as much care and precision. It’s seven. A number of completion she thinks and she takes it in stride.

“Egg, it’s day seven and there’s so much I have to tell you,” Emma begins before she goes through so many things with little Egg that even she is surprised at how long winded she’s become. She talks of concern and worry for Henry and for Egg and voices her concern of not being fit enough to mother them the way she should. She says she knows Regina will help her believe otherwise, but she just can’t break it. She can’t break the negativity she has in her mind when Regina excels at it so greatly. She tells Egg that she knows she shouldn’t worry, she knows they’ll be okay. They’ll parent their kids and they’ll turn out amazing. She tells Egg that she felt a flutter and she doesn’t know what the flutter is and that she felt a spark and she doesn’t know what the spark is either. She tells Egg all kinds of things and she talks until she almost falls asleep. It’s enough for Emma to realize she does need to sleep, so she climbs in bed and then she wraps her arms around Regina and she shuts her eyes. She hears the distinct laughter of a child and it’s those exact sounds of joy that helps her drift off into dreamland.

 

_ It’s definitely there. It’s a flutter. It’s a spark. It begins where we completion ends. _


	9. The Week with Henry. Wolf Laws. Two admissions. Eight kisses

Thursday

 

It was quite possibly Wednesday if she was counting the days right, but she probably wasn’t. She was never good at keeping track of the days or the dates, which is why her dad was on the receiving end of her constant questioning about both. He never minded telling her because to him it was funny. Maybe because he could never remember the months or the years either, but she didn’t know, or at least she didn’t care to know… Anyway, she wasn’t the first up this morning, but she shouldn’t have been surprised about that because she was usually never early to rise for anything. Though, if she were being honest.. In her sleep mind, obviously, she liked being up before the sunrise. Regina wasn’t awake either; and that- that was a surprise. Regina usually woke with the damn sun, every morning without fail. She must have been tired or just over it. When you looked at it, it was pretty fucking mundane, especially when you made the same breakfast for the same person for 365 days for the past.. How many years, again?  _ Point _ . Henry, however, now he was awake, for whatever reason, he was awake. Probably to do some work, or just eat something because at that age he’d started eating at the oddest times of the day, especially between midnight and the early hours of ghost interference.

 

The young boy had gotten himself up, cleaned up his room and set his bed before he opened his windows and curtains, showered and cleaned his new studs. Henry stood there in a singlet and boxer briefs and just stared into the mirror at his tall and yet, somehow lanky frame of literal skin and somewhat body fat. He was skinny, and he liked that he could look like a walking stick on any given day, but now he was a walking stick with two holes in it. He looked at the silver stud in his earlobe that looked right back at him and then looked at his eyebrow that housed a black and red ball and its silver ring. They stared right back at him and he scrunched up his face. He sighed as he cleaned them because he regretted them now-slightly, just slightly, but it was well within reason when the whole premise of him doing it was because he was a bit frustrated with things and thought to run and do the first thing that came to mind, knowing his mother- well the intended usual- angry one, would rip him a new hole. He was not only scared but surprised and scared that she was the one advocating to let him keep it and Emma just.. She was right. There was no point in saying she wasn’t. She was right. He did do something asinine and he’d laugh at that if he wasn’t being entirely serious with himself in that moment. He sighed once again and made his way out of the bathroom after throwing away the cotton balls he’d used a bit ago. He then pulled the door to his closet open and sifted through his shirts.

“No,” he sighed again as his fingers trailed their way through the offered fabric. “No,” he finally decided as he reached the end of the line with the shirts he had hanging up. Henry then turned his attention to his drawers and walked over before pulling the one that contained his plain t-shirts and graphic tees and just pulled a random one out. It was a Nirvana t-shirt. “Cool,” he nodded to himself as he threw it over his head and rearranged his undershirt. He then opened the drawer that held his pants. Today, he was going to show those stick legs because every single God damn time he went out, he’s worn jeans and he’s tired of it. So- he decides on Cargo pants and some sandals. “Comfortable,” he says to himself as he exits his room, and heads downstairs and into the kitchen. He pulls out some milk that’s left in the container and then he rummages around in the cupboard for cereal that he knows is rarely even there. He’s tempted to check the date because he’s nearly positive his mother would’ve already tossed it, but she’s left it there. “ Probably for Ma,” he concludes and he thinks it’s honestly the only reason because Emma usually does prefer ..”Frosted Flakes,” over actual food, on a consistent and daily basis. So he makes himself some cereal after getting a bowl and a spoon and walks out to the back yard and sits on the deck and he eats it. He’s not really eating it as much as he is putting it in his mouth and swallowing it because he just doesn’t wanna eat anything else. He doesn’t even want the cereal either but he’s eating that and it’s better than nothing. He sighs to himself repeatedly because he’s calm now and being calm is a good thing. When he’s done, he washes up the bowl, writes a note and he’s out the door to do whatever and be wherever his feet take him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Both women are asleep in the bed and they’re wrapped up in one another because that’s the usually unusual thing with them as of late. When they fall asleep, they somehow manage to end up with their limbs tangled within one another, and after a week, they’d no longer bothered caring about it. At least, the evidence of Regina not launching Emma several feet into the window was something. No one’s body moves for all of an hour and it’s truly a surprise, considering Regina’s usually up, dressed and just about out the door at that time, but she’s not; however, when she does wake, she’s exhausted and she has absolutely no idea why. Extremely, extremely exhausted is all that’s ringing through her mind and it just makes her head loll as she opens her eyes and stares at the ceiling.. She groans quietly and sits up, slowly removing Emma’s protective arms from around her waist before she rubs her eyes like a toddler and stretches out in the bed. She looks over her shoulder and smiles at the way Emma sleeps so peacefully in her bed. She’s surprised at this for so many reasons. Reasons she can’t even begin to explain but doesn’t try to understand either. Emma told her to trust herself and her emotions and so far, every single last thing had turned out okay.. More than okay, actually. Regina loses herself in thought over how easily they’ve fallen into a routine, and it’s such a simple and domesticated one, but it’s relieving to have something with someone you share a child with. They’ve come so far and now they’re there.  _ I mean, it’s still not ideal- _ she whispers in her head,  _ but it’s so much better than I expected. She’s so sweet and caring and she’s.. She.. she understands me and she understands how I work and she’s patient with me, even when I’m terrible to her. Even when I say these things that would make her cry if she hadn’t gone through what she’s been through. She’s gentle with me and she promises me everyday that she wants to fall in love with me. She promises me a little girl- a daughter. She promises me a happy ending and a happy life with her, with our son… and our little girl.  _ There’s a smile, but the smile is so enigmatic that it somehow wakes the sleeping blonde. She stirs and even though Regina’s still looking at her like she’s heaven, when her eyes open fully, she’s confused and she’s blushing because she thinks Regina’s noticed some embarrassing trait of hers.

“Morning,” she says hoarsely as she tries to sit up straighter.

“Good morning,” Regina smiles. “ How did you sleep?” She asks and Emma lets out a pleased groan.

“Like a baby.. you ?”

“Terribly, for some reason,” she manages and this gets all of Emma’s attention as she sits up straighter and looks around.

“Yeah.. I can tell, it’s almost nine and you’re still sitting here. Do you know why?”

“No,” Regina answers as she shakes her head. “ I guess it’s just one of those nights,” she says before she feels a distinct pain in her neck and rubs at it with absentness. Emma chews at her bottom lip for but a moment before she speaks.

“Turn around,” she says to Regina and the woman is confused for a moment, and that much is obvious to Emma as she looks at her. “ I’m gonna give you a massage, so.. turn around,” she repeats and Regina does as she’s told. Emma flexes her fingers before she slides them beneath the fabric of Regina’s sleep shirt. The woman immediately shivers at the contact, not because it’s Emma but because-,

“Your fingers are cold,” she only slightly whimpers and Emma has to keep herself from smiling at the back of Regina’s head because she finds the woman’s complaint, cute.

“Sorry, didn’t bother rubbing em together before,”

“I can tell,” she hums as she now feels Emma’s nimble fingers work through a knot in her neck.

“Sooo, “ Emma begins as she continues to rub little circles into Regina’s neck. 

“Hmm?”

“I wanted to thank you for being the logical mom last night when we were dealing with the Kid,”

“Uh-hmmm,” Regina responds and Emma smirks. “If you’re going to say how you were an idiot about the way you handled it last night, then don’t. You’re a mother, a concerned one at that and Henry knows you only mean well. I know you only mean well. He can’t get upset with you and he’s not upset with you. I think it was just the initial shock of me not being infuriated and you being.. well-,”

“-Pissed off,” Emma said and Regina hummed in response. They sit in silence for a bit as Emma works on Regina’s back, and then she has a thought. A question based thought.

“Would you go out on a date with me if I asked you?” she queries and in that moment she really thinks it’ll either take Regina a moment to catch on or a moment to decipher how to answer Emma without being rude. But the shock comes when Regina answers immediately, and that sends her for a tailspin.

“Yes, I would,” the woman answers simply, almost as if she expected the question in the first place, or was gauging how long it would truly take Emma to ask her. That in itself was a frightening thought

“Seriously?” She asks in complete and utter shock and her hands pause over Regina’s frame. Regina then turns to face Emma and she sees that the blonde truly is in utter shock. It doesn’t even make her bat an eye because she expects this sort of thing from Emma where the blonde believes Regina herself would say no without even giving anything so much as a simple thought. Regina nods at the blonde and Emma’s mouth opens. “Where would you wanna go?”

“Anywhere you’d like to take me. That’s the whole point of a date isn’t it? You take the intended some place where both can be comfortable, or at least- yourself and it’s in the hands of the Gods after that,”

“And you’re serious, you’d wanna go with me if I asked you,”

“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I be serious,” Regina asks and Emma shrugs, her hands dropping from the woman’s back.

“I dunno, I just figured.. Did Robin ever take you out?”

“In what manner, Miss Swan,” Regina asked and Emma could sense the somewhat wall that the brunette was trying to throw into the road.

“Please, don’t take offense to it, I just wanna know.. Did he ever-did you guys ever…” she sighed. She didn’t know why in the hell she cared so much about this, but something had been pushing her to ask ever since she and Henry talked about it. Regina’s lips are pursed because.. She’s defensive and the wall is erecting itself at this point in time. She watches the blonde who fidgets where she’s kneeling and her face falls into concern.

“Emma,” she calls and the blonde only somewhat looks up. “ Em- ma,” she says again with enunciation on her lips. This time, Emma’s eyes lock with hers and she continues “..what’s bothering you?” 

“Nothing’s bothering me.” She lies.

“You’re lying,” Regina accuses and the blonde deflates. “ You asked me not to put my wall up and I’m trying to give your questions the benefit of the doubt, but you’re going to have to talk to me if you want to get through to me. So, once again, I will ask you- what’s wrong?” It’s that authoritative tone, that mimicry of motherly aura that pushes Emma to answer.

“I just,” she starts out and knows that’s the wrong way. “Henry and I talked the other day and the topic of you and Robin came up-,”

“-I’m already disliking where this is going,” Regina interrupted. Emma just continued.

“Henry was explaining to me how he’s happy that there’s someone who exists now, that understands you. He was telling me how either no one else did understand or just couldn’t understand and then he mentioned Robin being a little..”

“Slow,” Regina sighed and both women nodded. “ Yes, well, I’ve had this conversation with Henry before. He’d asked if I think Robin understood me and I told him, in as much honesty as one could muster with the given situation that Robin didn’t seem to understand anything and that it was quite possibly due to his lack of experience from the other world, but then Henry made a very valid point that everyone here learned it instantly- well, the behaviour at least and they worked to understand it whereas he, seems to just be rejecting it and focusing on… other aspects of life or the ‘relationship’ we had,”

“So that’s a no,”Emma asks very hopeful and Regina bobs her head before nodding.

“It is a no,” she says in a voice of finality and Emma breathes out. “ But, I’m still not understanding  _ why _ you wish to know something like that,”

“Because I kind of.. “

“You kind of what, Emma,” Regina queries and the blonde shrugs. The brunette breathes in and turns her body to meet Emma’s fully. She takes hold of Emma’s hands and rubs her thumbs over the back of them. “Emma, just talk to me,” she somewhat coos but Emma shakes her head.

“I can’t,”

“And why not?”

“Because, you’ll either slap me if I asked or think that I’m being disrespectful,”

“I highly doubt that,”

“No.. you will,”

“Why?”

“Because it’s a bit personal… kindasortahastodowithrobin,”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“It’s about Robin, too,” she says clearly and Regina instantly deflates. “ See,” Emma nearly whines because she knows that Regina’s thinking and she’s not just thinking, she’s panicking. “ I shouldn’t have opened my mouth,” she says but Regina says nothing back and it’s making the blonde feel terrible. “ Regina, please don’t put the walls up,” Emma begs.

“I’m not,” is all the woman says and for some reason, Emma believes her. “What was your question,” she asks very calmly and Emma can’t seem to get the words out. “ Emma, what’s your question? Please,” she says and she sounds as if she’s begging the woman to voice her concern, probably because she was begging her to voice her concern. Emma’s head falls forward, arms come around Regina with a scared possessiveness and all she feels is heaviness until Regina is wrapped around her and rubbing her back. “If it’s something that’s going to haunt you until you find out. Ask me, I can either give you an answer or deny you an answer. And Emma,” she whispers and the blonde shifts her face so that her chin is on Regina’s shoulder,

“yeah,” she answers hoarsely.

“I don’t  _ want _ to deny you an answer,”

“Did you sleep with him,” comes out quicker than she can fathom her own thoughts. Regina doesn’t even freeze at the question. She doesn’t budge, she doesn’t gasp, her heartbeat doesn’t increase. Nothing. It’s literally as if it doesn’t even affect her. The words are like a whisper when they come out. They don’t come out harsh, they don’t come out afraid. They just come out and they come out in the sense that they’re genuinely saddened vowels and consonants that have been melded together to form such a sentence.

“I did.” There it is. Those words are words that just.

“When?” 

“When Marian was still a human popsicle.. Robin had.. he’d seemed.. off. He had told me something about still loving me or being in love with me and I’d told him he chose his wife, she was back and I couldn’t ruin his family. I told him to just leave it alone- to leave me alone. He clearly wasn’t as invested as I’d thought, but at the time I’d just assumed he wanted something more along the lines of two families and that he’d no clue how to juggle both. I soon realized that what we did was not only wrong, but it made me feel even worse than I already had over the prospect that I killed his wife in the Enchanted Forest and here I am, laying with him in the next breath. The logics of how our lives became this thing was too much for me to handle at that point. It was disjointed and it wasn’t what  _ I _ wanted or needed or deserved. None of us deserved that, especially his son… So, yes, I did sleep with him, but I regret it just the same and I truly wished that he’d never kissed me when I told him to just go away…. I suppose it just felt nice to be wanted sexually for once, because the emotions were gone, but that, that was the last thing I held on to as insecure as it sounds, I did hold on,”

“I’m sorry,” Emma says and Regina’s confused.

“Why are you sorry, you didn’t do anything wrong,”

“Because, you had to settle for being second when you should be first… you should always be first,” the blonde says as she holds on to Regina even tighter.

“Well,” the brunette begins. “I’ll be your first, won’t I,” she asks and Emma looks up at her and nods.

“You will be. Only you and it only ever will be you… I realized being the saviour isn’t just about keeping this town from consistently being in peril, it’s about being the one to help people find their happy endings.. find my happy ending.. And I’m going to have my happy ending because I think I already found her.. I just have to work to keep her,” Emma whispers and the air between her and Regina is light. It’s light but it’s thick in the same breath. The moment is cut short by Emma’s phone going off and she drops her head on Regina’s shoulder. She groans and Regina laughs a little as she rubs the woman’s back.

“Go, get it and come back and we can finish talking.” She nods against Regina’s chest and shifts to get out the bed and rummage through her jean pocket for her cell.

“Swan,” she answers as she looks over to Regina and begins to make her way back to the bed. She climbs in as she’s listening and lays up against the headboard. Regina lays next to her and allows Emma the time to have her conversation with whomever it was she needed to speak with. “ Okay.. yeah, sure… I mean, I have to let Regina know, but yeah, I’ll see what she says.. Yeah, okay, bye,” she says as she ends the call. Emma tilts her head back and sighs.

“Something wrong,” she hears Regina ask her and she kind of shakes her head, but not really.

“I dunno, dad just called. He said mom wants us to have dinner with them either tonight or tomorrow and he needs me to cover for him today at the station because she can’t get a hold of the babysitter to watch Neal and that means I’ll probably have to go hunt down the missing caretaker,”

“You don’t want to cover for your father or is it that you don’t wish to have dinner with your family?”

“It’s neither of those. I mean, the dinner thing with mom is just.. Yeah, but it’s more so I’ll be at the station until you’re probably asleep and I really don’t wanna miss a family dinner. I mean, our kid got suspended and then he went and pierced his face and I just think some form of normalcy that we can maintain shouldn’t be hard to achieve, but it’s already turning into that- it has been turning into that and I’m just thinking, what if I have to work like this when our little girl is born?”

“I’ll bring her to the station,” Regina answers with a smile and Emma sighs.

“You shouldn’t have to. I want my family home, safe and sound and I want to be able to be home for that. I don’t wanna miss days of her life because of my job, and if that even remotely happens, I’m quitting-,”

“-No, you’re not going to quit and you won’t miss any milestones that our daughter achieves. Emma, no matter how much you want to protect us at all, we can protect ourselves just as well, and if it takes me bringing her to the station just so you can see her, then I’ll do that. If it takes us coming to see you at the station, we will do that. You won’t miss out on anything, you’ll be right there. You won’t miss out and you won’t lose,” Regina tells her before she brings the woman’s  face down so that their eyes are levelled and when she does, she notices that Emma’s just on the verge of tears and she wipes them away. She doesn’t coo her because she’s pretty sure the blonde doesn’t want to be treated like an infant, so she smiles at her and she kisses her cheek. 

“Why are you so amazing,” she hears the blonde ask in a hoarse tone.

“I’m not, I’m just thinking for our family,” Regina says.

“And that makes you amazing,” Emma combats and Regina smirks slightly. Emma shifts in the bed and looks Regina in the eyes a bit better. “I have to go in to work today,”

“I heard,”

“Yeah, but I wanted to know if you’re okay with it.. I won’t be home until about twelve which means I’ll miss dinner and I don’t want to miss dinner, but I can’t take a break because I’ll be doing all of those files and I just..” She sighs.

“I’m okay with you going into the station to cover your father’s shift and we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it about dinner, but he has to take the time off to look after your little brother and we have to support your parents in any way we can, no matter how much your mother continues to convince herself I have you all under a spell,”

“Okay,” Emma agrees with a sigh and Regina nods before kissing her cheek.

“Good, now let’s get dressed for work, you have a long day ahead of you and I have an equally long day ahead of me,”

“Yeah… what about Henry, though?”

“We’ll figure out what it is he wants to do before we leave,” Regina answers and the blonde nods.

“Okay.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After both women are dressed and ready, Regina heads downstairs as Emma heads to Henry’s room. Regina smiles as she sees the note that’s placed so neatly on the counter atop a little saucer.

“He’s not in his room,” Emma announces as she steps into the kitchen and Regina turns with a smile as she shows Emma the note.

“That’s because he got himself up and fed and out the door before you or I registered the existence of life,” Regina responds and Emma’s surprised, but then again, she probably shouldn’t be considering he had to get up early every single morning.

“Did he say where he was going?”

“No, he just said he’ll be about for the day, he’d already finished his homework from yesterday and since Grace and the others are in school, he may just roam the streets,” Regina shrugs.

“You think we should just give him back his comics and laptop?” Emma queries and Regina’s eyes widen slightly.

“I don’t know, is that something you want to do?”

“I just don’t want him getting into any trouble, and if this keeps him from getting into trouble then.. Yeah, give them back to him.. At least that way he’s more likely to stay home than anything else. I need to call him and figure out where he is,” the blonde said as she shook her head and Regina held her hand out, easing Emma’s fingers over the keypad. 

“Emma, stop it, he’s fine.. you’re worrying too much,” Regina said.

“Yeah and you don’t seem to be worrying enough,” she bit out a bit frustrated. Regina didn’t retaliate, she simply said.

“I’ve had ten years, by myself, of worry where Henry was concerned. I know what you’re feeling, but I also know that Henry is a good boy. He’s a good child and he hasn’t done anything to make me believe he’s turned into anything but a very intelligent young man.. I have faith in our son the same way you had faith in him the first time you came here… Why don’t you go back to that faith,”

“Because he’s growing up so fast and I already missed enough of his life and now that I’m fully in it, I just see so much of myself in him, I don’t want him to be a flight risk. I don’t want him to not trust us with things he’s struggling with. I just.. I don’t want him to lose himself trying to be someone he’s not,”

“He won’t, Emma,”

“And how do you know that?”

“Because I know him.. He’s trying to find himself and find out where he fits in this world, in our world. Emma he wants to be a hero, like you. From the moment you came, that’s all Henry ever wanted to be. He wanted to be a hero just like you because you made him believe that as ordinary as we may all appear to be, we could be so much more than that.” There was silence.

“Why am I worrying so damn much,”

“You’re a mother. You’re his parent. You love him and you’re trying to prevent him from having to struggle through what you struggled through,” Regina said softly before placing the note down and walking towards the blonde. “Stop thinking so hard and just exist the way you’ve been trying to get me to exist. You’re beginning to remind me of myself,” she laughs a little and smiles when Emma does the same.

“I swear if you weren’t here to ground me, I don’t know what I’d do,”

“Probably turn into who I was, but trust me when I say, it was tiring worrying so much. Every little thing made me afraid that he would be injured or something that I’d have no control over,”

“But you have magic..” Emma said and Regina nodded.

“You’d think that would calm me down, but when you’re tossed into a situation, you forget you even possess supernatural powers and the human in you overrides your logical thought that you could fix it with magic.” Emma nods at that because she knows feels she understands it just a bit better. “Sit down and I’ll make us some coffee and something to eat and this time I’ll walk  _ you _ to work,” the brunette offers with a sweet smile and  Emma smiles back.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The pair finish breakfast and just like Regina said, she walked Emma to the station and straight to her desk and even kissed her on the lips, goodbye. Emma smiled against the woman’s lips, grateful in that moment so many other moments where Regina was her logical mind and she couldn’t be happier that it was Regina who was her sounding board.

“Sorry, I’m late guys. We ended up sleeping in,” she said as she looked around the room to her coworkers. They merely shrugged as if it didn’t phase them. Regina shrugged as well and turned her attention back to Emma

“I’ll see you later for lunch, darling,” Regina said with a smile after she kissed the blonde once more and then released Emma’s lips.

“Of course,” Emma smiled back. “Want anything in particular?” Regina shook her head.

“We’ll decide when you come, but I have to go. I’m already late and Clara is probably panicking over my whereabouts,”

“Yeah.. hey, can you tell her I said hi, and tell her to tell Casey hi for me?”

“Of course,” Regina agrees quickly and that makes Emma smile. “ I’ll see you later, I love you,” Regina whispers and Emma’s taken aback by those words with severity. Regina just rolls her eyes and whispers, “ I’ll tell you why when you come for lunch,” before she exits, throwing a “Good morning, officers,” over her shoulder and both Mulan and Little John whistle as they watch her exit with a sway to her swagger.

“My- My, the saviour and her queen,” Little John smirks as he stands.

“I’ve never seen someone make her smile that way. Ever,” Mulan interjects. 

“And not just smile, but the public display of affection is one that I wholeheartedly find to be.. endearing,” the man says honestly and Mulan nods.

“You did it, Swan. You made the Evil Queen show her true beauty,”

“I agree with Mulan on that one. She’s always been beautiful, but this.. Swan, you lucked out,”

“Completely.” Emma rolled her eyes and laughed.

“I know,” is all she says before she pulls out a file she’d been working on the day before. “ My dad called, it’s short notice but he won’t be in for the day, so it’s just the three of us,” she informs as she opens the file and begins to sift through the papers.

“Should we ask why,”

“Mom can’t get a hold of the babysitter and if we’re lucky we’ll be hunting her or him down by the end of the day because of her concern.. So, dad’s watching Neal and well, the rest tells its own story,”

“Ahh,” both her partners say and she rolls her eyes again.

“Get to work, guys. We’ve got a long day ahead of us and I have a long night ahead of me,”

“Yes sir,” Little John saluted.

“Aye aye, captain,” Mulan also saluted and lIttle John snickered.

“I swear if you two weren’t so good at your jobs I’d punch you both,” Emma threatened with no real venom.

“You love us just the same,” the man informed and Emma hummed.

“Maybe,” she said before she picked up a file and held it out for Little John. “ This one has your name written all over it,” she tilts her head in motion for him to take it and he does. When he flips the file over, he groans.

“Swan, whyyyy. You seriously give me my first case file and it’s the damn cat up a tree thing!”

“You’re lucky, mine was the division of land between two very old and quite possibly, very insane, old women,” Mulan grumped.

“Yeah, but this file has like two hundred unsigned and unedited reports of cats up a tree. I don’t wanna read the stories about this,” the man groans and Emma watches with a smile on her face. Little John glares at her but she continues to smile.

“Count yourself lucky. I had to listen to Withers and Smith complain about petunias and roses and daisies clashing and I had to break them up when they brought out the hoses. You think cats up a tree is crap, imagine trying to get two women about as old as dust to not blast each other across the lawn with gardening equipment. I ended up leaving them to rip each others hair out”

“What happened to your code of honour,”

“It died the day I stepped foot on the pavement and had to deal with them both. My honour and my control died that day because one of them bit me,” the woman informed as she rolled up her pant leg to show them and Little John hissed.

“Okay, fine.. You win. I’ll stick with my cats,”

“Yeah, and be grateful it’s just cats right now,” she said and he sighed.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hey, Hen,” Ruby smiled at the boy as she sat next to him on the bench in the park. He looked over and smiled back.

“Hey, Ruby.. off today?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “ But what’s got you sitting here like you lost your best friend,” she asked with a nudge to his shoulder and he shrugged.

“Nothing, really. I guess I’m just thinking about some stuff I did and probably shouldn’t have done,”

“Like the eyebrow and the ear,” she said knowingly with a grin and he rolled his eyes, playfully, but he nodded.

“Yeah. My moms got into an argument over it and it just made me feel really bad, you know?”

“I know.. But, you already did it, and in doing it, I’m sure you already knew something would go wrong,”

“I did, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad,” the teen said and Ruby sighed slightly.

“How bad is bad,”

“Ma. She got mad, but mom didn’t-,”

“-and you expected Regina to be upset because that’s a normal thing for her to be,”

“Yeah, but she was the one telling Ma that it’s expression and that they both did bad things and all of that. She defended me and Ma just kept saying what I did was reckless and asinine and-,”

“-she has a point but it hurt to know how she felt about it,”

“Yeah,” he said with a sigh.

“Here’s a question for you, do you like them?”

“Yeah,”

“Does your mom like them,”

“She’s.. Probably more accepting of them that Ma is, yeah,”

“Okay and has Emma apologised for what she said?”

“Yeah, she did, she just wanted me to understand that I could get hurt,”

“Well, then, there’s nothing else you need to think about. You did something immature that makes you look more mature and now you’re regretting it.. Don’t. If you like it, at the end of the day, what Regina said is right. Expression. It’s expression and you should be free to do just that. Your mom knows this, she’s just turning into.. Well- a mom. It’s normal. She worries and you’re a teenager, you’re going to end up doing even crazier things that are so much more secretive, she’d be more than happy that this was your first dumb venture- not to say it is dumb. It’s not, it’s just not logical in her head.. But we’ve all been there and we’ll all go through that with our kids, we just have to be ready.. Come on, I’ve got something we can do that’ll get your mind off of it for a while,” Ruby said as she stood and stretched out her hand.

“What do you have in mind, the boy asked as he took the offered hand and stood up. He let go and Ruby grinned.

“You’ll see.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I would love to ask where the hell you’ve been, but you’re my boss and would probably kill me with one of those sculpted brows of yours,” Clara said as Regina walked through the office and set her things down. “ Still, where in the hell were you. I had to push this meeting back with the investors, twice and they nearly left until you told me you were walking through the doors,”

“I was exhausted, I slept in, I walked Emma to work and came here. That’s literally it. And if they’re that impatient on investing, then they can just kiss my ass on that issue because they aren’t the only ones running to invest in our sleepy little town.. Thank you,” she said to Clara after a beat and the woman nods.

“It’s my job,”

“It is, but still, you go above and beyond and I am truly grateful you work for me and not my last Assistant,”

“Again.. It’s my job,” the woman says but she says it with a smile. “ Go, they’re waiting,” she says as she lightly pushes Regina towards the door.

“Yes, yes,” Regina swats her hand away and Clara laughs. “Emma sends her greetings to you and Casey,” Regina says before she turns back and opens the door.

“Gentlemen, what seems to be the issue,” she says in an authoritative tone that went with her usual smile, the pool shark kind of smile. That was the ‘I’m about to own all of you’ smile.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Things were going smoothly at the station until a call came through about consistent howling that echoed through the woods. Emma’s face scrunched up as she hung the phone up.

“Odd,” she commented as she stood from her desk.

“What is it,” Mulan asked and Emma’s eyebrow rose as she tried to think of a response.

“I just got a call about howling that apparently echoed all the way out from the woods,”

“Sure it’s not just Ruby,” Little John queried.

“Yeah, maybe she’s just got a bit of stress and she’s letting it out,” Mulan agreed but Emma seemed to think otherwise.

“I’d say it might be, but Ruby doesn’t do that...she’s never done it. She talks, she wouldn’t just go out there and scream to the degree that it’s all the way the hell out here,”

“Never know, Swan. People change,” Little John shrugged and Mulan nodded. Emma sighed.

“Yeah.. they do, but not like this,” she said before she plucked her jacket from the back of her chair. “I’m gonna go check it out. Keep your radios on in case I need back up,” she said before she was out the door, not even waiting for an answer.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is so coooool!” Henry screamed into the wind as the air reverberated against his chest at nearly fifty miles an hour. 

“Hold on Kid,” Ruby said in such a steady breath, Henry was shocked. She made a deep and tight turn and Henry’s eyes glossed over in awe as he and Ruby went through the trees. She’d changed into her wolf form and told the boy to get on her back and decided to show him the true speed of a wolf. She had to be careful because if she actually went her true speed, he’d have been flung off her back the minute she started. Henry buried his hands deeper and deeper into the huge coat of hair that was on Ruby’s frame and locked his legs onto her body even more as she dashed through, over and around branches, trees and rocks. Ruby leaped and her entire frame stretched to it’s full height before she landed in the river and continued down the stream with such speed that the boy’s eyes watered. “ Get, ready,” she said before she sped up even more and pounded through the water, large puddles splashing them as they went along. She took another leap and they were airbourne over a waterfall that was about a five story drop. Henry’s eyes widened as they descended. His fears washed away as he and Ruby continued the drop down the waterfall and splashed into the bottom of the river. They hit the water with ease but his grip gave way right before they landed and he let his arms fan out. Both he and the wolf were soaked to the core and laughing. He was laughing so much that he could barely get his words out.

“That was.. The best- ever!” He praised as he watched the wolf doggy paddle through the stream. She howled lightly and Henry laughed.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“One down, three more to go,” Regina said triumphantly as she exited the board room in City Hall.

“You literally just ripped them to shreds,” Clara said. She’d seen the way the investors walked out with stunned faces and crestfallen ones. “ What did you do to them,”

“What I always do, I triumphed,” she smirked.

“Yeah, but, they look like they were stripped of their manhoods,”

“That’s probably because they were.. they seemed to assume that I was a male- excuse me-they assumed the Mayor was male, so when they began and thought I’d no clue as to the jargon they decided to use in order to ‘pull one over’, I needed to make it perfectly clear to them that I’m not one to be trampled over.. So, those faces are the faces of men who now know the true fangs that come out when you anger a female in this world.. When’s my next meeting,” she says nonchalantly and Clara looks at her watch.

“In about a half an hour,”

“Good, let’s have a bit of a relaxing time before then, hmm?”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

She doesn’t get paid enough for this shit. She really and truly doesn’t.

“Well,”  Mulan said as she walked up beside the blonde, hands in her front pockets, “ didn’t expect that to be a thing,” she ended as she stood before the cell that held it’s two offenders. The blonde sighed and shook her head. She continued to shake it as she turned away from the cell.

“I don’t even,” she managed before she shook her head again. “ How in the hell am I supposed to process them like..  _ That _ ,” she asked as she stretched out a hand in the direction of the cell. Mulan shrugged uneasily before she too moved away from the cell and sat at her desk. The blonde sighed.

  
  


_ After Emma had gotten the call to find out about the howling incident, she’d gotten into her cruiser and made her way to the person who had called it in first and then she followed the sound of the howling into the woods . It took her about an hour, but by the time she did find the source of the noise, she’d truly wished she didn’t. There, up against a tree, having rapid fire sex, was some random guy… and the babysitter. If Emma didn’t blink about ten times before her eyes focused and she watched them go at it like.. Well.. animals, she’d be lying if she said she didn’t. She threw both hands up to block them, but her magic reacted and a huge cloud formed over their heads and dumped gallons of ice cold water on the pair. The howls they both let out rippled and echoed even louder through the forest as the guy clutched on to his member and the babysitter covered her body. He shook violently as his body turned a very tinted shade of red. The babysitter fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around her shaking frame. _

_ “Amanda,” Emma called with an uneasy look on her face and the woman looked up with fear on her face as she recognized the voice. “ This is why you’re not watching Neal? You’re out here getting a fix! My mom thought something happened to you!” She somewhat yelled at the young woman before she heard the guy groan. She looked over and rolled her eyes. “You’ll live, stop whining,” the blonde said and he groaned again. The pressure that had built up literally got a dose of cold water and his nerves were not too happy about that. Emma turned her attention back to the young woman before she shook her head. “ What in the hell were you thinking? I shouldn’t be getting a call about something like this. Your howling echoed all the way into town and now I can see why,” _

_ “Do you know how long it’s been since I last had sex,” she asked Emma as her body shook. _

_ “I honestly don’t care how long it’s been. That’s not an excuse for you to go missing and have people thinking that something bad could have possibly happened to you. My mother tried calling you at least twenty times and you didn’t pick up, no one’s seen you and because of you, my dad’s watching my little brother and I’m stuck in the station for the night, not spending time at home with my future wife and our son… you could have had sex in the privacy of your own home or just told my mother you needed a day and this would never have gotten to this degree. But you come out to the woods to have sex and then you’re not even quiet about it.. Robin and his band of merry men scour this place.. Everyday. What if they found you? What if children found you?” _

_ “Man, lady, just chill,” the guy finally managed. _

_ “Be quiet pink penis,” Emma shot back and the man laughed. _

_ “Just saying, we wanted to have some fun. You know- a little True Blood kind of fun,” _

_ Yeah, well, because of your ‘True Blood fun’ stunt, you now get the pleasure of being arrested for nudity and indecency as well as disturbing the peace,” she ended before she pulled out her walkie and phoned in for Little John and Mulan, informing them that she found the source and that they wouldn’t believe it when they saw it. “ Get up, put some clothes on and sit where I can see you,” she said to them both and the guy laughed again. “ What is it now,” _

_ “We ripped them off in the process,” he said to her and she threw her head back. Emma ground her teeth before she pulled the cuffs from her pocket. _

_ “Turn around,” she said and as the man stood, Emma looked away. She really did not need to see his ass right then and there. She cuffed them both and pushed them through the woods, the guy laughing and Amanda clearly embarrassed. Emma searched through the back of the cruiser and laid out a blanket before she set it down across the backseat. “Get in,” she said to them as she eased both their heads into the cruiser, “ and don’t.. Leak on anything- you look trigger happy,” she said to the guy and he just continued to laugh. She rolled her eyes and got in the front seat before she drove them back into the town and parked the cruiser at the back. _

_ “Hey, guys, can you bring me two of those thermal blankets..yeah.. Yeah, yeah in the back, okay.” She hung up. True to what she said, Little John and Mulan could not believe it. The man just stood there stunned and Mulan shut her eyes before she held out the blankets to the two naked people. _

_ “Honour.. Naked honour,” she said like a mantra as she turned away and walked back into the station. _

_ “Come on, you two. Time to get you processed,” the blonde said as the pair were taken out of their cuffs and locked in the cell. _

 

“You know your mom will never let her babysit again, right?” Mulan whispered as she leaned up against Emma’s desk. They both looked over at the girl who sat there with shame in her eyes and the guys still trying to hump at her leg.

“I’m well aware of that, but at this point in time I think she’s embarrassed enough,” Emma said and Mulan bit her bottom lip.

“You don’t think this was her idea, do you,” Mulan questions and Emma shakes her head.

“Not in the slightest… he did all of the talking and she just sat there like she went along with it,”

“So, what are you gonna do?”

“I don’t know,” the blonde sighed. “ Maybe call Ruby so she can help me identify which pack they’re both from or something,”

“Mmm.. are you going to process them,”

“I’m contemplating just processing him. He’s an instigator, but then that would be unfair.” She sighs once more. “ I don’t know.. And honestly, I don’t wanna see these two right now.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“That was so awesome,” Henry praised Ruby as he and the leggy brunette made their way through the woods. 

“I know,”she grins at the teen. “I haven’t done that in a while and it felt nice to just run free for a bit there… feel better,” she asks and Henry nods.

“So much better. I didn’t think about anything when I was out there.. Thanks Ruby,” Henry smiled at her and she wraps an arm around his shoulder.

“No problem, Henry. Any time,” she gets out before her phone rings. “ It’s your mom,” she says before she answers and listens, then laughs a little and then she hangs up. “ Come on, Kid, seems your mom needs my help in identifying two naked people.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“So, she has to work tonight,” Clara said as she settled a bit more into the chair in Regina’s office. The woman hums and nods.

“She does. The babysitter disappeared out of thin air and her father is now at home watching his newborn,”

“And you’re completely okay with that,”

“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. Just a question,”

“Mm, well there’s no need to question whether or not I’m fine with it. They’re her parents, he’s her little brother and I know how important it is to them to redeem that life they didn’t get to have where Emma was concerned..enough about that, when’s this final meeting?”

“Just before lunch with Emma,” Clara says and Regina sighs.

“How’s Casey,”

“Resilient,” the woman snorts. “She’s running through the house like nothing happened and she wants to take gymnastics and everything else.. We’ll see,”

“You should let her, you know. If it will keep her mind off of the pain she’s usually in, let her do it,” Regina said and Clara shrugged with a sigh.

“I just don’t want her to get hurt doing it,”

“Kids always get hurt doing the things they love, but you can’t keep her in a bubble for the rest of her life. She will want to do things, Clara.. You have to let her.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“So, where are the naked culprits,” Ruby asked as she and Henry walked into the station. He was still a bit damp from the excursion and his mother took notice.

“Kid, where were you?”

“Ruby took me out by the river,” he grinned.

“Yeah, took him for a bit of a run around the forest,” the leggy woman said. “ But, enough about our adventure, where are the culprits,” she repeats and Mulan points over at the cell. Ruby walks over and she halts.

“Adam… Amanda!?” She says and Emma comes up beside her.

“You know these two?”

“Yeah, they were.. Their parents were my mentors back in the Enchanted Forest. They were the elders of our pack. His mom and her dad were so close they acted like brother and sister- wait- why are they naked?” she finally questioned and Mulan excused herself from the conversation. Emma whispered exactly what happened in Ruby’s ear and the woman’s blood began to boil. “ Are you two, stupid! You know you could have been shot, right?! You break an age old tradition just so you could get laid!”

“Age old tradition,” Henry asked from the corner and Ruby turned to him to respond.

“Yes, when a wolf is in heat, much like a cat or any regular animal, they’re supposed to stay indoors and deal with it. But these two idiots went into the woods and nearly changed form, in daylight, where people frequent. We get shot at if we’re changing form and getting the headboards bashed in and these two know that- they just choose to ignore it. Emma had legal right to shoot you because it’s indecent, it’s illegal and it’s against the laws of our pack. If you’re going to knock boots- you change form at night and you go into the woods. You don’t.. You idiots!”

“Calm down,” Adam said and Ruby rushed the cell.

“Calm down? Calm the fuck down- are you stupid? You both could have died. You could have been shot and killed and you’re telling me to calm down..” Her head tilts. “ Oh, my God, you’re high...Amanda, you know better than this! Your parents are going to be rolling over in their graves because of this.. I have to tell the pack leader now-,”

“-Ruby- no, you can’t,”

“I can and I will. You should have thought about that before you decided to bareback it in the wilderness,”

“Ruby, please!” Amanda begged. “ My name’s gonna get dragged through the mud for this,”

“You should have thought of that before you let this idiot convince you to go for it. You both know better than this. You were taught better than this- your parents left you to me and you go and you do this. I told you both, the minute you do something as stupid as this- that’s it,” the brunette said and the girl began to hyperventilate but Adam was just grinning, most likely due to the drugs.

“Ruby, wait,” came a voice and everyone was surprised it came from Henry. He walked over to her and pulled her aside. “ Remember what you told me earlier about making mistakes and them already happening and it being free expression,”

“Yes, Henry, but this is different. This is something that actually goes against age old pack rules and could have cost them both their lives. They’re grown enough to remember that. They’re supposed to be the ones to lead the pack for the next generation and this is something that sets a poor example,” she says and the two trail off into conversation. They come to a conclusion to do something about the pair, but Ruby gave in. “ Emma, process them. You two, when you’re done, you’re both on probation, but I swear to you if this happens again, you’ll both wish I did put you before the leader,” she said and surprisingly enough Adam straightened up and Amanda nodded quickly.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Lunch rolled around and there was a knock to the office door, but no one was in the office.

“Ma, there’s Clara, maybe she knows where mom is,” Henry said as he pointed and Emma nodded.

“Oh, hey Clara,” Emma said with a smile, “ Regina’s not in her office,”

“She’s in a meeting. It’s running a little later than she expected, but she’s been in and out of them all day.. You two go in and I’ll let her know you’re here,”

“Thanks,” Emma smiles before she and Henry settle themselves into the office.

 

Clara knocks on the door,

“Madame Mayor, your fiancee and son are here,” she informs and sees Regina immediately brighten at the announcement.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” Regina says quickly and turns back to the table where a few women and men sat.

 

Regina quickly finished the meeting and sighed in relief when she saw her two favourite people sitting and waiting on her. She walked over and kissed Henry’s forehead before kissing Emma on the lips.

“Hi,” she whispers to both of them who smile back at her.

“Hey mom,” Henry says with a smile.

“Ready for lunch,” Emma asked and Regina nodded. “ Decided what you wanted,” she asked and Regina shook her head. “ Hey, Kid.. what do you feel like eating?”

“I’m not really hungry,” Henry said,” but can we go by nana?”

“Are you going to break another window,” Emma asked in a joking manner and he scowled at her.

“No.. I wanna apologise and eat whatever weird food she probably has in her fridge,”

“Mmm if your mom’s okay with it, yeah, we can go,”

“I’m okay with it,” Regina said with a smile and Emma nodded.

“Then we’ll have lunch with your grandmother. I’m pretty sure her and your mother would just love to know about the encounter I had today.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Ahh, the troublesome trio and my little muffin bun are back,” Cora teased as she hugged the three people who stood in her doorway before she rubbed Regina’s stomach.

“Can it, Sandbag,” Emma shot back and Cora scowled.

“I swear, you’re lucky you’re marrying my daughter or I’d string your little blonde ass up the hinges,”

“Yeah- yeah.. Trust me, you’ll love me after I tell you about this story,” Emma grinned.

“And just how do you know that,”

“Because, it involves a certain babysitter and another member of a wolf pack, going at it when they’re apparently not supposed to,” the blonde says and Cora’s mouth forms an o.

“What the fuck are you waiting on. Tell me!” Cora shrieked and the three women sat in the living room as Henry lost himself in the kitchen.

 

Throughout Emma’s story telling she’d realized Cora laughed little because the woman seemed more concerned than anything. When Cora had asked her about shooting both of them, Emma queried why it was a thing and the woman explained.

“In the enchanted forest, if you were a shapeshifter per say, and in heat, you were to stay indoors. The aura that oozes from them when they have sex can affect anyone and anything within a five hundred mile radius if it’s done outside. They have to seal the doors and windows and keep it inside, especially if they intend to copulate… It was illegal because it had affected many people in very weird ways, some resulting in death. It was an epidemic of a rising libido and the inability to receive that relief- so they had made a treaty that when it was time for them to.. Go at it, they were protected knowing no one would come in, but that they couldn’t exit because of it.. The howling was indication that she was having sex, that’s why it echoed that far out. You have legal right to shoot them both, however, you didn’t know that, so, you just managed to spare their lives. That’s why Ruby was upset. They willingly broke a treaty agreement, and back in the Enchanted Forest- you break a treaty, every agreement is null and void.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Lunch goes well- minus the new news Emma finds out about shooting shapeshifters. Henry does apologise to his grandmother and he even makes the three women something to eat. Salads and grilled chicken. Granted it wasn’t as good as his mother’s but, he still did a very good job and that much they could appreciate. He’d told his mom’s he would stay with his grandmother until it was time to go get his homework from Grace and they agreed. Emma and Regina got into the cruiser and Emma drove Regina back to work, kissed her cheek and told her goodbye. She pouted because she had a long night ahead of her and knew she wouldn’t see them until she got in around twelve, but they’d both be asleep by then. Regina kissed the blonde once more for reassurance and told her she’ll get through it and that Regina would be awake when she got home.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma had gotten into the swing of her second shift and opted not to call her parents and inform them about the babysitter and her sexcapades when she heard a distinct creak in the door. Mulan and Little John were gone and no one was in any of the cells. She made sure of that. So when she heard it again, she pulled her gun from the holster and drew it. Emma stepped out and around her desk before slowly making her way to the entrance of the bullpen. Right when she turned, her gun bumped into Regina’s chest and the brunette flinched and so did Emma.

“Sweet Jesus, Emma, put that thing away,” Regina scolded in a scared manner and the blonde quickly put her gun away and pulled Regina into her.

“I’m so sorry, I thought it was someone else. I didn’t expect you to be here,” she apologised and Regina relaxed in her hold.

“I’m sorry we scared you,” Regina said and Emma held her at arm’s length.

“We?”

“Yes, our son and I came to have dinner with you. We’re a family and we are going to eat like one with every opportunity we can afford ourselves,” Regina informed her, not waiting for a response. Emma watched as Regina walked away and took in what the woman held in her hands. She had two large thermoses and three travel mugs.The door let out that slight creak again and Henry walked in with three containers of tupperware and a smile.

“Ma, mom made your favourite,” he grinned as he came up beside her and she put an arm over his shoulder.

“Oh really, and what’s that,”

“Chicken penne,” The brunette answered as she spun back to meet Emma’s face. Henry settled the food on the table and pulled up a chair. He watched his mother’s share a smile as they both pulled up chairs beside him and sad. He divided the containers as his mother poured everyone warm apple juice. They ate in comfortable silence for a bit until Regina asked Henry about his day and he told them about what he did with Ruby and Regina explained the investors’ situation and Emma just replayed how scarred she was over seeing the babysitter going at it. The family continued to eat and talk until they were done and Regina sent Henry off to brush his teeth, Emma laughing that the woman made him pack a toothbrush, but soon her son was laughing at her too when Regina handed her a toothbrush as well and told her they were all going to brush their teeth. She pouted but conceded and brushed her teeth before she cleaned up their containers and packed them in the overnight bag that Regina brought. Henry found himself a cell to hang in and soon, he was out cold, only his mother’s awake.

 

Regina had decided to help Emma with the work that was before her and the blonde found out why Regina usually became so frustrated with those files.

“I have an entirely new amount of respect for you because this.. This is beyond belief. These are filed incorrectly, they’re outdated and half aren’t even filed under the right offenses,”

“That would be the lovely work of Graham,” Regina reminded the blonde who looked over at her and then down at his shoelace that was tied around her wrist. Regina having taken notice of it, motioned to it with her chin. “ You miss him, don’t you,”

“Yeah,” the blonde admitted. “ Sometimes I can remember him vividly and then other times I can barely remember him at all,”

“It’s the price we pay when we care so much about someone,” Regina said as she turned her head away and Emma looked up at her.

“Is that how it is for you with Daniel?”

“It is and I suppose it’s the same with Neal and August,”

“Yeah.. it is, but I’m convinced none will hurt more than yours,” the blonde admitted and Regina knew exactly what she meant.

“I feel the same way about you,” Regina said back and Emma smiled at her a bit sadly.. “ And to answer your dumbfounded face from earlier this morning on why I love you. It’s because of who you are and who you showed me I could be and who you fought to show Henry I was and am. I love you because you gave me something that only three people in my life have ever given me- and that’s hope that I will have better,” Regina says and Emma reaches across the table to take hold of her hand. Regina lets her hold it and smiles back at the woman before telling the blonde that they needed to get back to work. Emma nods and she and Regina work on the files until Regina’s yawning so much that Emma tells her to go to sleep. Thought the brunette refuses, Emma manages to convince her to lie down on the cot for a while and before she can blink right, Regina’s sleeping peacefully. She manages to get the intended files done before her eyes wander over and see that both her son and the woman she finds to be so beautiful even on a bad day, are sleeping like infants, curled up. She rises and wraps them both in blankets before she bends down before Regina’s stomach and kisses it.

“Egg, it’s day eight.. I think your mother and I understand each other a little bit more.. I think we’re starting to fall in love,” she admits and she has no idea why, but there is a strong feeling that’s making her feel as though it’s true.. “I can just feel it, you know. I think it’s either that, or our friendship is just becoming stronger, but I always confuse love for friendship, so maybe it could be that to-but- your brother went out and got his ear and eyebrow pierced and I lost it. Crazy, I know, but your mommy made me calm down and understand that he’s young and he will do these things and that we have to keep and open head and open heart about it because it’s either that, or he’ll keep everything from us… I also had the displeasure of seeing the babysitter have sex with some guy from her pack and then I had lunch with your grandma and she explained to me that had I known about the laws I was legal bound to shoot both of them… Oh, and then Henry went out with Ruby today, she took him for a ride in wolf form, but don’t worry, I’m sure when you’re old enough she’ll do the same with you- that’s assuming we’re not as old as dust by then… My mom wants to have dinner with us and I’m honestly not ready to do that because I don’t want Regina to be uncomfortable or roast my mother and serve her. I don’t want for Henry to feel uncomfortable and I definitely don’t want my dad to end up in the doghouse for defending us..I’m ready to have dinner with her, but with Regina and Henry there, I just worry she’ll insult Regina repeatedly and I already promised her I’d work to prevent anyone from ever saying disrespectful things to or about her and Egg, my mother never knows when to hold her tongue, but all I can do is try and I hope your mommy sees that.. I’ll talk to you later, Egg. Sleep easy in there kid.. If you are in there,” Emma whispered before she pulled Regina’s shirt back down and covered the woman once more.

 

The blonde had managed to complete three more files until she quit for the morning and shut out the lights. She kissed her son’s forehead and walked into the cell before climbing behind Regina and spooning her. She kissed the back of the woman’s neck after stroking her hair away and laid her face between the crook of Reina’s shoulder and her jaw.

“I can’t wait to fall in love with you,” she whispers and in that moment, Regina’s eyes open and a smile falls across her face.

_ I can’t wait to fall in love with you too, Emma _ .


	10. A lazy Morning. An early Shift. A family affair. Nine kisses

Friday.

 

It was 7am and at that point, none of the three people had moved. No one stirred. Nothing, The rays of a new day and dawn of a new morning had already sifted through the bars and window screens of the Police Station, and though it was obvious the sun was up, it was still appearing rather dark in their cells. Still, where location mattered, the location of the Police Station mattered as well, hence the dark morning look it was currently sporting. The three inhabitants had slept peacefully throughout the night which was saying a lot considering the cots were the worst and Regina- more often than not, would reject even the thought of sleeping somewhere where another person has been. However, where safety was, is where Emma was and where Emma was, is where she held Regina in her arms and the woman felt comfort. The cot no longer mattered to her by the ending of the night when she finally succumbed to sleep. The prior inhabitants didn’t matter to her either, and that was because she had Emma. She had the blonde woman to literally put a wedge and guard between her and something offensive and in this case, Emma’s musky cinnamon scented hair-wash and cherry chapstick with her vanilla flavoured skin drowned out every other scent that would have probably aggravated Regina once she tried to sleep. She’d also wondered, the night before- how Emma could sleep so peacefully in a cell that made you feel like you were being strangled.. And then she remembered, Emma had been to jail. She’d carried Henry full term in jail. So, the blonde was no longer affected by the smells and small spaces or the lack thereof when it came to feeling sympathy in the case of someone- anyone, who ended up in there. There was a lot on Regina’s mind the night before, but all of that was also before Emma walked into the cell and did her usual talk with Regina’s stomach in the late hours of the night when she assumed the brunette to be asleep. She never was- and that was for one main reason. She  _ wanted _ to hear the conversations Emma was having with their unborn, nonexistent, child. She wanted the opportunity to feel the happiness Emma feels about a baby they hadn’t even managed to make yet. It was still quite early on- but still. She’d wondered if Emma was that way with Henry when she found out about him, and then her thoughts tell her, with the way Emma beats herself up, she probably wasn’t happy. She wasn’t happy, and not for the fact that Henry existed, but that one day he would exist in his entirety and she could give him nothing in return.. and that thought, that hurt Regina deeply. So after Emma’s little talk with ‘Egg’ as she’s taken to calling their daughter, she’d climbed into the cot with Regina and instantly everything was warm. It was welcomed and even though the cot was about as wide as a slice of bread, Emma didn’t make it worse, she made it better. When her scent mingled through the cell, Regina could smell nothing else but that. She couldn’t register anything more comforting and .. spicy? than Emma’s scent. She’d always thought her own was something to be proud of because she smelt of Lavender and White linen on a daily basis, however, her body scent- her natural body scent smelt of.. coconut in some instances. So their scents mingled and boy if it wasn’t a fiesta of gay tropical flavours, she wasn’t precisely sure she could call it anything else and that made her laugh because everything they did or had to do now, would have some form of lgbt undertone. She was okay with it, but it seemed like she’d been tossed into some half-assed episode of a poorly written format of representation.

 

As coincidental as the situation of their body scents may have been, it still created the most divine aura and both women had slept in that aura.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

Activity had slowly began to show in the Police Station around 7:30am that morning. It was no surprise who the person was that had arrived so early, probably because that same person basically had the day off prior to, just to handle a toddler who more than likely slept most of the day. David had walked into the bullpen, flicked on the lights and opened up a few of the blinds that clatter when they move.. those were also blinds that Regina hated with a passion and yet, she put them in the damn station. He then went around and flicked on the lights in all the other rooms that needed it, set the coffee maker and booted up a few of the computers. He completely disregarded the fact that his daughter, her soon to be wife and their son were all asleep in cells because he’d already figured out why, even if they wanted to deny it, the overnight bag he’d nearly tripped and fallen over three times for that morning until he moved it and peaking tupperware container that he saw, would tell a different story. His intent for being early came with doing an earlier shift, this was in part to helping Emma cover an earlier one as well so that no one was late for the oddly placed dinner time. Now remembering the box he’d brought into the station with multiple files and whatnot, David rested it upon his desk and then sat in his chair before he put his feet up. He’ll clock into work in a bit, is what he decides within himself and knowing David, everyone knew he was bound to forget to clock in and out on a consistent and regular basis. His time ‘alone’ is cut short when his wife walks in with their toddler slung on her hip, and two different lunch packs. One is clearly made for a child and the other is David’s, so, as the woman decides to make her way over to her husband, her eye catches onto something- or rather, someone. Two someones at that. David’s already risen from his seat and walked over to his wife who just stands before the cell, Neal gurgling in her ear and eyes trained on the way that Emma has Regina completely wrapped in her arms.

“They look peaceful, don’t they,” he says more so than asks because he’s not leaving the room open for his wife to question. It’s somewhat of a surprise when she agrees that-,

“They do,”- and says nothing more. She looks longer and harder at the pair and just can’t quite shake them from her mind and that’s because the pair she watches reminds her of her and David. Emma and Regina remind her of herself and the way David was so protective over her. The way he guarded her every move, or the way he risked himself just to ensure she was safe. It made her smile and she wasn’t even aware that she was doing it until she heard David let out a soft laugh.

“They’re like us,” he says and that brings reality to her words. Her smile drops and he’s fully aware it’s the closest they will come to her accepting it at that point in time. Snow doesn’t comment because she’s winded by the reality of it in all honesty. She’s shell-shocked in a way that it means she’s surprised but she’s very aware that she is. She’s confused in some manner or another and just can’t quite place why. She doesn’t try to figure it out at all because she’s afraid to realize what other things Regina and Emma mimic them in. Her mind allows her to come back to her own reality as she sets her husband’s lunch down on the desk where the box lay and informs him she has to leave, which she does, but it’s also a lie that she had to leave right then and there. He lets her have her moment and kisses her before their son leans in and dribbles on his father’s face. He may be one, but they’d never bothered to break him out of the habit of doing that and the child seemed to genuinely enjoy drooling on other people’s faces. So, once they exchange their actions, she’s out of the door quicker than expected, but the man doesn’t try to stop her because he’s already aware- has been aware, of the way his wife works.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

David wiped his face clean of his son’s slobber after a moment and put his food away in the fridge before he began to unpack the box. He’d then decided to begin on the files he set before himself, mind you- they sat about as high as a jug of milk…. After an internal groan decided to bubble up inside of him, he dropped his head on the desk. He knew the more he looked at it, the more he would just whine about it, so he split them into piles and then they looked less threatening.  He continued to ignore the fact that his daughter and her family slept in the cells because it didn’t bother him in the slightest. Once they slept and could sleep comfortably enough, he was fine with it. By the time David was nearly done with the first file, he heard the cell door- or rather, the bars of the cell, creak just slightly to reveal his grandson, exiting the cell and running a hand through his surprisingly curly hair.  _ Must be Neal’s side of the family _ . The teen rubbed at his eyes and let them focus on where he was because he could tell instantly he wasn’t in his room just by the way the wind touched his body, but he also couldn’t remember that he and his mother’s were in the station the night before, that was until he opened his eyes and realized they were  _ still _ in the station. He sees his grandfather and decides to have a chat with the man. The man’s head is down as he scribbles on one of the paper’s and highlights something on another.

“Morning Gramps,” he says to him with a bit of a hoarse tone, but it sounds absolutely normal otherwise. The young man sits in the chair opposite his grandfather’s and waits on the man to address him. David smirks and when he raises his head, his eyes don’t miss the slight shimmer that goes off in both Henry’s eyebrow and his ear. Before the man can even formulate the thought to ask Henry the question, the boy raises his hand in an easing motion and says. “ Yes, they’re real. Yes ma and mom know. No, mom did not try to get rid of them- Ma actually got pissed about it though… surprising, but yeah, and yes. I’m allowed to keep them.”

His grandfather’s shocked. Hell, of course he’s shocked. First of all, sweet and innocent Henry just about hit a new phase of his life with those two things and the fact that Emma and Regina seemed to switch places on the anger scale was just as shocking. So he’s shocked, rightfully so. Still, the man’s mouth opens and shuts a few times before he just nods slowly, accepting and swallowing the sentences he knew made absolutely no sense in his head.

“Don’t be so surprised, gramps,” Henry tells him and the only thing the man can say in response is,

“How do you expect me not to be?”

“I dunno,” the teen shrugs, “but it’s not that big of a deal anymore… they did argue over it, but Mom explained why Ma was upset. I did a dumb thing, but mom really likes them and Ma looks like she’s warming up to them,”

“Is she?”

“She is,” he nods with a bit of uncertainty. “ I’m not sure,” he finally admits. “She could have just been acting that way so I didn’t feel worse, but I don’t know,”

“Henry,” his grandfather starts and their eyes remain locked like they have through the entire conversation.

“Yeah Gramps?”

“I’m sure both your mothers genuinely like them. Maybe not love, but like is close enough.. Truth be told, I like them and the haircut that doesn’t really look like a haircut right now,” he teases his grandson and the boy grins before it fades into a thoughtful look.

“You think?” he asks because after a moment ago, he seemed wholeheartedly sure, but now he wasn’t. David nods.

“I think so,” he tells him.

“Okay… so, can I help you sort through the files?”

“Do you know how,”

“Yeah, ma taught me when I came in to help her yesterday. She even showed me how to write up a warrant,”

“And my guess is you used it on Regina,” he asked knowingly and the boy blushed.

“Maybe,”

“Uhuh,” David laughed. “ Alright then,” he said before sliding a stack over to Henry. “ Show me what you’ve got,.”

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

It’s just a little bit later and by a little bit it’s just barely after eight in the morning when Emma’s unlocking the cell and exiting it. 

“Morning guys,” she manages. It’s a sleepy greeting, a very sleepy greeting, but she manages to speak and then she’s over at the desk, ruffling her son’s hair, already missing the full head he did have, and then she’s smiling at her father as she rubs her eyes.

“Good morning, princess,” he greets and she groans.

“Daaad,” she whines and it’s obvious it’s a whine. “Not so early,” she jokes and the three of them laugh.

“Alright… how did you sleep?”

“Pretty good, you?”

“I think I hibernated after yesterday with Neal,”

“He’s one, how active can he be? He’s still barely walking properly enough that he doesn’t look bow-legged,”

“Emma,” he scolds with a laugh.

“What?! The kid literally looks like he’s a little cowboy because he bobs left and right,”

“Can you stop making fun fun of your brother,”

“It’s my job, I’m supposed to make fun of him, that’s how you know it’s all love,”

“Right,” her father answers as he rolls his eyes but smile.

“Okay… so, Kid, how’d you sleep. I know it isn’t your bed back at home, but how you feeling?” she questions him and at first the boy shrugs as if he’s not really in the mood to talk to his mother, but then he answers.

“It was fine, aside from fearing I slept in the same cell where you found.. You know- yesterday,” he said in a roundabout way for two reason. His grandfather was there. The babysitter was involved in the naked sexcapade.

“Oh.. ohhhhh! Right,” Emma nodded quickly.  “No, kid, you’re safe, but I think your mom and I might have..” she shivers and Henry laughs a bit.

“I hope not or she’ll set the cot on fire,”

“As if I’ll tell her,”

“Maybe I should,” Henry cheekily said.

“Like hell you’ll tell her,” Emma joked and David looked on with an amused look on his face even though he had absolutely no freaking clue what situation they were referring to.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

Henry has excused himself from the conversation after a bit, which leaves Emma and her father to talk.

“Your mom saw you two this morning,” David tells her without looking at her, and Emma’s mouth quirks down. She’s not frowning, just acknowledging the sentence.

“She did?”

“Mhm.. she smiled for all of two seconds until I told her you both look like we did and she just.. Stopped,” he continues as he flips a page.

“You must have insulted your union to liken us to you two,” Emma says seriously and David rolls his eyes, but he’s not looking up from the file he’s set before him. It’s leaning up against the frame of the desk and propped up by his thighs.

“Doubt it. I think she saw it too and it just scared her that I was thinking the same thing, but was the only one who said it out loud,” he answers and rolls his shoulders.

“So.. you don’t think she’s mad about it?”

“Not mad, just… surprised is all.” Emma nods and he knows she’s nodding. She’s not silent for nothing. She’s thinking and in thinking it’s a lot to go through in her mind. “ You guys are coming to the dinner tonight, right?”

“Yeah..” Emma responds with a sigh. “Regina seems unaffected by it and Henry doesn’t really care. He’s off from school,”

“And what about you?”

“Me..” she says and her father nods. He’s now looking up at her. “I don’t know. I guess I’m ready.. I’m just hesitant about how mom will be with Regina,” she admits.

“I think we all are, but you said Regina seems unaffected… have a bit of hope,” he tells her and she smirks.

“I’ll try, but there’s no guarantee when your mother is constantly finding ways to get on her for no apparent reason… though, I guess it’s not all so bad. At least she’s not opposed to same sex couples,” she manages and her father snorts.

“She can’t be. She was raised in the Enchanted Forest. One of the most flamboyant places in fairytale land. No one was against it.. Well, mostly no one,” he says and Emma seems interested, but she doesn’t bother asking.

“So.. how’s Neal doing,”

“The usual. He’s fine,really. We just started him on a few educational videos for him to pick up on his own and he’s taken a liking to turkey and not necessarily in an eating manner, just in general,”

“Maybe he sees the beauty in them that we can’t,” the blonde laughs and her father glares at her playfully. Their conversation ends up getting cut short when Henry comes in and asks Emma when they’re leaving because he really wants to go home to take a shower and just be in his own home again. Emma lets him know they’ll leave in a bit before she rises from the seat.

“Oh Boy, kid’s gonna give me a run for my money,” she grins and her father gets up as well. He hugs her and kisses her forehead before telling her,

“That’s how boys are,” and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

“Yeah, I realized that the night he was at his grandmother’s with those new additions on him...At first I thought it would all be easy, but the minute I moved in, I really understood how complex everyone is. I have so much more respect for Regina because of the way she handles him because I’ve screwed up with Henry so many times, I’m grateful I let him go as an infant because I’d have messed him up worse had I kept him. I screwed up a lot and even when we argued in the front of him, she made me realize that I was within my rights but I was also insensitive to our son about the situation-,”

“-She didn’t blame you did she,” David was now asking and though he respected and loved Regina, his daughter always came first.

“No.. no, it wasn’t even that. We’ve had handfuls of arguments, but even still, she never once blamed me for them. She never once made me feel like it was my fault they happened. Regina, has told me it wasn’t my fault more times than she’s told me I messed up.. It was us yelling to her crying and breaking down sometimes and then explaining to me why what I said hurt or hit a nerve. She never once made me feel like I was useless and she realized I wasn’t and still am not truly good with emotions and how to handle them but I’m trying and she’s doing the same…. She told me the other day that she doesn’t want our daughter to only see that side of her or to only know that side of her because everyone around her always calls her the Evil Queen. She doesn’t want that when we argue our daughter thinks she’ll use magic to harm me or.. something worse,” Emma swallows and her father nods. “She just wants to be seen as good because she’s worked too hard just to be seen as the Evil Queen, still.” Her eyes are slightly misty because of the thought of the whole ordeal and her father just brings her in for another hug and squeezes her tightly.

“So, she wants a little girl, huh,” is his way of breaking the funk and Emma laughs tearily.

“She does.. She always has. She held on to that with Daniel, but she wants a little girl..with me,”

“That long?”

“That long… we need to get going, my kid is getting restless,” she finally manages to tell her father and he lets go. Emma then opens the cell door and walks into the cell before she’s knelt before Regina and brushing hair from the woman’s face. There’s a slight grumble that comes out.

“stop doing that,” is said so sleepily that Emma can’t help but grin and do it again. Regina whimpers lightly this time and when the blonde does it a third time, there’s no grumble, there’s no sleepy words, it’s a growl. It’s an actual growl that scares the living crap out of Emma because even though Regina’s completely asleep, it’s still scary as fuck how low the tone is, dangerous and predatory. Emma gets her bearings back in order before she’s whispering in Regina’s ear.

“We have to get going, sweetie. We’re still in the station,” she informs her as she strokes long strands of stray hairs from Regina’s face. There’s another soft grumble that gets the blonde to roll her eyes but she’s smiling. “ Alright,” is all she says before placing one hand beneath Regina’s knees and the other just shy of her shoulders. Regina’s arms come up on their own accord and wrap around the blonde’s neck. She’s never felt the lightness of Regina’s body before, but now that she is, she’s completely surprised that the woman seems almost nonexistent in her arms.  _ How do so many curves seem so light in my arms?.  _ She exits the cell and calls for Henry to get their things, which he already has and David decides to be poppa for another minute as he leans down to kiss Regina’s forehead.

“What?” he asks the eyes that are on him.

“It’s just.. Odd. You’re treating her like she’s two when she’s older than all of us,”

“But she’ll be my daughter in law, so this gives me a pass,”

“I never said it didn’t.. It’s just.. weird,”

“All of this is weird, Ma,” Henry says and she has to give it to him there. It all really is weird.

“Fine,” she rolls her eyes. “ Dad, see you later,”

“Alright, sweetheart. Take care,” he tells her as he waves and watches them exit.

“Oh.. and dad..please clock in,” she grins as she leaves and he hits his forehead with a laugh.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

Somehow the blonde manages to get Regina in them car without accident, drives them all home and  gets her out, once again, without accident. It isn’t until the blonde has reached the imperial staircase that Regina’s eyes have somehow opened and focused on the blonde with a hazy view. Emma appeared so lost in thought that it wasn’t surprising she didn’t once look down to see that Regina was ‘awake’? Once the blonde clears the first set of stairs Regina’s arms come up and around her neck once again and that’s when the blonde smirks before she smiles. It’s clear that Regina has done this action before before Emma’s heartbeat doesn’t speed up and she’s not surprised by the action. She doesn’t look down at Regina once as she clears the second set of stairs and lays Regina down in their bed. She instantly assumes that once Regina’s body feels the softness of the mattress that her arms would go limp around the blonde, but they don’t. Emma is pulled in and she just lets it be, but Regina’s also somewhat drifting back to sleep because her eyelids have shut and the brunette can feel her own resolve breaking to just open them back up. It’s a beat of silence before Emma’s against her ear, a chill running across the hairs in that area as she whispers,

“I need to undress you and putting you into something more comfortable, Gi, or I’m nearly positive you’d kill me for letting you sleep in your clothes this long and they get that wrinkled.” Regina’s ability to still register the words has her laughing internally because the blonde is right. Regina really would get on her about that. It’s not even a surprise to her anymore that Emma knows that or can guess pretty much anything and be right about the woman, anymore. She loses her control to stay awake and her arms go limp. Emma smiles before she sifts through her own drawer and pulls out a really old, paint spackled tee that had pieces of the fabric missing from the collar and hem of the shirt. She doesn’t bother to find pants because Regina’s asleep, she can sleep with no pants- so, she undresses the woman with care and tosses her clothes into the hamper before she’s before Regina, clad in only her bra and underwear. Her eyes don’t roam, they don’t linger, they don’t even register the birthmark on the woman’s lower stomach. She just sits her up and pulls the tee over Regina’s head before she slips her hand beneath the shirt and unclasps the woman’s bra. Emma slips it through the sleeves of the shirt before completely tugging it from underneath and laying Regina back down. She covers her up and puts the bra in the hamper. The blonde changes herself into some running gear and heads out for a quick three mile jog just to give herself a bit of a workout and in no time she’s back, showered and checking in on Henry who’s doing what he normally does with his laptop. He’s looking up any and everything he can that’s otherworldly that he wants to do and now can do because there’s no curse. It is blatantly obvious he’s showered if his room smelling like Zest had anything to do with it or the Drakkar Noir cologne he’d convinced Regina to buy him. His hair is swept back in a clean style and his piercings are also freshly cleaned. He’d just settled on a plain black t-shirt and some shorts he’d had stuffed in the back of his drawers and black socks. Since it’s a lazy morning, the blonde figures she can spend it with her son whilst she has time, so she tells him,

“Put the laptop away and meet me downstairs, Kid. Let’s spend some time together,” which he immediately responds to, happily. Truth be told, he’d missed his mother, both of them, but he was in school so that was bound to happen and they all had other things around one another to do which is why they basically only had dinner together and talked there but after that, his mothers were so tired that they just retired to their room and slept. It was either that or something extreme happened that just .. yeah.

 

Emma sets up the game console as Henry looks as though he’s prepared for doomsday with a giant carton of milk and two equally large bowls and the entire box of Frosted Flakes. Emma knows this is bad behaviour to be influencing, but it’s a Friday, he’s home from school and she just wants him to be a kid again.. Hell, she just wants to be a kid again. So, they have themselves giant bowls of cereal and play  a few rounds of Mortal Kombat, then on to Mario Bros and so on. Their gaming continues with ease as they also have a heart to heart and that’s when the interest in the games slowly deplete.

Emma asks Henry how he feels about the entire living situation and the True Love baby thing and he tells her he’s really excited about it, which he is, but his mother can see that there’s more to it than that, so she pushes him to tell the truth, no matter how much he thinks it might hurt to hear and he nods. Henry then expresses that at first he thought it weird because he figured he’d be the first to know something like that or pick up on it, but when none of that was a thing, he was shocked. He lets his mother know that he really does want a little sister because it’s getting kind of lonely and even though he wants to be their centre of attention, he knows his mother loves children and he just wants to see her happy.. both of them. He further tells her he was worried about the situation, not for himself, but for them because he knew how people got in that town. 

“I know you can deal with it, but it wasn’t really you I was worried about.. It was mom. She’s worked so hard to be seen as good and the minute this whole thing came up, Grams just went in on her and then that idiot who I go to school with got on her and you and it’s just.. It’s hard because I realize how much I was one of those people. No matter how many times she’s proven to not have done anything and proven that she’s changed from who she used to be, everyone still saw her as just the Evil Queen.  _ I _ still saw her as just the evil queen.. All I ever did was undermine her and look for every wrongdoing she’s ever done and held it over her head- but I didn’t get it then. I didn’t get it then but I get it now. She was trying to protect me all those years from seeing just that side of her because all mom ever wanted, was love. She didn’t want me to see what other people turned her into, she just wanted me to see  _ her _ and I couldn’t because I didn’t want to. She lied to protect me and I just.. She just wanted me to see the innocent girl who no one let her be and I messed up so bad, ma. I did,” he gets out and it comes with tears and Emma understands why. His tears aren’t going in vain because she gets it, she get it a lot because she was one of those people at one point too. So easily convinced that Regina reverted to her old ways even when she herself claimed to be able to tell when the woman was lying. The blonde is admittedly upset about it, because just like Henry said, Regina only ever wanted to be seen as the innocent little girl she never got to be. But that innocent little girl had such a dark past that it outweighed any hope for her. All the negativity and everything else was shoved down her throat and forced into her head. All the fucking verbal and physical abuse just pulsated its way through and into her life, seeping into her veins and turning her very image dark. 

 

Regina’s light wasn’t given up.

It was taken away.

 

Emma wipes away at the young boy’s tears and tells him that all that matters now is them trying and them growing from their mistakes and that life wouldn’t allow something like this to happen if there wasn’t a greater plan for all of them in the end. Neither notice the brunette stood leant up against the post to enter the living room, but it registers to them both when Regina places a hand on Emma’s shoulder, wraps her arm around Henry and kisses his tear stained face.

“It was because of you that I had the second chance to change, Henry,” she whispers against his head and he begins to cry once more.

“Mom,” he says in a choked tone and she shushes him before she wipes away the new tears that have fallen.

“It’s okay, honey,” come the words that makes the boy’s breath hitch and brings pause to his tears. Regina looks at her young son, still so wise and yet still- so naive in all his existence. But she doesn’t blame him for anything because she was much the same at his age.

“You heard all of that,” he asks her and she nods with a smile

“Every word,” she admits and  he swallows.

“I’m sorry,” he tells her and she’s confused.

“For what?”

“For being like everyone else,” the boy admits sadly.

“Can I tell you something,” she asks him after a moment and he nods.Regina makes her way around the couch and sits next to Henry. Her right arm wraps around the young man and she pulls him in. He falls into her embrace and she tells him,

“If you hadn’t found out- if you hadn’t looked so hard to prove to everyone that they were living in a modern fairytale world- Henry if you hadn’t gone to find Emma, then I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to change. Sweetheart, we wouldn’t be where we are today if you didn’t fight to find out the truth. You wouldn’t have had Emma and I wouldn’t have had you,”

“But you already had me, mom,”

“Not willingly. I just wanted someone to love me for me. Someone who didn’t see everything else someone tossed into my history because they all had control over it at some point or another. I never would have faced my demons if you didn’t fight for something, sweetheart and that’s why I don’t blame you for anything you did… I never could. I failed you as a mother-

“-You didn’t,” he defended but she laughed a little sadly.

“I did, honey. I made you feel crazy and held you here against your will and made you feel as though I didn’t love you or care for you all because I lacked those exact things as a child with my own mother.”

 

Emma just watches the exchange between the two of them and smiles. She smiles because it’s something rarely seen by most about how human Regina is when no one bothers to look deeper than intended. It’s only after Regina manages to get their teenager to calm down that Emma tells him to shut off the game and switch it back to the tv setting so that they could all watch something together. He nods and does as he’s told before he turns back to his mother’s and asks Regina,

“Mom, who’s shirt is that,” for which she looks down and then back up at him and says.

“Your mother’s.” He smiles before he looks over at Emma.

“Ma, you used to paint?”

“Umm, not precisely, kid.. One of the foster families I stayed with- the granddad painted in his spare time. He used to put this shirt on me because I didn’t wanna wear the smock and I’d help him mix paint and stuff. He got sick at one point so...” she trailed off and Henry’s interest peaked.

“What happened to him,”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t there long enough to find out,” she told him and he was on the verge of asking why again, but Regina shook her head slightly and he caught on.

“Okay,” is what he says instead and Regina breathes in with relief. “So, mom.. Pants? Or the lack thereof,” he says to Regina who smirks. He knows there’s a possibility that his mother had actually come downstairs with no pants on, but he also knew the shirt was large and long enough to cover her, at least to the knees. She smirks and it’s a knowing smirk.

“Once again. Your mother’s doing,”

“Why no pants?”

“Because,” Emma begins in change of conversation, “She was sleeping. It doesn’t really make sense to sleep in extra clothes just to toss em in the hamper to wash,”

“Mmm, I guess you’re right,” he agrees and Emma nods. The teen then turns around and slides himself back and up against the chair. Regina puts her legs up and tucks them at her side before tugging the giant tee over them, effectively covering them. Emma wrapped an arm around Regina’s shoulder and pulled her into her side. Whatever Henry managed to find for the three of them to watch on DVR is what the television had settled on and he felt the nimble fingers that belonged to his brunette mother, stroke through his hair and rub lovingly at the strands. He settled himself into his position even more and as they continued to watch show after show, it was truly shaping up to be a lazy morning in the Swan-Mills home.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina did end up scolding her family at some point about them not having proper meals when she spots the bowls of nearly finished cereal. Both Henry and Emma argue that there isn’t much left in the cupboards and Regina thinks before she realizes they’re right. She hadn’t been shopping for a good bit and figured that tomorrow would work as shopping day for them all. She settled back into her spot, Emma’s arm once again wrapped around her- after she washes up their bowls and puts away the other things, making a mental list to stock up on cereal now that Emma was living there. Not just because the blonde was living there but because she seemed to have a lasting effect on henry when it came to him eating the same things she ate.

  
  


It’s nearly time for Emma’s shift and she notices how late she could possibly be if she doesn’t get up, get dressed and be out the door within that moment.

“Shit,” she hisses as she looks at her watch and Regina sits up with concern in her eyes.

“What’s wrong,”she asks the blonde who shakes her head.

“Nothing, just this stupid shift.. I reeeeeally don’t wanna go,” she admits and Regina smiles because she’s more than positive she knows why, but she waits for the blonde to admit it and when she does, the brunette is smiling wider. “I was enjoying the whole family time thing we were having with just you, me and the kid,”

“I know. I was as well, but if you don’t go, there’s no one to cover for you and there’s no one there to keep me and Henry safe,” Regina says, but she uses the emphasis in her words to drive it home. “There’s no one on patrol to protect your parents and little brother. No one on patrol to protect your friends who’ve become family.. Your future wife-that’s me, if you forgot-,” she informs the blonde and Emma manages to smile “-our son and our unborn daughter,” 

“You just had to, didn’t you.. You know how I feel about you guys being in danger,”

“That’s why you have to go. You’ll be less alert if you’re home and watching tv with us and I’m positive you have a lovely stack of files just waiting on you at the station.. Now, up. Go get dressed and I’ll see you out,” Regina tells her and there’s an instant pout on the blonde’s face, all the while, Henry is smiling to himself about their conversation because his mothers are becoming more and more married with the days.

 

Emma pouts her way all the way up the stairs and Regina follows her up with a smirk permanently etched onto her face. The blonde rifles through her clothes that were strewn across the back of the vanity chair and she picks up her shirt before she grimaces at it.

“It’s not clean,” she grumps and the pout has become so cute, Regina can’t help but smile before taking the shirt from Emma’s hands.

“It’s okay. I’ll wash it, but don’t you have another?”

“No.. well- yeah, but yesterday I gave it to Henry to wear when he went with me to the station. I told him he could keep it after that because he was so happy to have one,” she explains and Regina looks unnerved.

“You need a shirt for everyday of the week, Emma,” the brunette tells her and it sounds like she’s scolding her when really she’s just concerned.

“I didn’t have the money to afford it back then and I just got used to only having to rotate between the two that I did have,” she shrugs, but Regina’s genuinely unnerved. She frowns before making her way over to the hamper, dropping Emma’s shirt in there and walking into the closet. The blonde makes herself busy by kicking her brown leather boots closer to the foot of the bed and tossing her jeans in just about the same area.. She rubs at her eyes and looks around for her watch, and wallet- and phone and keys before those are tossed on the bed as well. Emma sighs and drops herself onto the bed. She tugs her pants off and tugs on her jeans before she reaches for her shoes and wiggles her feet into them. She’s doing that just as Regina’s back out of her closet and removing her blue button up shirt from its hanger and resting it on the bed next to the blonde.

“Put that on,” she commands and Emma looks over at the shirt before looking up at Regina.

“I can’t,” she sighs and continues to shove her feet into her shoes.

“Well you can’t very well go topless, now can you? I’m not for everyone else seeing the parts of you that even I have yet to see,” Regina says and Emma would have made some cute and witty comeback about that, but she was too focused on the issue at hand.. or at least, what she considered and issue.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not my work shirt,” the blonde explains.

“No one cares whether you wear your workshirt or not, Emma,”

“I do,” 

“But why? What’s so important about  _ that _ shirt,” Regina queries and Emma has risen from her spot before she’s taking her own top off and walking into the walk-in closet, Regina following behind her.

“It’s just.. It’s not my shirt, okay,”

“No. Not okay. What’s the difference if you wear a blue shirt that covers you just as well as the other?” Regina pushes and Emma grinds her teeth

“It’s not about the shirt,” she bites out and Regina’s confused.

“Then what is it?” The blonde sighs as her anger dissipates. She turns to see Regina’s dark brown orbs glisten with question and she breaks. She walks out of the closet and picks the shirt up.

“What do you notice about this shirt,” she asks and Regina smartly answers.

“It’s blue and made from cotton,”

“Be serious,” Emma pouts and Regina smirks. 

“I am. You asked me what I noticed about the shirt and I told you,”

“Fine. What do you notice- in difference, this shirt has with my cop shirt?”

“Nothing past its usual amenities,”

“Yeah, so that’s my problem,” the blonde says before tossing the shirt down and once again walking into the closet. Regina is definitely following her by this point.

“You have an issue with a shirt that’s missing a few loops and silver clips?” Regina asks in a very odd tone that Emma can’t quite identify but it’s enough that she finally breaks and says.

“No! I have an issue with a shirt that you don’t get to fix for me anymore.” The words are blurted and it’s not a surprise they come out between screaming and seething. Emma’s face flushes with embarrassment before she brushes past Regina. “ I need to get ready for work,” she quickly mutters but she knows Regina will not let it go that simply. So when she hears the words,

“Emma, stop,” she does, but she keeps her back turned to the woman. She expects Regina to make fun of her, which she does, but not in that manner where the blonde wants to cry. The brunette merely says. “You seemed to be adamant about going to work topless, huh,” and the blonde ends up blushing with a soft smile. “ Close your eyes,” she’s told and with one deep breath in, she does. It’s a bit before she can hear past the shuffling of Regina’s feet and then feels the woman’s palm against her back. “ Hold out your arms,” comes the next sentence and Emma shakes her head and clenches her closed lids, effectively pulling her arms into her, tightly. “Emma?” she hears Regina call her and the squinting of her eyes soften. “Do you trust me?” comes the question and with a soft nod, it’s all Regina needs to say, “ then, hold out your arms,” and she does. Emma feels fabric slip over both arms and then it’s up and on top of her shoulders, and though she expects something light, this shirt has a bit of weight to it. She hears shuffled feet that end up with her and the brunette toe to toe. Whatever it is Regina’s doing is making her smile and she’s no clue why. “Open your eyes,” Regina whispers and the blonde’s eyes flutter. She sees Regina smiling at her who motions to the shirt and Emma looks down, pleasantly surprised by what’s on her. It isn’t  _ her _ shirt, however, Regina had taken most of the pieces from the other police shirt and put them on the blue one she’d originally taken out for Emma to wear. She’s silent just as the blonde is, but she makes her work count as she buttons up Emma’s shirt and ties her tie before she places the clips on the tie and on the shoulder pieces. Emma’s badge is then clipped to her belt loop before Regina gently raises the blonde’s arms and cuffs the sleeves for her. Once she’s at the final cuff, Emma’s fingers just linger in the air as she stares at Regina in awe. It happens slowly where her fingers rest on the woman’s left cheek and the others find their way into Regina’s hair. She’s pulled in for a kiss that’s so soft, it’s as if it never happened. Emma breathes lightly as her tongue trails Regina’s lower lip. She doesn’t know when it happens, but somehow she’s managed to walk the woman back to the edge of the bed, their legs buckling just enough that Regina ends up sitting, but Emma holds her face and she continues to kiss her. It isn’t rushed in the slightest. It’s gentle, it’s clean, it’s appreciative and it’s respectful. Finally, she pulls back and her eyes are glassy, her lips are quirked into a smile and she’s happy.

“Thank you,” she whispers against the woman’s lips before she kisses her once more and she’s not even remotely surprised that Regina’s smirking at her, but she’s smiling in the same breath.

“You’re welcome,” comes out and Regina raises her hands to take hold of Emma’s. “You’ll be late,” she continues and Emma nods, but her own smile isn’t going anywhere.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They’re both in the kitchen after the kiss with Regina at work making two sandwiches- one Ham and one Turkey and packing some chips for both. She’s just poured hot apple cider into a thermos and is then packing them all into a lunch bag. Emma just watches with a smile because she can. She’s got a bit more time before work and decides to use it as much as possible, so that involved staring at Regina with a derpy smile on her face.

“So.. are you going into work today?” she asks the brunette who shakes her head but doesn’t look away from the food she’s now putting away.

“No. I’d told Clara to clear my Friday schedule, not that I had much past signing more papers, anyway...and seeing as our son is home, I figured that spending one day with him is what I needed, plus it will be good for him as well to get out of the house and go somewhere that isn’t within walking distance.” Emma nods though Regina can’t see her and then the brunette is filling up both a water bottle and a separate bottle with some grapefruit juice. Regina packs everything into the lunch bag and puts away what’s not used before she motions for Emma to follow her and they’re nearing the front door. Immediately the pout is back and Regina’s not short on noticing it. “Stop that,” she says in a very calm, but scolding manner and Emma just responds with a harder pout even though Regina wasn’t sure she could possibly do that. She rolls her eyes, but holds out the lunch bag to Emma and puts an arm around her back. “You have to go to work,”she tells her.

“But I don’t want to,” Emma says in an obvious tone and ignores the lunch bag.

“I’m well aware of that,”

“So why do I have to?”

“Emma, we went through this already,” Regina responds and she’s just shy of sighing.

“Well, let’s go through it again,” she says petulantly and Regina has to keep from laughing because if she does, she knows Emma will ride that for whatever it’s worth.

“No, you’re going to be late. We’ll see you at lunch,” Regina says as she’s literally pushing the young woman out of the door and attempting to put the lunch bag on her shoulder. Emma snickers and Regina’s confused.. Common.

“First, lunch isn’t until around five and you wouldn’t dare step foot out the house in just a giant t-shirt,” she managed to get out, but she’s shocked when both of them are outside and Regina is still in said giant t-shirt and no pants, no shoes, no makeup.. She’s just.. A normal woman, pushing her ‘fiance’ out the door to go to work.

“I just did,” Regina grunted as she continued to push the blonde towards her bug. Emma’s so in shock that it just happens, but once she’s aware of it she finally concedes with a sigh and gets into her bug. She screws her window down and reaches for the lunch bag that Regina immediately hands over with a smile and places it into the passenger seat.The brunette then leans onto the guard for the window and looks at Emma with intent. There’s words she- the blonde- wants to say, but she settles for,

“Do I have to share my food?” and Regina laughs loudly at that one.

“I’d suggest you do. I don’t think anyone would appreciate how spoiled you are if they knew I packed you two sandwiches and three drink options-,”

“-and chips. Don’t forget my chips,”

“Yes, and your chips,” the brunette grins and Emma finally smiles.

“Are you really okay with the whole dinner thing tonight-,” she finally asks, “-because I could call and cancel- or-,”

“-No,” Regina says simply and Emma stops speaking. “ Your mother planned this, she’s obviously got something she needs to get off her chest, and I’m not opposed to having dinner with them as much as I already usually am.. You seemed more frightened over the prospect of this dinner than I am,”

“It’s not really that.. It’s just.. My mom. I don’t want her to feel that’s where she can level accusations and ask so many inappropriate questions or feel need to try and make you seem like a bad person and then I can’t defend you… That and I’m not so positive that any response I give my mother in the process will be PG..at all,” she admits this as she looks away and Regina’s eyes are wide.

“Emma,” Regina says softly after a beat and the blonde just looks up. Regina leans in closer before she kisses Emma’s cheek and says.

“Thank you.. But whatever it is your mother throws at us, I’m sure we can handle it,”

“You think?”

“I know,” she smiles before she kisses her once again, but this kiss is on the lips and it’s just as soft as the one from earlier. Regina’s thumb strokes her cheek and it’s then, in that moment where the double entendre of a heartbeat happens. It’s then that the flutter ruptures in both their chests and it is then that Regina takes a slight gasping breath when she pulls back and can only see a purity of white haze around Emma. She touches her lips and they spark slightly. She’s on the verge of asking the blonde if she felt that too, but opts not to, little does she know, Emma did feel it. She herself can’t explain what it was, but she surely felt it. She too would have asked if she had enough courage to do so, but once again, it’s an opt out. Emma’s words settle into sentence.

“See you for lunch,” and Regina’s does the same.

“Lunch.” 

The brunette then turns around and walks back up to the house, slowly and lost in thought. Emma watches from the bug before she starts it up and reluctantly drives away.

 

_ Something’s..there.Something’s...here. _

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

Once the woman is back inside, a few things happen so quickly that she’s not even sure she was actually aware of any of them once they’d occurred. 

-Henry had asked her if Emma left already and she nodded, smiled then said yes, and that they were meeting the woman for lunch around five.

-He asked her why she wasn’t going into work and she explained how she cleared her schedule to spend time with him which instantly made him smile.

-He asks her where she plans to go and she just says anywhere that’s not walking distance, which gives the teen the perfect idea.

-She tells him to go and change so that they can leave in a little and he dashes up the stairs.

 

And somehow, she ended up showered and dressed without realizing she was.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

“Time to relieve you of your duties,” Emma says with a smile as she walks through the doors of the police station. Her father is grinning and his face is appreciative as he clears his desk and stacks the files he’s finished at the side. Mulan and Little John are playing a literal game of rock- paper- scissors, and Emma’s only words to them is-

“Why?” for which Mulan pauses and says,

“He’s afraid the next stack of files you give him are more cats up trees ones and I’m telling him, if he filed them all correctly then he should be fine and moving on to dealing with the elderly,” she grins evilly and the man scowls at her.

“Still.. Why?” she queries and it’s not for the game, but them being literal about the game if the beaten papers is anything to go by- or the stray pieces of fallen rock, or the clearly scratched scissors.

“Sweetheart, it’s best not to ask, they’ve been at it for almost ten minutes on whose guess it right,”

“Where are the numbers?”

“23 out of 25,” Little John responds without looking and Emma sighs before shaking her head.

“Well, you’ll find out in a minute..” Emma informs him and on those words, he messes up and Mulan smashes his scissors with a rock.

“I win,” she claims triumphantly, but the man is so stuck on the words that he doesn’t even care anymore. Meanwhile, Emma and her father are off to the side having their own conversation.

“I’m sorry about the late notice on the dinner but your mother just decided at the last minute that she wanted to have one and I’m not even exactly sure I know why-,”

“-and I’m not trying to figure out why. I’m just concerned it’ll turn into her and Regina arguing.. and in the front of Henry,”

“Yeah, I was kind of worried about the same thing, but you seem calmer than I am,”

“It’s because of Regina,” she tells him and he’s mildly impressed so she continues, “ she calmed me down before I came to work and told me that we’ll face it together, so she’s prepared, for what- I’m not sure, but she’s calmer than I expected. I think she’s the only one who’s actually okay with this and it’s scary because she’s usually not okay with anything,”

“Probably because she’s doing this for her family,” her father finally says and Emma thinks of it for a moment.. It could be that, but she’s not so sure it is. She sighs and nods.

“Probably.. But get going, I know you need to help her prepare and then watch Neal,” she tells the man who takes a deep breath and lets out a sigh.

“Yeah.. so, we’ll see you for dinner,” he asks once more and she nods.

“Dinner,” she agrees and then she hears her father call for Mulan so that they can leave. Mulan waves at Emma but grins at Little John who has accepted his fate, and when Emma settles behind her desk, flips open the files before her and says the words, “Come on, Little John, let’s fix these cats up trees files of yours,” he’s not even surprised that Mulan was right.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

As per Henry’s suggestion-inclusive of Regina’s request, they went-.. well, first they had to pick the car up from the station and then drive where they needed to go, but the whole point was, they ended up at a game arcade. This was no surprise to Regina. She’d figured it was either that or a comic book store. She was mildly impressed he went with the arcade because he’d been dropping a lot of hints lately about needing to be up to date with the latest in his comic adventures.

 

Once they’d arrived at the gaming arcade that was just classically named ‘Gaming arcade’ Regina paid for nearly fifty dollars in game tokens and they were off on a new adventure that consisted in Henry explaining a game to his mother as she watched him play first, then him letting her test it out and finally, getting his butt whooped in just about every genre the place could offer. He got a few wins in but he was shocked that Regina not only learned very quickly, but that she dominated the games. She creamed him in Air Hockey, Practically embarrassed him in Tekken and just about doubled his score in the basketball and skee ball ones. He beat her in the dance dance game because she did not want anyone to see how much rhythm she lacked when in all honesty, she danced like a pro... and of course, first person shooter ones that he knew she’d grimace at and basically that gave him the upper hand to win a few over on her. She was proud of him, using her gaming weakness to his advantage, but she was also proud of him in that he wasn’t a sore loser like she’d ended up becoming in life. She hated loss, but this time she spent with her son, never felt like she lost in anything. She never felt like a loser even if she quite literally lost in some of the games. It was a learning experience that made her smile and realize as well as understand that, it’s okay not to win every time because what you do win in the end is the respect and love of those you care so much for.

 

So, after their little competition, the mother of one allowed her son a small slushy as to not ruin his appetite for lunch with Emma. He’d picked a swirl of blueberry and coconut and his mother settled for a smaller snack of almonds. They’d only spent a few hours there, but he’d made it known he wanted to talk to her about a few things before they left and she times it just perfectly enough that they could have a conversation at length before their lunch with Emma.

 

Henry brought up a few things that were on his mind and that ranged from Grace, to school itself and even what happened earlier that morning. It was just a recap, but as he talked and talked and talked it all out, expressing how he felt about every individual thing from fear to sorrow and sadness to happiness and pride, she took it all in. She never once interrupted, she just sat there and she listened and she watched his actions or the ways his hands would fidget much like hers did and much like Emma’s did when they were nervous to move onto something that seemed so fragile to talk about. Regina also took into account the way Henry’s nose flared when he mentioned the fight that got him suspended and then she watched his face flush with fear over his piercings. She watched her son go through a range of motions in such a hefty amount of time that when he asked her if she understood, she merely shook her head and said she did. Of course he wanted her to elaborate, but in all honesty, she didn’t need to. He wanted to talk, it doesn’t mean she needed to respond with an at length paragraph. He wanted to vent and to be heard and understand and be understood and all of that happened because the only thing his mother said in response after that was,

“Henry. I’m proud of you,” and it was enough because those words didn’t just encompass one part of what he said, but everything he’s ever said. She proud because he acknowledges his rights and wrongs. She’s proud that he felt need to protect his sister who doesn’t even exist, but she’s also proud that he understood consequences still exist because of it, no matter what manner it was done in. She’s proud of him for wanting to talk about it and letting it all out and showing how he truly feels instead of masking like she usually did. She’s proud of him for realizing he can talk to her about anything and it not be that she picks out every single bad thing he’s ever done and she’s proud of him because of who he is. He doesn’t regret anything because he understands why everything happened the way it did and for him to say the words ‘I’d do it all again’ means he’s aware that the outcome could be different but he’s got hope it’ll turn out the same in the end. So when she says those words to him, it’s more than enough and he knows it, and she knows it.

 

The conversation is light-hearted after that and it’s more than comforting as they get into the car and head to Grace’s for Henry to get his homework. Neither brings up the dinner they all have to go to and it’s okay because there’s no point, they have to go, regardless of if they want to or not. Henry does ask his mother when they’re going shopping and she tells him more than likely ‘tomorrow,” and it’s because she wants Emma to go with them. He of course teases her that she’s making it a family affair and Regina smiles but scowls which makes her son laugh- but she asks him if he realizes why and he’s genuinely confused so he says no. She explains,

“It’s not just for the sake of a family affair. It’s so she feels like she’s really apart of something- of a family and even with something as small as going shopping is to us- to  Emma, that’s a big thing. I want her to feel included and let her see that she has choices and she has opportunities and she has somewhere she can always be with us even if it is just a menial task,”

“And that’s it?”

“That’s exactly it.. Henry, your mother needs that normalcy in her life that we overlook because we’ve been given it. She needs the little things that make her feel like she matters because the smaller actions speak more volumes than the large gestures.”

 

He understands it in that moment and he smiles. His only response is a mere,

“Okay,” but it’s more than enough.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

Henry getting his homework was only supposed to take him a little while, however he informs his mother it’s a lot more than he himself even expected and he tells her he probably won’t be able to make lunch which she hates but understands. She’s more than aware that he could just get it the day after, but if it’s that much work, she’s all for him getting an early start on it. He begs her to tell his blonde mother he’s sorry for missing lunch and that he’ll make it up to her for which Regina is just smiling and telling him to calm down and explaining that Emma will understand. She then hands him a twenty dollar bill and tells him to take Grace to lunch when they’re done and that she’ll see him at home. He nods, kisses her cheek and sends her off for which she laughs because he’s become more and more like a parent to her than she ever expected. She leaves and makes her way to the station, a tune in her head and fingers tapping at the wheel.

 

Of course Emma is sad when Regina reaches the station, walks through the doors and there’s no Henry there with her, but she’s still smiling because at least Regina’s there and she looks more than happy to see her. Emma picks up her lunch bag and pats Little John on the shoulder before she’s out the door and the man lets out a breath knowing that he can slack off for a while.

 

Regina drives them to the docks and Emma picks a bench for them to sit at. Even though it’s a sunny spring day, it’s still windy as hell and Regina’s expectancy for that wind, didn’t include a jacket, so when the woman begins to shiver and Emma takes notice of what she’s actually wearing, the first thing she does is take her own coat off; her fluffy one with the fuzzy hood that Regina had made mandatory the police staff wear when it snowed. The second thing the blonde does is put the fluffy thing over Regina’s shoulders and pulling her in, but Regina’s not okay with it because then Emma’s not protected, so she opens half of the coat and she drapes it over Emma’s shoulder before snuggling into the woman and that way both of them are warm. Regina leans her head onto Emma’s shoulder and Emma’s right arm wraps around her before stroking Regina’s side.

“You know, Though you look really cute in your Chuck Taylor’s and bad girl jeans, next time, no tank tops in spring, yeah?” she jokes with Regina because that’s precisely what the woman wore. She’s put on an aqua tank top a pair of dark was jeans and sneakers that Emma didn’t even know the woman owned. Regina laughs lightly and nods.

“It was game day with Henry, so I needed to dress the part,” she tells her and Emma’s eyebrows rise.

“He took you to an arcade,”

“Technically I took him, but it was his suggestion.. I beat him in a lot of those games he seemed to think I’d lose in,”

“You beat our kid in arcade games and you’re still alive,” Emma continues with a grin and Regina rolls her eyes.

“Yes, I beat him.. However he returned the favour in that weird zombie apocalypse one,”

“Ahhhh, the first person shooters. Gotta hand it to him, Kid’s amazing in that,”

“Yes, but he’s terrible in hand to hand combat,” Regina snickered and Emma smiled.

 

They’d lost themselves in conversation for a good bit and also found themselves on the receiving end of eyes that watched them with shock, awe and only God knows what else. Few who dared to come over and talk to them were on the receiving end of Regina being extremely nice and very welcoming and that probably had something to do with her being wrapped up in Emma’s coat along with the fact that she was in Emma’s embrace  _ and _ for the simple fact that those who did approach were very respectful in question. They eitehr just wanted to know what it felt like to have someone you could love so freely and so out in the open there with you and with no worries of harm- or there were other questions of how Emma felt being engaged to the mayor.. Very trivial questions that required them to answer truthfully, which they both did. It wasn’t until a few idiots with their own choice words made derogatory remarks that Emma had had enough of human interaction with the public, besides, it was coming down to the end of her lunch and she wanted to spend the final few minutes with Regina and just Regina.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

Regina drives the blonde back to the station and they just sit in the car for a moment.

“You know, I never got to thank you for agreeing to do this,” Emma says and Regina’s a bit lost in thought so she goes in a bit of a daze.

“Hmm?”

“You know, the whole dinner thing. I never got to say thank you for doing this even though you really don’t have to,”

“I’m doing it because I both have to and I  _ want _ to. And I’m not just doing it for you..” she begins and she’s staring over the steering wheel and at something, but also, nothing in particular. “I’m doing it for Henry and I’m doing it for myself. I’m going to this dinner for all of us. There’s no need to thank me-,”

“-Yes there is, Regina,” Emma argues and the woman looks over at her. “ You’re trying- you’re literally willing to sit through a dinner with the high possibility of knowing that my mother would just get on you about something or another. You’re willing to actually do this and that’s enough to garner a thank you,”

“I’m trying, it doesn’t mean I’ll succeed. So, don’t thank me,”

“I’m going to thank you continually until you realize you will succeed. You told me you wanted to win- you will if you believe you can,”

“E-Emma-,” Regina begins but the blonde cuts her off.

“-Regina, you will succeed. It’s a simple dinner, something you can handle with both hands tied behind your back,”

“I’m aware of that,” Regina responds and Emma stops. “Which is why I don’t understand why you’re so concerned over this,”

“I’m concerned about you,” Emma says and Regina bites out,

“Well, don’t be! I’m not feeble, Emma. I’m not inept and I damn sure am not incapable of handling one measly dinner with your parents,”

“Okay, Regina. Just chill out, I never said any of that-” she manages to sound controlled but Regina’s just upset by this point.

“-You didn’t have to, I can tell what you’re thinking,”

“No you can’t! You seem to think you do know and you don’t. You don’t know anything about what I think and you damn sure don’t know how I feel,” Emma bites back and Regina simpers in her own words. “ You think you can tell all these things when you can’t. I’m just concerned about you,”

“I told you not to be,” Regina grits out,

“I don’t give a single damn what you tell me, Regina. I’m going to care whether you welcome it or not,”

“Fine!” the woman snaps and literally lunges herself free of the car and Emma isn’t far behind doing the exact same thing.

“Why the hell are you running,” Emma blurts the question and Regina doesn’t answer, she’s just storming away to only God knows where. “Regina!” she yells but the woman is still stomping away and that’s attracting more attention the longer it’s drawn out. “ Regina! Just stop!” she shouts again and Regina stops- for some reason, she just stops.

“What, Emma,” she asks and it’s low in tone. It’s not angry, it actually sounds.. Sorry?

“What’s wrong with you,” the blonde asks her and even though there’s usually a biting remark, none of it comes as she says,

“nothing,” in a once again, low tone.

“Something’s wrong and you’re just acting up.. Once again,” the blonde says with a roll of her eyes.

“I know,” Regina acknowledges but Emma doesn’t soften, she just continues in her own tone of anger.

“You can’t keep throwing me out there only to yank me back like I’m some yoyo, Regina,” she tells her but Regina’s response is still soft.

“I’m not.. I’m not trying to,” she manages to tell the blonde who sighs and walks around in a circle with her hands firmly on her waist.

“Then what in the hell are you trying to do?” Emma asks in exasperation and when Regina responds, it stops all things that the blonde had thought of saying in response

“Trust myself like you said,”

“What?” is what comes out of Emma’s mouth because of confusion.

“I’m trying to trust myself like you asked me to..I’m trying to trust you like you asked me to…. But that’s the problem,”

“How is that the problem,” she questions and Regina inhales before she shuts her eyes.

“Because I already trust myself.. I already trust you. That’s the problem,”

“Regina.. I know you’re not very good with your words, but you could you dumb it down just a bit more for me, please. I don’t get it. How is you trusting me a bad thing.. A problem,” she corrects her words and Regina’s worrying her bottom lip. Emma’s hands fall from her waistline as she walks over to the brunette and leads her back to the car. She then leans the woman back until she’s sat on the hood of her car and Emma leans on it, just shy of the woman’s shoulder. “Talk,” she tells her and Regina inhales once again.

“I trust you,” she begins and Emma nods.

“I know.. But the bad side of that is?”

“I trust you too much and I’m afraid,” she says without hesitance and Emma nods once more. She’s not entirely sure she understands, but she’s going to try to.

“Why are you afraid?”

“Because the only person I ever trusted like this was.. was..”she doesn’t finish her words, but Emma realizes what it is now. Regina trusts Emma the way she trusted Daniel, and then she lost Daniel.. But that wasn’t the basis for them. She was sure the brunette knew she wouldn’t just simply lose Emma, unless she ran and she already made a promise not to.. So what could it be?

“Daniel,” the blonde whispers as she’s come back to reality and she watches Regina nod and look away. Her arms are folded and she’s got her eyes trained on that thing that’s not quite a thing in the same breath.  Emma worries her bottom lip because that’s a thing she’s been doing lately when it came to Regina and both their concerns. “You know you won’t lose me right, Regina?” she asks just to be sure and when the woman nods, there is a deep sigh of relief she wants to let out, but she doesn’t. “ And you know I won’t run, right?” Another nod and Emma does let the breath out this time. “So what is it?” she asks and when there’s a shake of the woman’s head, that just means the blonde is on her own to figure it all out. So, she’s thinking and as she thinks, nothing is coming to her in that moment. So.. she thinks on and when it finally dawns on her, it seems so small in comparison, but it’s so massive to someone like Regina because the woman never had it.. She never had  _ this. _ “It’s because you never had someone care so much about you in just about everything that you did,” she whispers the words and Regina’s eyes glide over to meet Emma’s before there is a barely perceptible nod and that’s it. That’s the Nail in the coffin.

“Daniel came close, but even he just.. He couldn’t-,”

“-because he wasn’t allowed,” Emma finished for her and she nodded.

“Even when he was alive, he couldn’t-,”

“-but I can.. Because I’m here all the time, everyday and no one’s holding me back or deeming me unworthy of you or you for me.. No one’s in the way and it’s scaring you because you’re used to someone being in the way and you’re afraid that once you’re truly in this as deep as you feel you’re getting then someone  _ will _ get in the way.. because everyone always found a way to get  _ in _ the way… and the only person left to do that is.. my mother,” she acknowledges. Regina merely nods again and it’s silent for a moment until Emma has a question. “ So, you think tonight, she’ll try to..” she trailed off and Regina responds with.

“I don’t think. I know. And that’s the problem with being in-tune with a person’s demeanor and their intent. You just know,”

“So how do you usually handle her?”

“Sarcastic remarks and Cynical behaviour along with my usual abundance of those self-deprecating jokes you’ve forbade me to continue,” she responded with her lips quirked into a weird frown.

“That all just sounds like the same thing,”

“It’s a variance of the same thing, yes,”

“Then we need a new thing,”

“We don’t.. I need a new thing, you need to get back to work,”

“I can’t. Not like this,”

“Not like what?”

“You being upset.. with me,” the blonde admits with a bit of red in her cheeks. Regina takes that into account and immediately softens before she pushes herself from the car and is stood in the front of the blonde. She leans her body pressed up against Emma and she kisses her. The kiss is immediately registered as an apology instead of words because like Emma knows, Regina isn’t good with her words, but she’s pleasantly surprised when Regina does speak and tells her,

“I was never mad at you.. Ever. I was just frustrated with myself because I didn’t realize how quickly I’d come to trust you until a moment ago and it frightened me. It frightened me to know that with you, I’m unaware of the good that just makes me so much calmer than I usually am and that’s why today was so simple,”

“Wait.. I did that,” she queries and when Regina nods with a toothy smile she smiles back.

“You did. I was only calm and able to be me and be nice to those people because you were the one who I felt safest with. I knew with you there, I was okay and that I would be okay,”

“So I..,”

“Grounded me, yes. You did, and I’m truly grateful for that,” Regina tells her before she leans up and kisses Emma’s cheek. It’s a thank you kiss, because where words fail, actions succeed.

“I’m sorry too,” Emma admits and Regina’s confused.

“Whatever for?”

“For getting on you like that and for scaring you,”

“You didn’t scare me.. You just made me see things differently when I never truly thought there was anything different for someone like me, and you had every right to react the way you did with me acting the way I did,”

“Still.. and you don’t just deserve different. You deserve better,”

“I have better,” Regina smiles. I know that now,”

“Then can I kiss you because for the past two kisses, you’ve kissed me,” she expresses and Regina nods with a soft smile.

“You may,” she tells the blonde who leans down and captures her lips in a supple kiss. Fingers dance their way around the Latin woman’s curves and stay glued to her waist for the duration of the kiss that lasts just too short for either of their likings. They both had pulled away and kept their foreheads together as Emma inched her face up to kiss Regina’s nose before she was hugging her tightly and basically swallowing her in the jacket. Before she send the woman off she takes that same jacket off and drapes it over her shoulders.

“No arguing with me on this one. You could get sick- plus you’re a cranky cat on a regular basis- and I imagine you’re worse when you’re sick, so, wear this and keep warm, it’s too windy for someone as tiny as you to be out here like that,”

“I’m not tiny,” Regina pouted but that just made her stance seem weak because from Emma’s view and the woman being swallowed by that giant as thing, she looked pretty damn tiny to her.

“Whatever you say, Your Majesty,” she mutters lovingly before she leans in and kisses the side of Regina’s face. “ Be safe,” she tells her and even though Regina’s a pouty bot, she nods.

“I will,” she says and Emma nods once more, however, a striking pain hits the brunette out of nowhere and it’s searing. She hisses and Emma is instantly at her side.

“What’s wrong,” comes out of her mouth before anything else does and Regina’s just shaking her head, eyes clenched tightly as she hisses in pain continuously. “ Regina, sweetie, tell me what’s wrong,” she urges the woman who can’t get the word out. It’s too hard for her to speak and Emma just somehow manages to get her sat in the driver’s seat before she pulls out her cell phone to call someone but Regina raises a hand and shakes it.

“Don’t,” she grits out but Emma’s panicked.

“Why? Regina you’re in pain.. I can’t just.. I can’t let you sit here in pain. I have to call someone,” she blubber but the brunette shakes her head.

“I’ll be.. Fine.. it’s passing,” she tells the blonde and she’s not lying, but Emma’s still panicked.

“Are you sure,” the blonde asks, finger still paused over the dialpad and Regina nods.

“I’m sure,” she tells her and slowly Emma watches as Regina’s features soften and finally, she’s okay once more.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

It did take some convincing from Regina to get Emma to finally go back to work after that little thing that had occurred, and of course the blonde was concerned, rightly so, but Regina worked damn hard to convince her she was fine and kissed away the existent pout Emma had sported because she didn’t want to leave Regina alone anymore.

 

She was right to worry because not but a half an hour into the rest of her shift, she got a call from the hospital informing her that Regina was admitted an-.. Whoever was on the phone didn’t get to finish because Emma dropped the receiver and literally just grabbed her keys and sped straight to the hospital.

 

It was blatant panic as she questioned everyone and their mother on Regina’s whereabouts and when someone finally gave her the information she needed, not a thank you came from her lips because she was freaking out. She’d told Regina she should have taken the rest of the day off, but the woman was so damn stubborn, so frustratingly beautiful that it irked Emma’s soul when she didn’t listen or tried to play tough just so no one saw her weakness. When she hears the screaming and the yelling, she’s instantly sure that it’s Regina threatening Whale to let her go, so she doesn’t knock, she just walks into the room and stands there, staring at the woman with a knowing look and Regina knows that Emma’s looking at her. She’s more than aware, which is why she avoids Emma’s gaze and continues to threaten Whale’s existence if he doesn’t release her.

“Calm down,” she nearly sings to the brunette as she walks into the room and puts a comforting arm on Regina’s arm that has a towel shoved to her nose. Emma turns to address Whale. There’s no good afternoon, nothing. She simply asks.

“What’s wrong,” and he responds with.

“I can’t seem to detect the baby and I’ve checked the equipment and ran the ultrasound a handful of times, but nothing,” he tells her and Emma’s eyes lazily shut as she bobs her head and says.

“That’s because Cora has the baby cloaked,”

“Why?”

“That’s- none of your business,” Emma tells him in a roundabout manner and he doesn’t bother to ask another question on that. “ What’s the deal with her?”

“She threatened to set me on fire if I didn’t let her go,” he explained and Regina growled.

“That’s because for the past- however, I’ve expressed, explained and stressed to this blithering imbecile that my mother cloaked the baby, but Whale seems to think I’ve cracked my skull on something,”

“To be fair.. You did crack your skull on something,”

“Wait! What? You hit your head?” Emma asks worriedly and Regina softens before rubbing the blonde’s arm, her other hand still shoved to her face.

“Yes, this idiot you see here told two elderly nurses to get me inside. You can imagine how that went with women- nearly both feet in the grave and fucking death wishes,” she seethed before wincing and rubbing at her head.

“Easy, tiger,” Emma tells her before turning back to Whale once more. “ Is that all?”

“Well, no. Regina actually came in with cramping and a nose bleed and I’d suspected it was possibly the baby in distress but being unable to detect the fetus proved difficult as I explained earlier-

“Yes and for God knows how long I’ve been telling you my child isn’t visible because my mother cloaked them!” Regina growled once more and Emma turned to give her a little glare, but she didn’t simper this time. “ I’m fine,” the brunette says and Emma asks,

“Are you? Really?”

“Yes, Regina manages before she’s wincing again.

“You wincing says otherwise,” Emma argues.

“Once again. I’m. Fine,” Regina enunciates as she argues back and the blonde can’t help but smirk at this woman. “ As much as I hate saying this.. I agree with Whale.. Have you ever had a nosebleed?”

“A few as a child,” she replied nonchalantly and Emma sighs

“Regina,” she whines which causes the woman to sigh back.

“Emma, I’m fine, a nosebleed isn’t going to stop me, now, can we go please. We’ll be late to dinner with your parents-,”

“-My parents can wait. Right now, the woman I love is in a damn hospital room with a towel shoved up her nose and bloodied. You cracked your skull-,”

“-Because this asinine human felt need to tell the grim reaper twins to help me inside-,

“-yes- yes, but you also have a nosebleed- a random one at that and it doesn’t seem to have left yet, so until that stops, we aren’t leaving,” Emma says but she didn’t expect Regina to just wave her hand and smirk at her. “I forgot you could do that,” she says dryly and Regina grins widely.

“Can we leave now,” she says to the blonde because it’s not a question, it’s a command that she sugar coated with batting her eyes and biting her bottom lip.

“Fine,” Emma bites out before she folds her arms. “ Can’t you give her like some pain pills or something?” she turns to the doctor who merely shakes his head.

“Not necessarily. Most things produced by the medical industry aren’t prescribed for women that are..expecting,” Whale says carefully and he does this because he really doesn’t want Regina to set him on fire.

“Well then you’re useless,” Regina snaps at him before she simply twirls her wrist in a flamboyant manner he’s airbourne and launched into a wall with a sickening thud and crunch. He groans in pain but Regina just shrugs and leaves the room. Emma gapes at the spectacle and just follows Regina with a dumbness that was blatantly obvious.

“Did you have to do that to him?”

“I’m just returning the favour of him telling the grim reaper twins that they should have brought me inside. Don’t act as if you wouldn’t have punched him by now if you weren’t so concerned about calming me down,” Regina tells her and she hates to admit but the woman is right. She’s so damn right that it gets to Emma on a different level.

“Maybe,” Emma finally says and Regina just laughs because she knows she got to her. “ Are you feeling better, though?” she still asks with worry and Regina’s face softens with a nod.

“I am. My head’s fine and like I said, I had nosebleeds as a child. Surprisingly those were the times my mother was more worried than my father,”

“Do you know why they happened?”

“Not really. I’d assumes from the pressure building up inside of me or maybe fear or when I rode my horse.. Many things could have contributed but there was never an actual answer,”

“So you never figured it out.. Any of it?”

“No,” Regina replied honestly and Emma sighed. “ But there’s no need to worry. I’m fine. They’re common. I’m not a hemophiliac. I’ll live, trust me.”

“I do- I know, but it’s just these damn situations that make me believe otherwise,”

“I know. But I’m right here, Emma. I’m completely and utterly safe. Okay?”

“...okay,” she nods and Regina smiles.

“Okay… oh, and Emma?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you, too,” she winks before walking outside of the hospital doors.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

Even if they wanted to agree not to tell Henry, he’d already found out about the incident if  him bull rushing his brunette mother and checking her over like a concerned parent was any form of a dead giveaway. Regina takes her time to calm him down, but he’s much too much like Emma sometimes where he’s adamant about her doing the exact opposite of something she wished she could be doing.

 

They head home and get dressed for dinner and it’s not talked about on the ride over, instead their focus is on other things and other situations and no one minds because the dinner truly isn’t as big a deal as the one they had the other night, so when they reach, Snow of course asks for Regina’s help which the woman politely agrees to and Emma and Henry are stuck with David and Neal, which no one minds of course. They do crack a few jokes that Regina may turn all Hannibal Lectre on Snow and end up serving her to them all for dinner when they realized how quiet everything was in the kitchen. Regina pops out the kitchen momentarily and Emma excuses herself to find out how the brunette is doing. Regina’s smiling and Emma’s worried but the brunette just tells her that everything is perfectly fine and that she and Snow have come to a comfortable silence as they work. Emma’s still worried because she’s really not heard her mother speak for a good bit, but Regina rolls her eyes, motions for Emma to follow her and proves her point that Snow’s arm isn’t stewing in the food and that the kitchen isn’t a bloodied mess, but that she’s just silently finishing off the last of the cake she wanted to not necessarily frost, but scribble all over. Emma eases up just a bit and asks how much longer before dinner and Regina tells her, since they came, Snow had literally just started so they probably won’t eat until around nine. Emma’s stomach grumbles in response because at lunch, she didn’t eat when she and Regina went, neither did the brunette and she’d actually decided to give Little John her sandwich and the other to Arrow because the little girl came to visit her. When she tells Regina this, the woman feels bad for her and finds her and everyone else a snack and sends the blonde off with a kiss which she accepts greedily because she’s becoming way too used to those.

 

Once they’re done cooking, Snow and Regina set the table and then everyone is called to dinner. It surprises everyone-but Regina about Snow’s silence and now the concern is that the woman was under a silencing spell or something. So then dinner becomes awkwardly comforting and they eat and slowly the concern lifts off their shoulders as it relates to Snow and they all talk about their week. Yes- Emma, Regina and Henry basically tell each other's’ stories because they spent just about every day together for the past week, so there’s nothing much past them repeating that they all went through their daily hell shifts of school and work, came home, ate like a family and basically relaxed until they were tired and that particular night was beginning to shape up in the exact same manner.

 

!!~~@@##$$%%

 

It’s late when it’s time for them to leave and by late, it’s literally nearly twelve o’clock, but David is quick to extend the olive branch for them to sleep there, however, Regina and Emma don’t want to be there because they can’t be there. They have to be in Regina’s home, but it’s also because they want to be in Regina’s home- now officially the blonde’s as well considering she has a key.

They say their goodnights and Henry opts to go with his mothers because he could never not be happy to be in the space of his own home.

 

Once the drive home has been done, Henry is so winded from his activities that he sleepily tells both his mothers good night and kisses them both. He’s not even in his room properly before he just tumbles onto the bed and one mind tells both of them to check, which they do and they effectively slip his feet from his shoes and tuck him in before kissing his face. Emma shuts Henry’s room door and she and Regina retire to the bedroom. They both want to shower, so Emma tells Regina she can go first and as Reigna is showering- Emma is sat on the closed toilet seat and they talk. It’s not odd in the slightest. They talk about their activities for the following day and how they both feel at the end of the first week and Regina expresses that she never expected to feel this safe this quickly because that’s never been a thing with her to trust someone the way she did with Daniel and Emma expresses that she’s never felt so welcomed and apart of something until she messed up so bad that they ended up there.

“You’re always welcome, Emma,” Regina tells her over the steamy shower and the blonde smiles before she says.

“Thank you, Regina.” After they talk a bit more as she asks Regina what it is she did to her mother and Reigna just laughs.

“You know, your mother isn’t this beacon of light, as you all seem to think she is,” comes the hearty response and Emma smirks.

“So, what did you say to her,”

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” Regina says as she shuts off the tap and sticks her hand out of the curtain, indicating she needs her towel. Emma hands it to her and exits the bathroom just to allow Regina to step out and wrap the towel around herself before they switch positions and Emma strips from  her clothing and tosses them basketball style, into the hamper before turning the tap back on and stepping in right away. Regina’s back in the bathroom and she’s now brushing her teeth.

“So,” Emma begins, “what is ‘nothing out of the ordinary’ in your books?” she questions the mayor and Regina grins evilly.

“I simply told her that the sex we have was and is so mind numbing that I’m never able to tell if I’ve come down from my first of fifth orgasm… oh and then there’s that special thing you do with your-”

“REGINA!” Emma shrieks out a laugh and the brunette giggles.

“Whhhaaat? I was going to say your nose,”

“My ass you were. You scarred her,”

“I’m quite aware. Had I said anymore she’d have hung herself.. I’m pretty positive after she just kept muttering porn over and over that it was basically a suffocation. Still, she shouldn’t have told me I was lying about being pregnant and that my baby probably belonged to Robin,” she ended with a shrug and Emma paused.

“Woah!” she said that to you?”

“No, she said the equivalent which was just her simplified formatting to the complicated answer she usually gives me,” Regina tells the blonde and now she’s moisturizing her face and Emma’s nearly done in the shower.

“So.. not directly,” Emma asks over the cascading droplets.

“Nearly,”

“Jesus, I’m sorry,”

“You apologise for your parents too much, Swan,” Regina shakes her head as she rubs the last of the moisturizer into her face. “ But, don’t be. It’s not as if I haven’t heard worse than that before,”

“Still that’s just.. Bad,”

“It’s not,” Regina shrugs. “So stop worrying,”

“I can’t. You’re in this by default and she’s being disrespectful about our child-”

“-Yes, our baby that doesn’t exist just yet. I’d have been more offended if I was pregnant or our child did exist and she said that, but none of that’s happened, so it’s fine,”

“You let her get away with too much,”

“Apparently not enough,” Regina mutters and Emma shuts the tap off. Instinctively, Regina hands her a towel and steps out of the bathroom to allow the blonde some privacy.

 

By the time Emma has brushed her teeth, gargled and flossed with all the good stuff, Regina’s in bed, in a silk night gown, her glasses just shy of slipping off her nose as she’s engrossed in some book she’d not finished since she picked it up months ago. Emma- still clad in her towel that she’d tightly wrapped around herself, scrambles into the bed and gets under the blankets before she reaches for the remote. She’d open the door of the armoire prior to getting in bed and flicked on the tv. Regina is startled for a moment and Emma looks over ather.

“You okay?”

“Yes, I’d just forgotten I had it,”

“Seriously! That massive thing, right in the front of your face?”

“I’m not an avid tv watcher. It was merely for decorative purposes,” she tells her as she continues to read her book.

“Still,” Emma belts and Regina scolds her.

“ _ Emma _ ,” she says and the blonde pouts. “Put that lip away, Miss Swan,” she says to her and Emma grins.

“Watch tv with me,” she tells the brunette, and Regina smirks.

“No,”

“Aww, come on, please?”

“Nope,”

“Giiiinnnaaaaa,”

“God that is a terrible attempt,” she grins and Emma pauses to think of an idea. 

“Gi,” she whispers and somehow that gets Regina to look up from her book, heart stuttering over a beat. Once she’s given Emma her attention, the blonde slowly slips the book from her fingers and tosses it to the end of the bed. She straddles the brunette’s lower hips and looks her deep in the eyes, not phased that Regina barely budges. Her breath does hitch slightly, but she’s remaining strong. “ Please,” she whispers against the woman’s ear. “ Watch tv with me,” she asks sweetly before kissing the underside of Regina’s jaw. Regina’s leg shifts as she shakes her head.

“No, Emma,” she says as she reaches around the blonde for her book, but Emma grabs a hold of her hand. She pushes it back, gently and leans into Regina once again. This time it goes.

“Please,” and a kiss. “ please,” and another and it’s that mantra and action that she continuously repeats all over the woman’s throat. Regina flat out grins as her fingers weave through Emma’s hair and she brings their faces closer together before she whispers,

“No,” and Emma groans before she rolls off and falls on her back. She throws a silent tantrum and the brunette grins. “ You’re giving away all for your tactics,” she teases as she reaches for the book. She closes it and places it on the bedside table before she opens the drawer and pulls out something. Regina shuts out her light and looks at Emma for a split second. “You need to change or you’ll get sick in the cold air,” she tells the blonde who is sat up against the headboard

“I’ll sleep in my towel,” she pouts and Regina just smiles.

“Alright,” she gives in easily and then in a twist of surprise, she takes the remote from Emma, cuddles up under her and changes the channel.

“Hey, I was watching that,”

“Well, now you’re watching it with me and I don’t want to watch anything that will make me wish I’d shot myself afterwards.. Or during. If we watch anything it’ll be something that’s interesting,”

“Like?”

“Like Law and Order: SVU”

“You got a crush on Benson, don’t you,”

“A little,” she admits and Emma smirks.

“Fine, but you’re lucky I like this show,” Emma tells her as her arm comes around Regina’s waist. They get into the jist of the show and then Regina remembers.

“Before I forget again,” she begins as she sits up. “ Close your eyes,” she says to Emma and the blonde does it instantly. Something light drapes across her collarbone and around her neck and when she’s told to open them, she looks down to see Regina’s engagement ring that Daniel had given her. The night sky is also displayed on the ceiling, but it wasn’t Regina’s doing. She’d missed her night the night before because they slept in the damn Police station... Regina just smiles, but she says nothing more before she’s laying on Emma once again and the blonde can only smile. If Regina wanted to talk about it, she’d have said something, but her giving that to Emma meant something.. The blonde just didn’t know what. But she knew it was important.

 

So when their run in with the show becomes the show watching them as both had drifted off, a noise from one of the scenes wakes Emma up and it’s just before twelve when she quickly gets herself a glass of water and mutes the tv for a moment.

“Egg, it’s day nine” she says after she places the nine kisses to Regina’s stomach. “ I wish we could talk super long tonight, but momma’s tired, kiddo. We had a really scary day today with your mommy and me arguing and bit and then she was in the hospital with a nosebleed and pain and then we had dinner with my parents and it just.. Yeah.. but your mommy gave me this,” she says with a whispered smile. “ It’s her ring that your daddy gave to her and yes, you have a daddy as well because he’s still in her heart and I don’t ever want her to forget him, so you have a daddy and I’m sure he would have been the best daddy he could have been to, you and Henry.. Oh and that’s another thing, your mom kicked his butt in a couple of games and she doesn’t even game, so watch out for that if you teach her something, she’ll roast you by the time she knows the ins and outs of it all…. We had to tell the Doctor that your nana was hiding you so that he couldn’t find you when he performed the ultrasound, but I do hope that when you do exist, we can actually get sonograms pictures of you because if we can’t I’ll be a little bit more than upset and I might punch Rumple in the process.. He’s your kinda grandfather because a lot people have said Regina’s Rumple’s daughter, but then again, he’s already Henry’s grandfather and I would just… Regina would be his aunt and mother.. Once removed or something,” she shivered at that. “ Listen, Egg, our family tree is so effed up that you wouldn’t  _ want _  to know who was related to who and I would be more than happy not to tell you… but,” she says before a heavy yawn hits her and she laughs. “ Kid, I am tired and I am so sorry, but I gotta rest. I love you little one. Sleep peacefully and don’t kick your mommy, if that was you giving her those pains. When you exist, I’m gonna become really annoying for you to listen to me everyday, so, be happy that you don’t exist right now… Somethin’s here, Egg.. Something’s here,” she whispers as she looks up and the light of the fading stars that are projected onto the ceiling catch her eyes. “ One day, you’ll be here too.”


	11. A heart to heart. I have two daughters? A shopping adventure. Testing-testing XX-C?. Ten Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simply put it's long as hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I worked on this for a total of five days because that's just me, so don't crucify me please. Lol, do enjoy because I know I really liked writing this one.

It’s quite literally a very very early Saturday morning in the Swan- Mills home and as it stood and still stands, Regina is the first to wake, not that it’s any form of surprise, however, unlike when Emma woke early, her first thought wasn’t to go and sit on the back patio and stare at the horizon until the sun decided to come up, it was more of a-

‘Get up. Get dressed and get the hell out for a morning jog’ kind of thought instead..

 

Of course she was a bit of a fitness nut much like Emma, however, where the blonde and she differed relied solely on the simple fact that Emma did it pretty much every single damn day whereas Regina did it every so often, just to keep her body toned as best as she liked it to be. And where the blonde ate any and everything that she saw- Regina did not. So, when the brunette decided to get up and put on a form-fitting hoodie and her usual running shorts and her favourite sneakers that she’d never admit to anyone- but she’s almost positive someone knows by now, she quietly grabbed her set of keys, her Ipod and her phone just in case someone called, and she’s out the door and headed down the street towards the forest trail she and the blonde had visited the other day.

 

Once she has gotten herself onto the path of Trail Upon your Time, Regina’s feet hit the partially paved terrain and she’s off and down the little slope of a hill -whoever the hell it was that decided to carve out into the forest. Her feet are moving to the beat of some morning yogic music and she’s pacing herself as she goes. She can internally hear the way she inspires and expires- her breath melding with the flow of the morning. She clears the terrain and finds herself before another slope that overlooks a drop and a ditch of some sort. It’s cluttered with trees and broken branches, but it’s lush and inviting in a dangerous manner, of course. The brunette puts both hands on her hip bones and stares out and over the expanse of the part of StoryBrooke most wouldn’t bother batting an eye at. Out there, no one expects to get a call- hell, no one expects to even get service, but somehow Regina does. She gets a call literally a few minutes into her newly decided jogging path, which follows the actual edge of the slope and she stops with an aggravated and blatantly sad, sigh. She plucks the earbuds from her ears and wraps the cord around her neck before she’s pulling out the vibrating object and swiping to answer.

“Hello,” she breathes lightly as she looks around, once again appreciating the outside world.

“Regina, darling, it’s me,”

“Good morning life giver,” she says a bit petulantly and Cora sounds like she groaned in response. “How are you doing, mother?” she questions and Cora shrugs though her daughter cannot see her.

“Rather well, I suppose. I’ve just had myself a cup of Lavender tea and now I’m feeling.. Calm,”

“I can tell,” her daughter responds with a smirk and Cora laughs lightly.

“Though, I do have a question,” she says and Regina seems interested.

“And this question would be?”

“Where are you. I wanted to have a little chat about some things,”

“Do these things involve you doing something you probably shouldn’t have and still doing them anyway?” Regina asks with a knowing tone Cora can’t miss and she pouts.

“Noooo,” and it comes out sounding like a very disgruntled and childish tone. “It actually had to be done because I’m trying to do this thing you people call ‘damage control’”

“Yes and damage control would imply that there was damage done that needs to be fixed.. Lord knows you’re guilty of a lot of that,” Regina says smartly.

“I’m more than aware, however, I’ve made some progress with a particular Woodland loving nut job,” Cora explains and Regina laughs.

“Snow,” she says knowingly and the woman hums. “ What did you do to her, mother,”

“Nothing, surprisingly. Though I wanted to- I couldn’t,”

“Couldn’t as in you literally couldn’t because you were unable to or is it the human side of you that managed to reign you back in,”

“Both I suppose,” her mother admitted.

“That’s… surprising,” Regina commented and Cora agreed. “ Well, I’m…” she explained her location to her mother who had instantly poofed to her location, running gear on and hovering over the cliff. At first all Regina saw was her mother in a hot pink and highlighter green running set and then Regina instantly panicked as realization dawned on her and Cora continued to float. “ Mother!” she shrieked and the woman looked at her strange.

“What?”

“You’re..” she motioned below Cora’s feet and the woman finally looked down.

“Bullocks,” Cora said before her feet began to flail and she dropped so fast from Regina’s view that her daughter nearly slipped over the ledge trying to find her mother’s body.

“MOTHER!” she yelled with panic until she saw Cora floating back up on a fallen branch. Her hair had a few twigs in it and her jogging gear was ripped slightly, but for the most part, she was perfectly ‘sane’ and Regina breathed in deeply.

“At least I know you care,” Cora teased as she was placed down on the trail next to Regina. She swatted and brushed twigs from her head that her daughter had now taken notice that she’d put in a low ponytail.

“Of course I care, you batty old woman!” Regina shrieked at her and Cora laughed.

“Dear, I possess magic,”

“That doesn’t mean you can _fly,_ mother,” Regina reprimanded her and Cora shook her head.

“You’re over exaggerating about this,”

“Am I?”

“Hell yeah. Regina, it’s not as if I fell out a tree and someone found me dangling by my flaps- I’m fine,”

“You could have been minced meat,”

“Key word, Could have,” Cora replies nonchalantly. Regina rolled her eyes in response and looked the woman over.

“Well, aside from the minimal scratches and the obvious bruising, you’re fine,” she tells her and Cora smirks.

“I didn’t hit my head that hard. See, I told you, perfectly fine,”

“That’s not enough for me to go on,” her daughter sighs and the woman’s face softens.

“Sweetheart, I’m not dead,”

“But you could have been, mama,” she whimpers and it dawns on Cora that it’s more than just getting hurt. She also takes notice that there are little bulbs of tears threatening to fall from her child’s eyes and she smiles to herself.

“Regina,”she calls her child softly before guiding her away from the ledge and near a giant rock. She sat her down and knelt before her. Cora puts a thumb to her child’s cheek and wipes at it and then the not so threatening tears leak away from their spots and roll down her cheek. She finally wipes them away and places her hands in her lap “ Look at me, sweetheart,”she commanded and her daughter did so. “ I’m not dead,” is the first thing she says and Regina’s on the verge of arguing once again but Cora holds up a hand. “I get that I could have been, but the most that’s managed to happen is that I got a few scrapes here and there and pretty much a frontal wedgie, aside from that, I’m fine. I thought quickly enough to make use of a fallen branch and that saved me. I’m perfectly fine and functioning,”

“But-”

“-But nothing. I’m alive- I’m batty, according to you,” she smirked and Regina laughed lightly. “I’m gonna have me a magical grandbaby you two monkeys made from the night rod action-,”

“-Dear God,” Regina says in interruption, but continues to laugh.

“I’m serious,” Cora says with her own laugh. “ You don’t know how damn proud I am to tell all those batshit prudes in that god forsaken bridge club,  I’m getting me a little queen or king I can teach my magic to,”

“Um-No,” Regina tells her mother instantly and Cora pouts. “ The last time you tried to teach anyone magic- look how that turned out,”

“You didn’t turn out so bad,” Cora tried to defend but Regina looked at her with a serious face and she rolls her eyes and bobs her head. “Okay, I mean when you first started you couldn’t fucking kill a fly, and everything you killed looked like it’d been mangled by a meat grinder,” Cora rambled and Regina rolled her eyes. “ Then there was that time you tried to blast a crow from attacking your father and completely cinched the poor old man’s head,” Cora remembered and Regina smothered a snicker. “It looked like you put a literal road burn down the middle of his head,”

“Yes, I remember I was afraid to ever use my magic again because daddy’s hair never grew back and I thought he hated me,”

“It tried,” Cora said with a shrug. “ It tried really hard to grow back, but he was too embarrassed to tell you that you’d killed the last of the dying breed where his hair was concerned- and he was never upset with you, quite the opposite in fact.... He’d actually told me that he was proud you tried to protect him but at that time I’d just called you careless and unskilled,” she admitted and Regina’s face turned stoic almost instantly. Cora didn’t miss a beat of it. “Sweetheart, I was concerned.. Genuinely concerned, not just for you but for your father. You already possessed magic and you’d never truly learned how to control it when your father’s safety came into play,”

“I panicked,” Regina whispered and Cora nodded.

“You panicked,” she repeated. “ But knowing I could protect myself where he couldn’t you worried more about him than you did me and I can understand that, but I was also worried that the power you possessed would end up turning on its head and backfiring-,”

“-which it did,” Regina grimaced and Cora nodded.

“It did… I knew it might have. I knew there was a high possibility the love you held for your father would fuel your magic beyond bounds, but I never knew it would turn out this well either.” Regina snorted at those words.

“How did this turn out well, mother? I _killed_ my own father just to have revenge. I killed my father just to make Snow White pay and I didn’t even get that. I was overthrown. I lost to her and lost daddy in the process because I had magic. Because I had this god forsaken ‘gift’- and I regret it. I regret every single last bit of it. I regret ever having it because daddy’s dead, mama- he’s dead! And there’s nothing I can do to bring him back… nothing,” she croaked out and Cora’s face pinched into hurt.

“I know, sweetheart,” she tried to rub her child’s shoulder but Regina swatted it away.

“No you don’t!”

“Regina.. I do,”

“You don’t, mama… you don’t…. Daddy never got to see me happy,”

“But that wasn’t your fault,”

“Wasn’t it,” she questions bitterly.

“No,” Cora answers with a shake of her head. “ It wasn’t. I was the one who murdered Daniel and took away your first chance at happiness. You could have been happy and free like you told me you wanted to be, but my own ambitions and lifeless existence is what made me force you to stay. It’s what made me force your hand to marry that…” she swallowed. “I regret it, every single last bit of it, but what I don’t regret is you possessing magic. I don’t regret you pushing me through that glass, Regina. I don’t regret you fighting me tooth and nail to keep your innocence- to keep your happiness, to keep… Daniel. I don’t regret you fighting for a life you’d dreamed of and I don’t regret you casting this curse because it did something you never expected it to,”

“And what’s that,” her child asks in a defensive manner she couldn’t miss if she tried.

“It brought you Emma,” Cora says as if Regina should know this by now and she doesn’t miss the way her child’s eyes soften around the edges and a look of appreciation hits her features. “It gave you Henry. It gave you a second chance with the darkness that consumed you and you lost your way. It gave you light when the darkness had your thoughts muddled and stuck on vengeance. Sweetheart, it gave you a chance where it gave me many and you took it where I rejected it and I ended up old and bitter. You- you have Emma and Henry and the little one who I’m overly excited to meet. After the potion, I’d realized I’d pushed you so far that every single last bit of happiness would forever be gone from your life and until you pushed me through that mirror... I know I’d have stopped at nothing to try and get you to change your mind. I was just too much of a coward to admit it to you. I could barely admit it to myself and realizing how much pain I’d managed to cause you.. really took everything out of me… Sweetheart I am so proud of you for so many different reasons that I will never be able to tell you every one, but I can tell you the ones I never got to- the ones you’d wished I’d told you since you were a child.” Cora paused as she found herself settling her knees to the ground properly and sitting back on her calves. “I’m sorry,” comes out of her mouth and Regina’s eyes flick and flutter with shock. Her mother had apologised before, but this one felt.. different. “I’m sorry that I never gave you the love you wanted and needed as a child, as a teenager and as a young woman. I’m sorry that I failed you as a mother, sweetheart. You needed a friend and I turned into a dictator. I frightened your father and you lost all trust you had for me and belief that I could change. I am sorry for ever making you feel like you were never enough for me when you were more than enough, Regina. You always have been, you and your sister were always more than enough and I truly regret ever sending her away and I truly regret keeping you against your will. I regret ever allowing my own lust for power override the love I should have had for you. I was stupid and foolish to remove my heart because I was hurt once before.. I was stupid to believe that I could live without it.. that I could live without you, or that I could turn you into who I had truly wished to be. I am sorry you lost your first love and so gruesomely done as well. I am truly sorry for ever accepting that proposal on your behalf. Your father had every right to be disappointed in me. He had every right to feel disappointment. He had every right to disagree. Regina he-,” she stopped herself to fiddle with her loose hem. “ -your father was the only sane voice of reason that ever existed where you were concerned and yet still, I completely disregarded it all to return the favour in the name of revenge. What I don’t regret is the woman you became- who you became, because you continued to fight. I am not going to apologise for seeing that my mistakes, somehow managed to help you find another happy ending. I will not apologise for realizing that _you,_ my precious child, you are the happy ending. You were and always will be your father’s and mines, but now, you get to do that for so many more people that it’s undeniably amazing to be here to witness it… You gave me a second chance, not life, not death. You did, and I am forever grateful that you still had enough love left in your heart for me, regardless of what I’d done to you as a child,” she admitted and then silence was among them. She looked at Regina who seemed to be so dazed by the words that it wasn’t surprising to her that her daughter had nothing to say. Regina then stood up abruptly and walked over to the ledge of the trail. She stood at the spot where her mother had appeared to her earlier. She shut her eyes, inhaled deeply and lifted her arms outward. She then turned around to face her mother, arms still out and her breathing still coming in welcomed breaths. Cora had stood and turned to face her, watching the way her child reacted and when she saw Regina smile, she knew.

Regina then began to grin and grin widely before she was laughing loudly and Cora just continued to smile at her. When the laughing settled into a smile, her daughter whispered,

“Catch,” before she fell back and let the wind take her. If Cora didn’t just about shit bricks on the spot and haul ass after her daughter, feet scuffing just at the edge of the trail- then she’d be lying. Regina turned over, mid -fall and let the wind beat at her face with whatever force it brought. She’d looked like she’d done a free dive all in the name of her newly found lightness.

“REGINA,” Cora yelled was met with no response, however, her daughter proved safe by floating back up on a branch that was clearly not broken. An evil little grin sat on her face and Cora sighed in relief.

“At least I know you care,” her daughter teased as she copied her mother from earlier, but Cora didn’t respond just yet, instead, she snapped her fingers, causing Regina to appear before her.  A little winded by the quick change, Regina shook her head. Cora had yanked the young woman away from the edge and was looking her daughter over and over.

“Sweet Jesus, my baby lost her marbles,” Cora commented as she continued to look Regina over. She lifted an arm and let it drop limply, Regina watching her with a curious expression on her face. “Are you okay, sweetheart,”

“I’m fine, mama,” Regina commented, but it didn’t give anything away.

“You sure you didn’t lose a screw during the fall? Or _before_ the fall,” Cora asked in a sarcastic manner that made Regina snicker.

“Mama.. I’m fine,” she repeated but Cora continued to look.

“You sure? Because I could have sworn you said catch, and I know damn well we aren’t playing baseball so how in the hell would you expect me to catch you, right?”

“Mhmmmm.. You could have just jumped over the ledge to save me,”

“And crack my skull on something else- are you _trying_ to murder me out here.”

“No, I was just simply expressing freedom,”

“By launching yourself over a fucking cliff! Regina if you want to express freedom, dye your hair, get your vag pierced- but don’t fucking throw yourself over a cliff! What in the hell am I supposed to tell them when they find you hanging by the flaps? Hmm? That you decided to be Batgirl and figured your vagina would work as wings?!” she shrieked loudly and for some reason, her daughter began laughing at her and she was laughing loudly. “ What in the hell is so funny- you could’ve snapped your neck- or worse, punctured a tiddy,” she managed to get out before Regina completely lost it laughing.

“M-mother, stop,” she pleaded as she continued to laugh.

“You’re laughing- I’m serious! What if you deflated a tiddy and Emma had to work with your uni-boob? You know she likes your boobies. Why would you torture her to a life of singular tiddy play. She’d be calling you tittyclopse ‘n’ shit and you’d scare my grandbaby with that one tiddy. You know children are curious, she’s going to ask how you lost one and what are you going to tell her? Battle? Tell her that you were ruling the old English and French monarchs and Snow nicked you with an arrow that shot through your tiddy like an apple? You gonna perch her up a like a plank of wood when you feed her? And then there’s Henry- Lord knows he’ll have fun making boob puns. Either that or he’ll walk around with one hand on the missing tiddy and the other exposed and say, ‘Hey, mom, look, we’re twins. Now you’re just as flat as me.’ Oh God.. the shirts! You can’t wear those shirts that make everyone drool over the fact that you’re about as big as a pencil but your ass is quite literally very round and your boobies bring life to those shirts. YOU CAN’T CONSTRAIN TITS YOU DON’T HAVE, REGINA!” Cora yelled at her and her daughter just continued to laugh. She really and truly laughed at her mother so long that Cora swatted at her arm.

“Mother, calm down. I’m fine,”

“You could have been MINCED MEAT!”

“Well aware, but you’re over reacting,” Regina shrugged.

“My ass I am,”

“Funny, considering you don’t have one,” Regina said with pure sass that her mother swatted her shoulder and that only served to make her laugh again.

“When in the hell did you get this evil,”

“Years of practice, mother. Years and years of practice, and it’s even funnier considering you sound like Emma,”

“You’re terrible, and how in the hell do I sound like that walking, wet- blonde devil,”

“She’s not a devil...or wet,” Regina defended but Cora smirked. “ OH, mother that’s gross!” she squeaked knowing fully well what her mother was referring to. “..and you sound like her because she said the same thing to Henry,”

“My grandson is not in possession of a vagina to own. Why would she suggest he go get one pierced,” Cora asked confused and Regina smacked her forehead.

“What in hell’s name is wrong with your concentration,”

“It’s Snow’s slow ass, rubbing off on me,”

“No,” Regina said with a shake of her head. “I’m pretty sure it’s just you,”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re about as old as dust, mother,” Regina tells her and the woman lets out a weird crying sound that has Regina trying her best to smother a chuckle.

“Yo-you’re so mean to m-me,” Cora wailed but Regina just continued to laugh.

“I get it from you, Madame Sandbag,” she nods her head towards her mother.

“OH MY GOD!” Cora belted and Regina was once again giggling.“The day you stop being so bloody mean to me is the day I may actually die peacefully… Satan,” she hissed afterwards. “-And would you stop being so afraid that I actually _will_ die one day because hell knows I’m already afraid enough as it stands to see Hades,”

“You did something to him too, didn’t you?”

“No!... well, maybe…. Just a little?” Regina smacked her forehead again.

“Please tell me you didn’t make a deal with death,”

“If I say no are you going to yell at me less?”

“Mother, I’m barely able to yell at you now with all of the asinine things I find myself hearing that you’ve been involved in,”

“They’re not asinine, they’re brave,”

“Stupidly so,” Regina comments and Cora scowls.  

“Fine, maybe they are, but still...stop being so afraid that I’ll die because Lord knows No one’s immune to that-” she managed to get out before there was interruption.

“-except Hook,” Regina groused and Cora laughed.

“Yes, except for that leather clad fool. But don’t worry about him, he no longer exists as a roadblock where you and Emma are concerned,”

“How are you so sure about it,”

“Because he’s apparently leaving in a few days,” Cora shrugged.

“He is,”

“Supposedly-,” the woman began, “but you didn’t hear it from me,” she ended with a grin and Regina managed a small smile. “I’m fine,” she finds herself repeating. “ I’m not dying and I’m not going to die any time soon,”

“Like I’ve said to you before, we don’t know that,”

“Then how about this, you stop worrying I’ll crop out in a bowl of corn and my own vomit and I won’t crop out in a bowl of corn and my own vomit,” she offered and Regina swallowed hard with disgust, barely holding down a gag.

“Deal,” Regina nods just to get the image out of her head.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

A bit of exercise with her nutty mother later and both Regina and Cora had found themselves back at the mansion.

“I’m never exercising with you ever again,” Cora groaned as Regina unlocked the door and they both walked in.

“It’s not my fault you lived in a time where body culture wasn’t important,” Regina responded after tossing her keys on the table in the foyer and leading her mother into the kitchen

“Yes, the same way I don’t understand why the hell it became a thing,” Cora said, winded. She found herself sat at the kitchen island, looking around for something to drink. When a glass of apple juice was set before her, she smiled graciously and gulped it down before she heard Regina respond.

“The evolution of society and man’s view on beauty,” her daughter shrugged and she rolled her eyes.

“Yes, but like idiots, you’ve all subscribed to it,”

“Yes, however, the Enchanted Forest wasn’t much different than society today. Corsets and pounds of fabric, hair extensions and heavily done makeup later- that’s beauty in the time of old. Like idiots, you’ve all subscribed to it as well.”

“Touche,” Cora amended and Regina shrugged a shoulder. “ So, where is Emma and Henry?”

“Emma should be…” she trailed off to check her watch, “..waking up in a bit and Henry is probably already up, dressed and on his computer,”

“Why does it sound like my grandson doesn’t have a life,”

“You’d be surprised how much of a life he does have,” Regina tells her mother who sounds intrigued.

“Then why has every day for the past week been him, you and Emma,”

“Because he’s excited about us finally being together.. He said to me the other day that he wants us together because we would be good together..he just sees it with us and he’s excited about the baby,”

“You mean my little sister,” Henry says as he interrupts happily. His mother and grandmother look over to him, his mother smiling and grandmother impressed.

“Morning, mom. Morning, nana,” he tells them both before kissing each of their cheeks.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Cora says to him before she leans back and observes his face. “Your mother didn’t rip those out of that baby face of yours?”

“No, I didn’t ‘rip’ them out. I’m actually rather fond of Henry’s form of expression,”

“When in the hell did you get this light-hearted about anything,” Cora asked in utter shock.

“I’ve always been light-hearted,”

“No you haven’t,”

“You definitely have not,” both Cora and Henry said at the same time before they shared a laugh at Regina’s expense. She rolls her eyes at them both before she retrieves something to drink for her son. She sets it down before him and he takes a seat next to his grandmother. “Nana.. why do you smell like-,” he pauses to think “-the forest and sweat?”

“Because, that demon spawn of Hades over there took me around the trail in the damn bush and expected my decrepit ass to run three miles this morning,”

“You didn’t _have_ to run it. I told you I would just meet you back here,” Regina defended. “Now had you simply poofed back here or even walked- you’d have been fine, but no, you wanted an ass,”

“That’s because you made it seem so easy,” Cora sniped and Regina snorted

“Mother I told you that you couldn’t simply get one in one session of exercise. It takes work,”

“But I did work,” Cora defends petulantly. “ I nearly died in the process of working so damn hard for that ass,”

“Like I said, it takes time and work,”

“And like I said, I nearly died trying to get it. Never again,” Cora groused and Henry grinned at their banter. Regina just shook her head and turned her attention to Henry.

“Sweetheart, is your mother awake,”

“No, not yet. She’s still snoring. I heard her when I was coming down,”

“I’ll go wake her, then,” Regina said quickly before she bypassed both her son and mother. They watched her as she made her way out of the kitchen and then looked back at one another.

“Strange,” both said at the exact same time and just turned back to whatever it was they were doing.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

“Emma,” she whispered quietly as she shook the blonde. There was a sleepy mumble that came in response. The blonde had the blankets pulled over her head and she was surely snoring. _She must be really tired, still_. “Emma,” Regina tried again and once again a sleepy mumble. She warred with letting the woman sleep and waking her up and figured that with the need for food in the house and what she’d told Henry the day prior- she needed to wake the blonde up and she needed to do it right then and there. She needed a different tactic as well, so, she leaned in and kissed just shy of the curve of Emma’s jaw. “ Em-ma,” she enunciated with a light and hearty voice. Somehow that made the blonde wake, slowly, but she woke. Emma pushed herself up with weak arms and twisted her neck in different directions before her eyes opened and settled on Regina’s smile. She collapsed back onto the soft mattress and white and grey sheets- her own smile showing through the haze of the morning.

“hi,” she whispered lightly and Regina mouthed the word back. “You went out?” she asked and Regina nodded. “Where, for a jog?”

“Somewhat of a jog.. I was accompanied by an unexpected visitor,” Regina responded before she saw Emma jerk up, quickly.

“Oh good Lord, please don’t tell me it was like my mom or some weird rando,” Emma begged and Regina laughed.

“No, nothing of the sort. Just everyone’s favourite sandbag,” she smirked and Emma started to snicker through her smile.

“Your mother actually went on a jog with you? I thought she was like- allergic to exercise or something,”

“Clearly not,” Regina snorted a laugh as she sat on the edge of the bed. Emma settled right back into the sheets. “ She nearly died on a jog out with me- correction, she nearly died before she even began to jog with me,”

“How in the-”

“-it’s a long story,” Regina shook her head.

“I guess it requires wine and a long time of explanation,” the blonde guessed.

“It would,” Regina nodded. “Surprisingly enough though, it wasn’t all bad,”

“It wasn’t?”

“No.. my mother and I had a somewhat heart to heart you could say… It was, refreshing. Frightening but refreshing,” Regina wagered the words as she stared at the bedside table.

“And you’re okay,” Emma smiled and Regina looked down at her with a nod.

“And I’m okay,” she repeated and Emma smiled a bit wider. The blonde then stretched in the bed before she turned over on her back. She shut her eyes and rubbed at them before she sat up, her bedhead a new mess of Lord knows what. Regina smirked at the woman before her and just let it be.

“I should shower and get dressed so I can deal with these errands and files today,” Emma said as she finally looked over at the alarm clock that sat on Regina’s side of the bed.

“You said you don’t work on the weekends,” Regina countered but Emma shrugged helplessly.

“I know, but because of the shift I ended up pulling yesterday that I also don’t work that early- and then you ending up in the hospital threatening to snap Whale’s chicken neck, I didn’t get to finish some of the reports that you’d need for your meetings on Monday,”

“So, my nosebleed caused your busy day today,” Regina said and she sounded a bit sad at that, but Emma shook her head.

“Nah, I probably wouldn’t have finished it in time, anyway,” she waves off and Regina’s face pinches, but she says nothing more on the issue. Emma stretches once more before she shifts to let her legs hang over the side of the bed. Once she’d settled, she finds herself directly sidled up beside Regina and both women find that they don’t mind, why would they anyway? They’ve been sleeping in the same bed and ended up tangled together since the day they moved in together- or the day Emma moved in with Regina and Henry. Emma nudged the brunette on the shoulder before she smiled at her and Regina smiled back. “ I feel like a teenager who just admitted she was in love with her best friend and this is the result of it. Some oddly placed, shy kiss later and both of us smiling like we just realized we should have said something a long time ago,”

“Very descriptive of you,” Regina teased as she nudged Emma back.

“Well, it was either the cute realization storyline or the harsher one that involves us in passionate sex and then one of us tragically dying once we’re happy,” Emma said bitterly.

“You sound like a bitter old lesbian.”

“I am.. a bitter woman, not necessarily subscribing to any sexuality,”

“So you’re saying you fall in love with whoever you find yourself attracted to, mentally- physically and otherwise,”

“Yeah.. is that a bad thing,”

“No, it isn’t,” Regina smiled. “It’s actually a sexuality that would help you further identify what and who you are, but like you said, you don’t subscribe to anything,”

“Exactly and you know.. you’re so amazing for understanding and respecting that,”

“It’s basic human courtesy to respect someone’s wish to either subscribe or not. Your business is your own and how and who you choose to love is also yours to mind, no one else’s,”

“If only society and my family understood that logic,” she sighed and Regina rubbed her back.

“They’re trying to,” she says on behalf of Snow and Charming. “ But society will never change.. at least not fully.” Silence befalls them for but a moment until Regina looked up at the wall in question, though her words were directed at Emma. “Have you ever.. been with a woman- or at a younger age, another girl,” she queries and Emma lets her feet kick lightly at the hardwood that’s exposed from beneath the large carpet that Regina had settled beneath their bed. The blonde shrugs a bit before she responds.

“Kind of.. I wasn’t really sure about the ins and outs of it.. I found myself crushing on girls but never working up the courage to ever explore past the point of kissing one,” she admitted and Regina nods. “ What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Well, did you.. you know,” Emma makes motion with her hands and Regina catches on and blushes before she shakes her head violently. Emma grins “You’re lying. No one turns that red from something that never happened,” Emma accused with a smile.

“I wasn’t denying anything. I was just, remembering,” Regina swallowed but continued to blush.

“Was it good,” is out of Emma’s mouth before she can register it and Regina’s face turns even redder.

“We didn’t.. go very far. I was afraid, and she was unskilled. Besides, I doubt my mother would have approved of my sexual promiscuity peaking with the help,”

“The help?”

“Yes, the chamber maid,” Regina answered. “She was my age, considering we grew up together...and that only happened because her mother was my mother’s chamber maid and it was about as much as I cared to know…”

“So.. what was her name?”

“What was your girl’s name,” Regina asked smartly and Emma grinned.

“Tasha,”

“She sounds...foreign,” Regina settled for the word and Emma laughed.

“That’s because she was black. I don’t know if that counts as her being foreign though,” the blonde answered and Regina just smiled.

“So you have had interracial relationships, hmm?”

“I have,” Emma nods.

“And here I was, thinking I was the first and that I was special,” she sing-songed and Emma rolled her eyes with a smile.

“You do realize that Neal is like a quarter Italian and German, right? Besides, you’d be the first one I marry and have a beautiful little girl with,” Emma tells her and she doesn’t miss the blush that creeps up on Regina’s face, but then the brunette continues think about the other half of the statement and she winces.

“I’d say yes, but Rumple’s accent irritates my soul so much that I’m unable to identify him as anything but that.. He must have inherited that from his mother.” Emma shrugs.

“Dunno, don’t really wanna know,” she admitted and Regina let that slide. “Soooo, who was she.. you know, your she?”

“Shes.. and if I told you, you’d attempt to burn the town down,”

“Wait, there was more than one?” Regina nods and Emma breathes out. “ You one up me again without even trying to,” she tries to joke but it falls short because her thoughts are plaguing her so badly that it hurts her to think of how many people Regina’s actually been with, sexually or otherwise.

“Once when I was fourteen and a good while after I’d been forced to marry your grandfather,” she recalls solemnly and Emma remains quiet.

“Well, I know it couldn’t have been my mother.. It probably wasn’t Tink because she seemed like more of a sister to you than a disgruntled ex- though, she did act that way when she asked ’Who the hell are you?’,” the blonde mocked in her best impression of the fairy and Regina laughed lightly. “Ursula and Cruella aren’t your type because you like blondes..” she trailed off and Regina laughed loudly.

“What ever gave you the impression I was only ever attracted to blondes?”

“Daniel,” Emma said simply. “ He had sandy blonde and dark brown and Robin was much the same, but you didn’t really like him.. You just held Graham here against his will-,” the blonde recalled but neither of them felt it was awkward to mention anymore. “-and you only ever look at blonde _women_ with the interest of actually wanting to get into their pants,”

“I didn’t look at Guinivere like that,” Regina countered.

“Yeah but that’s cus she was actually hot. She acted a lot like you did, with her sass and greed over control,”

“Yes, her greed born of false powder and false love,” Regina countered with an eye roll.

“Still, I’m just saying… besides, you kissed me and you liked it, soooo that leaves… Maleficent, really. She’s actually the only blonde, unless it was Kathryn, which I doubt because she was like a sister to you too, but I can’t guess anyone else,”

“You probably shouldn’t, like I said, you’d attempt to burn the town down,”

“It can’t be that bad, Regina,”

“I never said it was. It’s just very close in proximity,”

“How close is close,” Emma questioned as she began to become suspicious.

“...You did get Maleficent right,” Regina tried in changing the subject, but Emma shook her head.

“Regina. How close?” she pushed and the woman sighed before she stood, hands on her hips as she walked around in a circle.

“Try Town Hall kind of close,” she said with an uneasy breath and Emma nearly choked on her next set of words.

“C-CLARA!” she belted and Regina’s lack of response was literally her response. “Yo-you.. and Clara.. Sunshine looking Clara? With the adorable little girl and the sweet smile and the- the light giggle?!” Regina finally nodded and Emma’s mouth just about fell open. “You’re kidding, right?” Regina shook her head no. “Wow,” she managed. “Y-bu-I mean… wow. Sunshine Mac.. But she’s like a little daffodil and she.. No- nope. Can’t see, can’t unsee,” Emma went off in a ramble and Regina just let her. “This makes so much sense now. Everyone’s position back in the forest just transferred over under different names over here.” There was silence once again because Emma was lost for words and Regina was lost for words because Emma was lost for words. “I don’t wanna know anymore,” she finally said and Regina could respect that because in Regina’s mind, _Of course Emma didn’t want to hear about her past or her sex life._ “I guess Maleficent was the lucky one, huh,” Emma said aloud and dejected but Regina shook her head.

“No.. she wasn’t. Daniel was actually my first experience with anything remotely sexual as you heard from the colourful words by our son. Snow’s father took from me what he wanted and went about his business when it suited him.. Maleficent happened when I went to search for someone to teach me magic.. well, teach me how to strengthen it and control it… We never..” she trailed off and Emma picked up on it. ‘It was only ever kissing. That’s all it ever amounted in. She made me bleed. That’s what gave her pleasure. She would kiss me just to make me bleed and when I bled, she sucked. She fed from me, but she caressed the bruise directly after. She kissed it with apology and fervent need. When I first met her, she’d kissed me. She inhaled my scent, realized my innocence and then she’d just.. kissed me- of course that was after she called me a foolish young girl.. and there were sparks- God knows there were sparks, but that happened because it’d been so long to feel that sexual desire. Sexual desire that was wanted. Her aura oozed of it. Her libido fed it and her hunger for a willing subject drove her over the edge. When she bit into my lip, I bled, just like I bled the first time with Daniel, except, this was a different first time. She’d pressed me up against a table and lifted me onto it, but she never went any further. She just kissed me. She had stripped me at one point- admired me apparently and then she just stared me dead in the eyes, but I never felt uncomfortable. I just felt… free. She’d kissed me again, the second time was more forceful. She bit harder, I bled more and she sucked. My lips were red, they were swollen and they hurt like hell, but she kissed them softer after that, with apology. She knew she was hurting me and she attempted to get rid of it by kissing me again, just gentler, more controlled,” Regina explains to the blonde who is just watching so very intently. “She’d kissed me twice more within that same day after she turned to let me get dressed into something less royal. I’d ended up sat in her lap and she let me take the lead in where I placed my hands. She let me take the lead in where I was comfortable with her biting next and I always chose my neck. It was something I could hide, another secret I could feel proud of, as dirty as some may have claimed it to be. It was my secret and hers. When she kissed me the third time, she didn’t hesitate to bite right where my vein was. She didn’t bite to make me bleed. She bit to make me.. Release my sexual aura,” Regina swallowed.

“You mean moan,” Emma offered and Regina nodded.

“Yes. When it was released, she released me and then she kissed me a fourth time. It was a whisper and then she just held me until I fell asleep… she’d explained to me as I drifted that my magic would be fuelled by that in most cases because I was deprived of it, which is why Graham ended up being a pawn.. And your father almost ended up as one,” she admitted with a grimace and Emma scrunched up her face. “It’s weird to say it now, but Maleficent taught me my magic in less time than my mother took to realize she could use it to control me. She made me realize that it was fuelled by emotion, because she said it herself, quite bluntly in fact.”

 

Silence.

 

“I guess I’ll have her to thank when you finally accept and give into everything, then,” Emma finally said but Regina shook her head.

“No.. you’ll have yourself to thank. Emma- you’re the one who’s teaching me the healthier way to channel my emotions. You’re the one who is teaching me the best way to trust myself with my emotions. Daniel taught me how to love. Maleficent taught me how to control that love, but you.. You’re teaching me how to trust and the only thing left that I need to trust.. is that love. _Your_ love,”

“You’d be doing all of that by yourself,” Emma answered with a shake of her head.

“Yes, but I’d be doing it with your belief in me that I even could in the first place,” Regina countered and Emma just nodded slightly.

“Is Henry awake?”

“Yes, he’s downstairs with my mother,”

“‘Kay, well, I need to go get dressed and I’ll be down in a bit,” Emma responded before she rose from the bed completely and began to make her way over to the drawers. She pulled out a simple t-shirt and her underwear and bra before she walked into the bathroom, Regina watching her the entire walk. She didn’t close the bathroom door and wasn’t surprise that Regina ended up standing in the doorway to the bathroom. She looked over and saw the woman regard her with a cautious smile which she returned.

“Something’s wrong,” Regina immediately picked up and Emma sighed and nodded. It didn’t make much sense to lie and say there wasn’t anything wrong, when there clearly was.

“Yeah,” she sighed as she looked away and down at her hands that had settled onto the counter, fingers gripping at the basin before her. Regina wasted no time in walking over to her and wrapping her arms around Emma’s middle. It felt.. New.

“I know we don’t do this, and that I’m usually not much for expressing care in a physical manner such as this, but… could you look up in the mirror and tell me what you see?”

“Figuratively or just obviously,” Emma queries and Regina shrugs.

“Whichever suits you, darling,” she responds and Emma nods before she looks up, removes her hands and fingers form the basin and inhales deeply.

“I see us.. I see, you, much shorter than me, which means it should be the other way around,” she says and Regina nods.

“Would you like it to be the other way around,” Regina asks and Emma shakes her head.

“No, sometimes it’s good to just be..held, you know?”

“I do,” Regina nods again and Emma nods back. Regina then rests her chin on Emma’s shoulder and smiles. “What else do you see?”

“Clara,” Emma bites out and Regina can’t help but let her eyes shut and show a small smile that Emma reads isn’t her being proud, but acknowledging Emma’s innate fear of threat.

“I’m not going to run off with Clara if that’s what you’re thinking,” Regina says to her calmly, but that’s not the only thing.

“I also see Maleficent. She’s less of a threat because I kind of expected her, but Clara.. And they both already have little girls, little girls you could have quite possibly ‘fathered’ if you wanna call it that,”

“And you came to this conclusion.. How?” Regina questioned the blonde as she let her hands fall from Emma’s waist. Emma shrugged and turned before she dropped herself onto the closed toilet seat and looked up at Regina whose arms were folded.

“I dunno, Lily just kind of.. Looks like you and Clara’s husband or whatever- I’ve never heard of or met the man, so I don’t know… you explained to me that babies can be created from the simplest of things when two people are in love, how do you even know that Lily isn’t yours- like seriously- she’s got dark brown chestnut hair just like you and she’s got Mal’s eyes, but she has both of your attitudes and that’s why she was so damn dangerous,”

“No, she became dangerous because your parents kidnapped her and shoved her in a box along with you, hoping the angry gene would skip their baby. Fate chose who it wanted to choose, simply because you’d be born of True Love completely vetoed the chance for Lily to even have a fair fight… but if it bothers you that much, why don’t I just find out if she is my daughter.. Will that make it better or worse for you to know? Will it make it better knowing Maleficent and I shared a complicated kind of Love which would quite possibly render it undoable?”

“Both,” the blonde grumped and Regina rolled her eyes. “ What about Casey?”

“She’s not mine.. As much as I would have been proud to say it if she were, she isn’t.. Clara had become pregnant by one of the guards as far as I was told and we weren’t in love.. At least, I wasn’t in love with her, I’m not sure if it was the same in her case. We’d barely even tried to figure out what it is we were doing or attempting to do… and that would have been the first thing I found out if that was the case. I wouldn’t have had the woman carrying our child work- and better still, work in the Mayor’s office where I’d end up yelling at her… and we were still children, Emma- the logistics and ins and outs of magic are still muddled beyond the realms of comprehension. What exist for some, don’t exist for others,”

“Yeah I get it, but it was common for you guys to end up pregnant young, you said that too, and if all it ever took was a verbal contract, how don’t you know that Clara made one without you knowing and then.. You know, little baby- or what if Maleficent did the same, ”

“I did, but that was also because women were married off to older men against their will, and Maleficent wouldn’t have done that. If there was anything there, we’d decided on it together. That was one thing where Mal differed. If Clara did, then she risked a hell of a lot because we could have died” Regina acknowledged but the grinding of her teeth upon realization of that just about frightened the hell out of her.

“Soo...she’s _not_ yours,” Emma queried after a beat of dead silence.

“No, Casey isn’t mine.. As far as I know at least,” she answered but it seemed so unsure right that moment. Regina kept her arms folded and looked away from Emma, only fear apparent in her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Emma said but Regina shook her head.

“Don’t be, you just made me realize that there is a possibility I already have two children aside from Henry and that possibility is now frightening the ever loving hell out of me… that infertility potion isn’t sounding too much like it did anything in my case, right now!” she began in a panicked tone and Emma immediately stood and came to the woman’s frame. She slowly undid Regina’s arms from their twisted constraints and pulled her in, wrapping the brunette’s arms around her waist and threading her fingers in Regina’s hair.

“I don’t think I’m doing this right..” Emma begins and Regina sighs against her chest.

“What do you mean?”

“The whole keeping you from worrying thing or upsetting you and all that other stuff,” she admitted. “ I don’t think I’m doing it right at all,”

“And why would you say that?”

“Because you’re now afraid that you ‘fathered’ two little girls- first off, you’ve always wanted a daughter and you wanted that with Daniel, but now I get the feeling you’re not just scared because you didn’t get to with Daniel, but that you ended up having either one of them with Maleficent or Clara and you weren’t there through the pregnancy like you would have wanted to be and that once again.. You didn’t necessarily have a choice in the matter and then you missed a lot of years from their lives,”

“You know me too well, Emma and that’s also a frightening thing to come to terms with,” Regina mumbled into the blonde’s chest and Emma’s heart sped up at that. She didn’t know why, but it just happened. She felt Regina tighten her grip around her and the woman then sighed. “I guess we now have to find out if that was even remotely a possibility,” the brunette had muttered and Emma nodded.

“We would need to,” Emma agreed and Regina groaned into her chest. “ I’m sorry I have you so worried now,”

“It’s not your fault,” she heard the muffled words come out. “I’ll have to schedule something with both of them,” she continued.

“When?”

“Today,” Regina says instantly. “ I need to find out as soon as possible,” she says as she now sounds so much more determined than the previous statement.

“How long will it take?”

“Could be twelve, could be twenty four, could be seventy two hours,” Regina replied distractedly as she pulled out of Emma’s hold. “ You need to get dressed, we’re going shopping,” she says before she attempts to walk out of the bathroom but Emma grips her arm.

“Regina.. You know that no matter what happens.. I’ll support you, right?” Regina merely nods and tries to smile, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “ I need you to tell me that you vocally know this,” Emma then pushed and Regina inhaled before she nodded and said the words,

“I believe you… I know this,” and Emma nodded before she let go and kissed the side of Regina’s head. Her gaze followed Regina’s stare down to the necklace that held the engagement ring on it and she lifted it to the woman’s line of sight.

“Thank you for this,” Emma said as she stared in awe at the ring that glittered like none other.

“It was special to me.. and I wanted it to be the same for you,”

“But.. why? It was yours and Daniel gave it to you,”

“Yes, but in some way I also feel like Daniel had given _you_ to me as well,”

“Y-you do?”

“I do.. I don’t know what it is I feel, but something in me wanted to give that to you. Something in me _had_ to give that to you. And now I can see that it compliments where it is, but for what reason.. I’m not entirely sure,”

“I must be special,” Emma whispers.

“You always were,” Regina says directly after that. She smiles and the blonde smiles back. “Get dressed, I have to shower as well,” she says after a moment and Emma nods before letting the ring settle back at her chest and beginning to strip herself of her clothes from the night before. Regina exits the bathroom and gives Emma her privacy. She hears the soft click of the door as she settles onto her bed and leans back against the headboard. The shower starts up and Regina’s eyes shut as she sighs out. _I can’t have other children.. I just can’t. There’s no way possible that I could have_.

 

There’s a soft knock that comes at the bedroom door, the light rap of a hand against the wooden fixture jostling the woman from her trance. She hazily tells whoever it is to enter and in walks both her son and her mother. Regina looks over at the pair and smiles at them before she motions them to get in the bed with her and once they’re comfortable a hand comes to her forehead. She expected the act to come from Henry, but it surprised her more when it was her own mother that did it instead.

“Sweetheart, are you okay?” Cora queried and Regina’s eyes slid shut as she nodded.

“Just thinking, mama,” she says in response and at the use of the term, Cora’s chest swells because for Regina to consistently use that and in front of Henry no less, that meant they were making progress, and it was progress that Cora welcomed greedily.

“Is it something we can help you with?” comes the question and she shakes her head.

“I don’t think it’s much a situation just yet, but I will tell you when I know more,”

“Of course, darling. Just know that we’re here for you, okay?”

“Thank you, mama,” Regina smiled in response.

“Right, well, I’d initially come to ask you a question,”

“What’s the matter?”

“My room.. well, my clothes to be precise,”

“Oh. I think Emma washed them since the last time you were here. If they aren’t folded and on the shelving in the closet or the drawers, they may still be in the laundry,”

“She washed _all?_ Even the ones I didn’t wear,”

“Yes I believe she did, but it’s not out of the ordinary.. I’d have done the same,”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that one, but I’m just.. surprised I suppose,” Cora acknowledges and Regina just watches her mother’s features. “ Well,” the woman says after a moment . “Off I go to find my belongings. I need to shower. I smell like that forest monkey.. and a salt pond, “Cora said winded as she crossed her eyes.

“You’re exaggerating, nana,” Henry finally interrupted and both women looked over at him.

“Says the pierced prodigy who asked me why I smelt exactly like that, earlier,” Cora sassed and her grandson stuck out his tongue.

“I asked because you did smell like it, but you’re making it sound worse than it is, nana,” he explained and his mother just laughed at them.

“Regardless. Yes, mother, you need to shower. We all do,”

“I’ll go and do that. I intend to accompany you when you go shopping,” she tells Regina and Regina smiles back at her before her mother’s figure disappears. Regina then looks over at her fifteen year old who is still about as tall as she is and opens her arm at the side that allows him to snuggle into her.

“You don’t smell like salt and forest,” he comments with a grin and she pinches his shoulder.

“I know, that’s because unlike your grandmother, I know how to fare in the forest over here,”

“Is that why her jogging suit was all dirty and ripped,”

“No, that was just her blatant idiocy of floating over the ledge when she teleported to where I was,” Regina said with a shake of her head at the memory.

“Nana’s.. Special,” Henry said but Regina snickered.

“She is very.. Special, sometimes, but she’s your grandmother nonetheless and she loves you even though she couldn’t very well show it to you all those years back,”

“I know mom,” he smiles and silence sits among them, the shower in the bathroom still clearly going.

“Henry,” Regina begins and she knows she probably should have waited for this, but she honestly couldn’t because now or never honestly wouldn’t have prepared him for anything of the sort.

“Yeah mom,” he answers and feels her shift so he sits up. “ Mom, are you okay?” he queries and she nods as she swallows.

“I am.. there’s just something I need to speak with you about,”

“Okay,” he agrees and settles himself in a crossed legged position.

“Sweetheart.. Your mother and I had a conversation.. One about our pasts and she brought to my attention that.. She made me think about something that could be a possibility,”

“Okay,” he said in an understanding motion that she didn’t miss. She appreciated his attempt.

“Sweetheart, your mother and I will have to go to the hospital to do some testing,”

“Why- wait, is it the baby? Is the baby already- you know,” he motioned and she didn’t miss the way his eyes lit up with interest. She shook her head.

“No, honey.. It’s another thing.. A DNA test,”

“Oh.. well, for who,”

“Me.. and Casey.. and Lily… there’s a possibility they might be my daughters and as farfetched as it may seem, it’s still very likely,” she begins to explain and she thinks he doesn’t get it when she recaps exactly how that plausibility came into existence, but he gets it. He always gets it.

“So, I could have sisters and another one on the way?” he questioned and his mother swallowed and nodded. “ Okay… do you want them to be your daughters?”

“I don’t know if I even want to know anymore.. but if they are, that doesn’t mean I will love you any less-,”

“- I know, mom,” he interrupts and she stops speaking. “ I’m asking solely for you. Would you want them to be?”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to it, but if they aren’t then that’s also fine, I suppose.” Henry nods.

“Mom,”

“Yes, honey,” she answers him with a distracted tone.

“Casey couldn’t actually be yours though,”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because she’s all of a handful of years old, she would have aged up right? So wouldn’t that mean that Clara did it with someone here,” he queried and she probably would have laughed at the term of ‘did it’, but the current situation required a lot more from Regina in that moment.

“No,” Regina simply said. “Don’t forget, the curse existed for 28 years. You’re the only one who aged because you didn’t exist when the curse did… you aren’t a fairy tale character honey, therefore it affected only you. Casey would have just been a baby when the curse was enacted- however, I do see it now that the possibility of it is out of reach. I was a teenager as was she.. Four to five years later wouldn’t render her to carry my child,” she realizes with a shake of her head. “The True Love contract lasts for nine months..nothing more- nothing less as Rumple put it.. Unless he was lying, which I doubt,”

“So.. she isn’t yours, right?”

“No.. no I suppose she isn’t,” Regina said in a thoughtful manner. She exhaled deeply.. Well at least she’d figure out that she didn’t ‘father’ Casey.. Unless her mother froze the woman’s pregnancy which Regina doubted. Cora barely gave a shit about anything outside of the power she was gunning for at that time.

“So that just leaves Lily,”

“Yes,”

“And you think she might be yours, don’t you,”

“More than anything,” Regina sighed heavily.

“Why?”

“Hmm?”

“I asked why.. Why you think Lily might actually be yours,”

“Because.. the timeline fit,” his brunette mother answered him and all he did in response was nod.

“Mom.. I just want you to know, I’d be really happy either way,” Henry said to her and she smiled before she leaned in and kissed his head.

“That’s really sweet of you, Henry, but it’s okay if you weren’t as well,”

“But I am. Anything that makes you or ma happy, makes me happy,”

“I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you,” She praised as she kissed the young boy’s head.

“I ask myself the same thing, mom,” the boy grins cheekily and they both hear the tap shut off. Henry nods before his mother can formulate the sentence as he excuses himself from the bed and finally the room.

“Was that the kid,” Emma queries as she comes out with a towel drying the strands of hair that had gotten wet during her shower.

“It was,” Regina answered and Emma nodded once. “I’ll go shower,” she says so that Emma can’t stop her, and she’s not surprise when the blonde doesn’t. It just proved even more that the blonde knew her and knew when she needed space and time.

“Regina,” Emma whispers and the brunette stops just shy of the tap. Regina turns back to the blonde and regards her with a silent stare. “ Enjoy your shower, Regina,” she smiles and when the brunette smiles back, Emma finds herself comforted and settled on the bed, thinking of what she wanted to wear when they went to the store. Emma got up, sifted through the drawers and settled for some grey Nike basketball pants and a grey tank top. She’d already said she would wear her sports bra, so when that decision was made, comfortable clothes came with it. She gets herself ready and puts on lotion before she flops back on the bed, flicks the the mute button so that the original volume of the television is restored and begins flicking through the channels offered.

“No.. nope- nuhuh.. Hell no,” Emma commented as she flicked and flicked until it just settled on some cartoons.”What in the hell is Steven Universe?” she managed before the music started

_We- are the Crystal gems….._

 

By the time that Regina had showered and dealt with her usual practices of lotioning her skin, moisturizing her face and tousling her hair. She’d exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her. Emma was dozed off all comfortable on the bed with the remote in hand and the brunette couldn’t keep the smirk from her face. She pulled out some underwear and a bra and walked into her walkin, stripped of the towel, changed and picked it back up before settling it on the horse, near the closet entrance. Regina then looked through her offered clothing options and pulled out some yoga pants and a form fitting black tank.She pulled out some sandals that looked like they’d come from the eighties. They were Birkenstocks- her favourites by the way. She didn’t know why, but they just were. Finally she pulled a comfortable grey hoodie from the hangers and pulled that on over her head before she exited the closet and walked over to the bed. She slowly slipped the remote from Emma’s hands and stroked the stray hairs from Emma’s face. That woke the woman with a slight shiver.

“Hey, did I doze off,” comes out of Emma’s mouth in a hoarse and groggy tone that Regina tilts her head at.

“You did,” she replies softly and her hand stills over Emma’s chest. The blonde looks at Regina’s hand and back up at the woman.

“You showered,” she comments as a whiff of Regina’s body wash rolls over her. The woman smiles and nods.

“I did… are you ready to go,”

“I think so,” Emma responds as she rubs her left eye and sits up straight. She rises from the bed and walks towards the tv before she shuts it off and twists her neck. She then finds her oh so comfortable pair of Nike sandals to go along with it and they’re more comfortable than regular sandals in her perspective. She picks up her phone and her keys and nods towards Regina who has already risen and followed behind her. They both pause and look at the bed and Emma grins. “Guess we’ll fix it when we get back?”

“I guess so,” Regina merely shrugged as they exited.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“You look homeless,” Cora commented from the island where she and Henry sat- as Emma came into view and Emma rolled her eyes but laughed.

“I look.. comfortable,” she defends with a hand motion and when Regina walks into the room, Cora is quick to say,

“And you just look like a healthier version,” for which Regina scrunches up her face in confusion.

“How does one look like a healthier version of a homeless person?”

“Look- Cora, just because we don’t dress to the nines all the time to do simple tasks, does not mean that we’re homeless or look it.. I mean, sometimes I can really look homeless in some mismatched socks, my hair wouldn’t be fixed like it is now-”

“-It looks like you inherited your mother’s love for the woodland army! That thing’s a nest,”

“Mother, for the love of the Gods-”

“There aren’t anymore, Hades killed em,” Cora said petulantly and Regina had to look at her for a moment.

“Is she okay,” Emma whispered in question and Regina shook her head.

“She did fall over the cliff earlier today.. Technically when she teleported she had hovered over the cliff and didn’t realize it.. I knew she hit her head I just didn’t think it would make her anymore batty than she already was,”

“I can hear you-you know,” Cora harrumphed and both Emma and Regina shrugged.

“Guys, can we go.. I’m getting kind of hungry,” Henry interrupted and of course they conceded to his needs. He was their prince, son or grandson, he was a prince.. A damn spoiled one at that.

“We’re gonna take your Benz,” Emma said against Regina’s ears and the brunette grinned

“Like we could take your rattle trap on a good day,” she teased and Emma kept from rolling her eyes. “Besides, I’m positive my mother would incinerate us all within the confined space of your lovely- caution, metal, death trap on wheels,”

“It’s not that bad,”

“No, it isn’t, but my mother has lost just about her last screw- do you really want your final day on this earth end because she sneezed and blew us up at the same time,”

“No,” Emma pouted. “Death by explosive snot isn’t sounding too hot right now,”

“I would imagine it never sounds good at all,” Regina said.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

So, they’d manage to convince Cora to get in the car, that took a hell of a lot of convincing. She was like a child that was afraid to go in the ocean. She’d been in it before, but has no memory of it or had a bad experience with it. However, once she was settled in, she seemed fine enough, if her holding onto the seat belt was any indication that she quote on quote _wasn’t_ scared. They’d driven to the farmers market first and once everyone was out, the first thing Regina said is.

“Stick together.” Now that could have been directed to Henry, but when her finger pointed to both Emma and Cora, both huffed and pouted. “I swear Henry is more of an adult than both of you combined,”

“Well he did have you as a mother,” Cora commented off-handedly.

“And just what is that supposed to mean,” Regina asked affronted and Cora grinned.

“You’re a drill sergeant. Of course the boy is going to act like an adult,”

“I gotta agree with your mom there, Gi. You kinda are a drill sergeant,”

“I’m controlled, I’m not a sergeant,”

“Henry’s personality would beg to differ,” Cora combatted.

“Yes the same personality where my son turned on his head and went out and got his eyebrow and ear pierced..” Regina argued and Cora merely smirked.

“You did something similar at his age as well,” the woman said.

“Like what?”

“You won’t remember because I erased that memory, but you wanted to pierce your ears yourself. In the enchanted forest we already didn’t have the proper means to do it right, anyway, but you were adamant, persistent, relentless-,”

“-we get it mother… what happened,”

“You’d found a pin, heated it and stuck it through your ear. Then you came into our room screaming about being impaled and you were bleeding and… it was nasty. Anyway, I ushered you over, that was one of the few times I was truly concerned that you were dying. You’d ripped at your ear, just slightly, but it was going to scar if I didn’t do something. I had to take the pin out and well.. you get the rest. I’d be inclined to say that Henry got that from you. The defiance. The act, the notion.. Most of all- his personality. I’d say he did if I didn’t already know that he was fathered by an actual man…. If you ever look closely enough, you can still see it,” Cora commented and Reigna instinctively put a hand to her ear. She’d no clue which one it was, but her guess seemed correct when Cora’s eyes lifted in an impressed stance. “I’d just magicked a pair of earrings on you a few days later as a result,”

“Is that why you said so I wouldn’t do another asinine thing?”

“It is,”

“Oh,” her daughter commented and she smirked.

“Let’s go. Your son is hungry. I’m hungry and I just want to lie down. My body feels like it’s been cracked in nine different positions,”

“You’ll get used to it, Sandbag,” Emma commented before patted the woman’s back harshly. She knew Cora would growl but she didn’t expect the woman to just groan as a result as well.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Their trip to the farmer’s market came to an early end when Cora got lost, panicked and blew up a tomatoe stand. She was never a highly social bird. She was more of an introvert than an extrovert, but she was also very loud once she was comfortable. Her panic came with the moments as she’d lost sight of Regina and everyone else, the market had become clustered and for some reason she was in fear she’d get into trouble that exact moment if she couldn’t find her daughter. It turned into Cora feeling like a lost child who couldn’t find their mother and in this case, the roles were reversed. The more clustered it became, the more people began to bump into her and push and shove and speed walk past and through. Some intentional, some just flat out not noticing..

“Regina,” she called just to see if they were in the general area. “ They shouldn’t be this hard to find. They both look homeless,” Cora commented but son found that her assumption and thought, was wrong. Just about everyone either had on hoodies or leggings and who didn’t were dressed in dark clothing that Cora couldn’t tell the difference from. And to add worse to worse, she couldn’t remember what the hell Henry was wearing so she just about died when boys who were either his height or around his height kept passing by. The apple stand was a long shot, considering Regina had her own tree, but Cora had to try.. Of course she wasn’t there so Cora tried the cooked food section where there was funnel cake and other fattening things Emma would eat. Still, no luck. She’d yanked a couple of people in the process, hoping that this hoodie wearing person was her daughter or the more homeless looking version was Emma. And when she realized she truly couldn’t find them, she freaked. Her level of being scared was beyond measure because the stand didn’t just blow up it was as if it’d sat on the top of a pipe that decided to bust at the seams.

_Shit_

_Poof!_

“MOTHER!” Regina screamed as the purple haze of smoke cleared before them and she ran to where the woman was, sat and actually crying next to the tomatoes. The woman was covered in water, the tomatoe remains covered her and she was a mess of running mascara and fear. Cora was trying to put them back together and flinched when Regina’s hand rested on her. “ Mother,” her daughter said soothingly and she just continued to cry.

“I-it was an a-accident!”

“I know mother, I know,” Regina said as she rubbed the woman’s back and cooed her. Regina waved her hand and Cora was clean, the busted tomatoes had been replaced with far better ones and she brought the woman to her feet. Cora sniffled and tried to play it off but failed miserably. “Are you okay,” her daughter asked and she shook her head.

“I couldn’t find you. I don’t like this place. I want to leave,” she said quickly and Regina nodded. She motioned for Emma and Henry to follow her and they managed to not lose each other as they neared the car. Regina told Henry and Emma to give her a few moments with her mother and they nodded. They shifted away from the car and Regina sat her mother down in the back seat before she looked her over.

“Nothing’s broken, there’s no bruising, but you could have gotten seriously hurt,”

“I know,” Cora answered dejected.

“What happened to you back there?”

“I couldn’t find you and I don’t like spaces like that. People constantly moving and bumping and shoving. I felt constrained.. I don’t like it. I don’t wish to go back, either,”

“I won’t send you back, but mother you’ve ruled Wonderland, how are you suddenly afraid to be around people,”

“I was on a throne where there were little around me and more often than not I required my solitude. I’d always been opposed to being in crowds and being around them, I was just very good at playing that part off.” Silence fell among them as Cora looked down at her hands and inhaled deeply.

“You have anxiety, mother,” Regina finally commented and Cora looked over at her.

“I know.. I used that Goggle thing Henry said is like an entirely new universe to find out what the hell was wrong with me.. Of course it took me incinerating the bloody electrical contraption because I couldn’t figure out how to use it and your grandson just told me to figure it out on my own,”

“That sounds like Henry-,” Regina smirked. “-and it’s Google, mother,”

“Still.. I know I’m an anxious blob of sandbags,” her mother responded and if Regina could laugh and pet her head, she would, but she didn’t.

“It’s a common thing, mother. You’re not broken. You just handle things differently,”

“Yes, like a coward,”

“No. Not a coward. Mother, you are strong in ways you do not even understand. You are strong in ways that most can’t even identify. You are strong because you already know what it is you have and you’ve worked to keep control of it. You’ve kept control this long, one slip up, one anxiety attack- is not going to kill you,”

“I just want to get rid of it. What’s wrong with me,”

“Nothing, that’s just the thing. You’re more human than you ever even thought yourself to be,” her daughter says before pulling her in and hugging her. “ You’re not broken. You’re okay.. You will be okay.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

So, of course after Regina managed to calm her mother down, she called for Emma and Henry to come over and asked Emma to drive for her and told Henry to sit in the front seat. They both agreed and Regina remained in the back with her mother, watching the way Cora turned her head to face the window. Her gaze remained on the outside world and Regina knew that there were parts of her mother that would be rare once seen, but this was even more surprising to her that she could see the vulnerability in her mother’s face. Cora wasn’t in that mind-frame of allowing her weakness to show, but the silence was deafening. It was bad enough that it Cora felt weak before them, but what made it worse was the fact that no one could find anything to say to change the aura inside the car. Since they couldn’t do anything about that, they drove the entire way to the store in silence.

 

“Mother, are you coming inside,” Regina asked the older brunette who was sat, staring out the window. Emma and Henry had already exited the car and were walking towards the entrance for the store. Out of everything in StoryBrooke, it was just about the largest building considering everything else in the damn town was about the size of a studio apartment. Cora shook her head and responded with,

“No. You go ahead. I’ll remain in the car,”

“But, mother it’s not a very moderate temperature and inside the car will be hotter than outside appears,”

“Then just remove this pane of glass or something and I’ll survive,” she waved off so that Regina wouldn’t find reason to talk again, but her daughter was worried, so she would interrupt her mother’s bubble.

“I’m not comfortable with leaving you in this car, mother. Either you come out, or I’m staying in with you,”

“Then I guess you’re staying in,” Cora sighed and then Regina sighed.

“You’re really afraid to go in there, aren’t you,” Regina asked in a knowing manner and Cora rolled her eyes.

“And what if I am?”

“Nothing, it’s just.. You have to go in there at some point in time.. how else are you going to eat? Don’t you need to shop?”

“No, I haven’t had to since you always do it for me, and if you don’t, I’ve been savvy enough to learn that I can have it delivered,” the woman answered as she turned to regard her daughter.

“Mother,” Regina pleaded out a sigh and her motehr turned her head back and stuck her wrist under her chin..

“Regina- please don’t,” she said. She didn’t beg, she said it- and the way she said it sounded more than exasperated. Regina tilted her head back, shut her eyes and sighed.

“Alright.. Fine. I _have_  to go inside,” she told the older woman.

“I know. If you don’t, my grandson and your soon to be will end up buying cereal and poptarts like that’s any actual substance of food and then they’ll both argue it is when you tell them to put it back,” she recalled based off of how Henry usually was when he stayed by her. Regina wanted to laugh, but she settled for a smile.

“You know them too well,” she acknowledged and Cora smirked.

“I knew he couldn’t have gotten it from you. You don’t have much of a sweet tooth, besides, you wouldn’t have let Henry eat poptarts as often as he convinced me to let him,”

“Oh, he did,” Regina asked and Cora smiled a bit. “ He’s in trouble.. you know this don’t you,”

“I’m sure he is.. go, you need to catch them before they become completely consumed by the frozen foods section,” she joked and her daughter snickered at that one. Regina pulled out her cell phone and motioned at her mother to take it. Cora looks down at the device and back up with confusion.

“I know I’ll only be inside, but if anything happens.. If you have another one, try to call me, okay?” Cora nodded and Reigna tilted her head and pursed her lips. “Mama,” she said and Cora’s face softened.  “Please.. Try to call me if you have another one,”

“Okay,” the woman said and Regina sighed in relief. “ I’ll just be inside,” Regina said before she twirled her wrist and the windows were magically rolled down. She kissed her mother’s head and exited the car.

“Regina- wait!” Cora called out and her daughter halted without hesitation. She turned back to regard the woman. “ How do I get into it?”

“Your birthday,” Regina answered with a smile and she saw the way her mother’s face lit up in amusement.

“British or American?”

“British,” Regina smirked and Cora nodded.

As she walked closer and closer to the door of the store, Regina looked back at her mother and saw the woman shift away from the window and throw her head back, eyes shutting as she did so.

_Please be okay, mama._

  


“Hey,” Emma said to the brunette after she entered the store. Emma and Henry had gotten a trolley and stood at the side as they waited on Regina. Regina managed a somewhat convincing smile.

“Mom, is nana okay now,” her son asked and Regina inhaled.

“I’m not entirely sure, sweetheart,” is how she responded and he nodded.

“She had an anxiety attack, didn’t she?”

“Y-yes.. How did you know?”

“When I stayed over a couple of times, she’d had a few of them, but she kept telling me she was fine.. I guess she got something from Whale for them,”

“I don’t think she’s been using them, kid,” Emma commented.

“Why not?”

“Because sometimes those things make it worse than it originally was and sometimes they do nothing at all.. And your grandmother doesn’t like to be dependent, on anything,”

“I know, but shouldn’t she still try?”

“You could say that, but it’s up to her and her system whether her taking it is good for her or not,”

“I get it,” he nodded and Emma ruffled his hair.

“Good attitude, kid,” his blonde mother praised. “So.. she’s in the car,” is the next flow of words that comes from Emma’s lips and those words are directed towards Regina.

“She is. I screwed the windows down and left her with my phone,”

“She knows how to use a phone,” Emma queried in surprise.Regina smirked.

“She does. She apparently figured out how to get food delivered to her house on the days that I don’t shop for her and buy her the junk food she keeps pestering me about,”

“Your mother sounds like a child,”

“Says the blonde who let my son inherit that blasted poptart trait.. and that’s another thing,” Regina said and Henry already knew where that was going. “ You are in so much trouble, young man,”

“Aww cripes,” Henry belted and at first both mother’s were silent, but then Emma just about died laughing at his comment and held on to her stomach.

“W-why do you sound like such an old man!”

“Emma,” Regina tried to sound scolding but even she was laughing.

“Regina, you gotta admit, that’s pretty funny,” she said, knowing fully well the brunette would agree. Regina tried keeping a tight lip on it, but she failed and Henry grinned.

“You’re not out of the woods yet,” she turned an eye to her son and he took it in stride. Regina let a smile remain on her face as she wrapped an arm around Henry and both he and Emma got the hint. It was time to start shopping.

 

!!~~@@##$$

 

“You know what I realized,” Emma said as she pushed the cart through the fruits and veggies aisle. She paused before some white cherries and picked up a bag before she checked them over. Emma then stuck her hand  in and popped a cherry into her mouth, playing with the stem of that exact same cherry.

“What’s that, Ma,” Henry asked. His brunette mother still had an arm slung over her shoulder and she was stuck to him like glue.

“Your mother here named every place after something or someone. It’s either a pun or a literal joke she’s playing,”

“Ohhhh, I get it,” the teen said with a grin. “ Like how this place is called Un-Fare Grounds.. It’s because back in the Enchanted Forest where the merchants sold their stuff, they priced it too high or were forced to price it really low and were robbed because they couldn’t make ends meet or profit from it and those who did profit from it kept raising the prices- right mom?”

“That’s exactly right, sweetheart,” Regina said and something in her swelled at realizing that both he and Emma took a liking in picking things out and learning certain facts about certain realms of existence.

“That’s why Grampa Rumple’s place is a pawn shop. Because he makes deals and he trades things, like he did in the Enchanted Forest."

“Exactly,” Emma said in acknowledgment. She pushed the cart a bit further and picked up a bag of grapes, a carton of strawberries and a two more carts, one of blueberries and one of raspberries. She sifted through them all and ensured none were going bad because if there was anything she hated, it was rotting fruit. Funny enough, everything in the store was immaculate. It was always immaculate. She dropped the first two cartons into the trolley but held out the raspberries in offerance to Regina and Henry. Henry took a good handful and Regina took about two or three. They all snacked on the fruits as Emma continued to push the trolley and Regina had finally let her son go so he could walk around. She settled beside Emma and they fell in step with one another as they walked further down, finding that the colours were predominantly green because of all the leafy veggies the store had to offer. Regina pulled out a few bags for the produce and began to pick up bunches of different things. It ranged from Kale to Spinach to somethings Emma felt looked like weeds, or at least the unwanted parts of the dandelion.

“It’s Parsley,” Regina finally commented as she took in the blondes flustered expression. “ This is mint and that is ...well, technically I’d call it a weed but it’s healthy,”

“I feel like a cow just looking at those,”

“It’s not grass,”

“No.. it isn’t. It’s just a prettier version. Doesn’t mean it tastes any better,” the blonde scrunched up her face.

“True,” Regina conceded. “But, if you expect me to eat healthy for the baby, I’m going to have to get the pretty grass,” Regina grinned and Emma grinned back. She bumped the brunette’s shoulder and found that when Regina reacted, she’d merely just leant up against the blonde. Emma wrapped an arm around her waist as she pushed the trolley out of that section and through the snack aisle. She halted, Regina still in her hold.

“I see our kid and I know this won’t end well,” Emma said before they slowly trudged through the aisle. Regina shook her head but she watched Henry and the way he picked up a few things only to put them back. He was not only contemplating, but he was trying to figure out exactly what he wanted. Finally both his mothers saw when his hand settled on one bag.. and then another. He picked both up at the exact same time and both Regina and Emma continued to watch. His eyes looked between the two, contemplation clearly there. His mothers continued to watch. Finally he picked both and turned to walk back down the aisle. He looked up and saw both his mothers looking back at him. As he neared the trolley, he held them up and neither woman denied him from putting both bags in the cart.

“Found what you wanted, Hen?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t decide between Chester’s or Andy Capp’s,”

“We can see that,” Regina motioned to the bags that not only contrasted in colour but chips that contrasted in heat density.

“Have you ever eaten these, mom?”

“I have. Though- much like you, I can’t decide which I like better,” Regina agreed and Henry grinned.

“What about you, Ma? Got a favourite,”

“Nope.. never had em. Either of em,” Emma admitted and Henry paused. He quickly put two and two together and his lips pinched together.

“You’re gonna try em today then,” Henry said and Emma smiled at her son.

“Well, I can’t argue with the prince now can I,” she teased and he rolled his eyes. “Okay, no teasing,” she said in a sarcastic tone that wasn’t lost on either of the brunettes before her. “ Where to next?”

“Bread aisle?” Henry queried.

“Part of me feels like your mom won’t get bread from here,”

“You would be right. The Muffin Man has better baked goods than this place,” Regina said with a disgusted look on her face.

“Okay, so bread aisle out.. Where else,”

“Meat,” Henry said and Regina shook her head.

“We have to leave that for last, sweetheart,”

“Germaphobe,” Henry teased and Regina looked over at him with raised brows and a smile.

“Okay, no meat, no bread.. Grains? Canned stuff?”

“No and no.. mom got those from the market already, remember?”

“So what the hell else are we supposed to get from in here?”

“Coffee, mom needs coffee and dairy.. “ Henry trailed off but his mother filled in the other gaps.

“Cereal..juice… and poptarts,” Regina mentioned with a smile and saw the way both Emma and Henry whipped their heads around to see her actual expression.

“You mean it?” Emma asked in shock and Regina nodded.

“Mom… seriously?” Henry asked right after and Regina nodded once more.

“You both seem to love it, which means I would have had to have gotten used to it in the house at some point or another,” the brunette said. Emma pulled Regina against her, tighter, and then she kissed the side of her head.

“Look at you, changing right before our eyes,” Emma teased and Regina growled lightly in response.

“Yes well, don’t get used to it,” Regina smiled after a moment and Emma just grinned.

 

They continued to push the trolley through the aisles and pick up what was needed and disregarded anything they couldn’t be bothered to even look at. Of course when they settled through the aisle that was predominantly breakfasat foods and Henry and Emma spotted the poptarts, all control was gone with those two.

“MAAAAA! They have all the originals,” Henry wooped and Emma grinned as she jogged away from the trolley and bent down to be at least somewhat eye levelled with the sugary pastries.

“We’re getting them all. Every single last flavour,” Emma said, determined. She then stuck her hands out and literally grabbed up as many different flavours of poptarts that she could manage to find and Henry followed suit.

“You know, when I agreed to this, I didn’t expect _this_ to be the result of you two being in the same vicinity as something so poorly made and plastic tasting being the object of your affections,” Regina jabbed and both mother and son nearly scowled at her in response.

“Mooooom,” Henry whined. “I thought you were accepting the tarts into your life?”

“Yeah, Regina. Tarts are love, Tarts are life-,”

“-tarts are machine made and filled with things neither of you can even begin to pronounce,” Regina combated and knew damn well she won that one.

“Thanks for reminding us we got the stupid gene, _Einstein_ ,” Emma groused and Henry just continued to grab up boxes with random flavoured poptarts. Regina fell silent to allow the two their own privacy and waited until they finished before Emma was once again beside her, arm wrapped around her waist. Her head fell on the blonde’s shoulder and she inhaled the scent of something akin to.. not just safety, but to peace. Peace of mind. Solace. It was heavenly the way it helped her drift into such a mindset that there was no consistent worry over anything at that point. Well, almost.

 

“GINAAAAA!” came a very vibrant squeal and everyone in the aisle at that moment spun around to see where it had come from. It was Casey and that wasn’t really surprising for her to belt that loudly. She was making a beeline for Regina and collided with the woman’s legs, sending both her and Emma stumbling back slightly. A small ‘oof’ left someone’s lips and soon the little tackle had settled with Regina’s hands around Casey’s back, nearly lifting the child up off the ground and letting her wrap her legs around the woman. “ Hi,” she grinned cheekily and Regina smiled.

“Hello, sweetheart. How are you?”

“Good!” she said excitedly and Regina smiled again. “What about you?”

“I’m good too, honey,” Regina told her and Casey grinned. “Where’s your mommy, sweetheart?”

“Over there,” Casey pointed and Regina looked over to see Clara staring at something that was at the beginning of the aisle.

“Ahh,” Regina acknowledged as she shifted the little girl’s weight on her hip. Casey nodded and looked over and Emma and Henry.

“Hi Sheriff- hi, Henry!”

“Hi, Casey,” Henry waved with a smile.

“Hey Case, how’s it hanging little monster,” Emma said with a smile. She would be lying if she said it didn’t sting a little at the way the little girl clung to Regina and was starting to look like her the more she stared and compared traits and features,

“I’m not little,” the little girl giggled as she tried to defend her own honour.

“That’s right, baby. You tell em,” Clara said with a grin as she came up beside Regina and tickled underneath her daughter’s chin. Of course the girl laughed and squirmed and buried her face in Regina’s neck. Regina herself was smiling and holding the child as she writhed and continued to giggle under her mother’s intrusive fingers. Henry had gone off to find him and his blonde mother their respected cereal preferences and Emma.. well, Emma was busy feeling left out and threatened by the sheer display of chemistry between Clara and Regina. They were off in conversation like they were really close best friends.. Or as Emma now remembers, ex-lovers. She cringed internally and sighed to herself as she continued to watch the two women exchange pleasantries and what not. The look didn’t go unnoticed by Clara, and when Emma was called away by Henry, she gladly took the out.

 

“You told her, didn’t you,” Clara said to Regina knowingly as she came around to fully view the woman’s features. Regina didn’t hide them at all.

“I had to,” she said to the woman, “We were having a discussion and I was the one who asked about her experiences prior to. I couldn’t very well avoid telling her of my own now could I?”she asked smartly as she barely glared at the woman.

“But why would you tell her it was me!” Clara hissed and Regina pursed her lips. She shifted where she stood and set her jaw.

“You’re embarrassed of me,” Regina said with a hurt tone before she set Casey down and whispered something in her ear. The little girl nodded and ran off to find Henry and Emma. “ Are you embarrassed that it was me?- or are you just embarrassed that it was the Evil Queen you _had_ to sleep with?” Clara’s face fell.

“No.. no, Regina, that’s not it. It’s just.. She’s going to hate me now and if somehow, someone else finds out and word gets out, everyone will think I slept with you to get my job,”

“No one would think that far because no one ever could think that far, and every position everyone held in the Enchanted Forest has passed over. No one will assume you slept with the Mayor when you were my chamber maid in the Enchanted Forest.. You’re just..” she trailed off and shook her head. Regina’s arms folded as she looked away. “Nothing. You are nothing,” she finally settled on and Clara knew what she meant. It wasn’t saying that Clara was a nobody, it was Regina ending her own first thought because she was shutting off. “And Emma doesn’t hate you. She just...she doesn’t hate you,”

“She could have fooled me,” Clara said and she tried to laugh. She heard Regina give up a wet sniffle.

“That’s just Emma,”

“That’s _your_ , Emma,” Clara clarified and Regina smiled. “Emma’s never been like this when it came to Hook,”

“That’s because he’s an idiot with a fishing lure for a hand,” Regina ground out and Clara laughed.

“True...so, she’s not going to kill me?”

“No.. she actually feels.. Threatened by you,”

“But why. I’m your assistant, and sometimes your friend,” she smirked and Regina rolled her eyes. “Nothing more- nothing less,”

“Yes, but.. We have to go to Whale.. Actually, Doctor Keaton,”

“Doctor Keaton?” Clara asked in an off tone Regina couldn’t quite gather. “ The DNA specialist- Doctor Keaton,”

“Yes,” Regina nodded.

“Whhhhhyyyyy,”

“Because.. we may have to take a paternity test,” Regina blurted out because in most cases, she was never one to draw a conversation out longer than necessary where others were concerned.

“We who?”

“You, Casey and I,” she supplied and Clara’s face nearly morphed into horror.

“Y-you think,” she stuttered, getting the jist of it. Regina just nodded. “Is it-,” she began to ask and Regina simply nodded.

“It is,”

“But did we-,”

“- I’m not sure and that’s why we have to get tested because I was told a rather different story on how Casey was born, but I’m also unsure of the possibility that this could be somehow, in some other manifestation of reality.. A True Love child scenario,”

“But that’s only possible if I was in love with you and you were in love with me or if.. You know, the whole verbal contract thing where one claims it and-,”

“-Yes, that’s my fear. I don’t know if there are loopholes or not, but you have to bring her to Doctor Keaton.. Today,”

“Today?! Regina I-,”

“-Please,” Regina begged. “ I am not above begging if it’s to find out whether or not I have a daughter.. Or daughters..”

“What do you mean.. daughters? There was someone else,”

“Yes, but it was a while after I’d been married off to the king,”

“You really do get around, don’t you,” Clara finally teased and Regina shot her a glare that held no venom.

“It was Maleficent,”

“I figured,”

“And just how do you figure that,”

“Regina.. You’re obsessed with blondes,” Clara said and Regina rolled her eyes on that one.

“You’re beginning to sound just like Emma,”

“Well, she’s not wrong...soooo, are we all going to Doctor Keaton today?”

“Hopefully, if I can find Maleficent then yes. We all have to go. I cannot live not being sure of the possibility that I could have..’fathered’ two girls and either not realized it or just not understand the logics of how it happened,”

“But it could happen.. with magic- even if it isn’t True Love, right?”

“It could, but Rumple is about as sane as he could be right now and if I want answers, I’ll have to ask Belle, which I am not about to do. I don’t need more than a handful of people aware of my past and using it against those I care about.” Clara sighed and nodded.

“Okay.. I’ll bring Casey over, what time are you looking at,”

“Maybe four,” Regina suggested and Clara nodded.

“Is Emma going to be there?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t think she would be comfortable being there,”

“That’s true.. Okay..well, we’ve gotta finish and get going,”

“I understand,” Regina nodded and Clara pulled her in for a hug. Regina was never much for hugging but she’d be lying if she said that hugging Clara didn’t feel familiar. The funny thing is, when no one else hugged her, Clara always did, even if Regina wanted to be petulant about it and reject it at first.

“Case, let’s go, baby,” Clara said after she released the woman and her daughter waved at Emma and Henry and sprinted down the aisle. She hugged Regina tightly and Regina hugged her back before brushing her hair away and  and kissing her forehead.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Once Clara and Casey had left, Regina walked down the aisle to her son and Emma and saw that Emma was either ignoring her, or just flat out trying not to wear her emotions on her face which she was known to do. Silently, they just finished shopping with Henry chattering on about things and people and how he can’t wait to just go back to school because being home was getting a bit boring. His mothers tried their hardest not to seem so skittish around one another but it proved daunting. Emma never put her arm back around Regina and Regina never let her head settle on the blonde’s shoulder after that. They finished their shopping venture and left.

 

The car was packed by Emma and Henry as Regina went to check on her mother who had drifted off to sleep. She carefully unbuckled her mother’s seatbelt and went to lay her down after Henry got in the car. She set Cora’s head on Henry’s lap and he rubbed his nana’s arm. She didn’t stir, probably because Cora was a heavy sleeper. Regina then slipped her phone back into her pocket and got in the passenger seat before Emma got in the driver’s seat.

 

Silence.

 

Emma was just staring at the wheel and not really trying to start the car at all. Regina’s face fell because she knew Emma was feeling uneasy about things. Regina could say nothing. There truly was nothing she could say to let the blonde know there was nothing to worry about because there was quite possibly a lot to worry about. So when Emma finally started the car up, she drove and she drove in silence.Regina didn’t try breaking it and Henry was not about to get involved in his parents’ tiffs, so he just lost himself in his phone. They went to the last few stores, but Regina either went in alone or Henry offered to go with her.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have to call Maleficent,” Regina whispered a bit as they came close to Mifflin. 92..93..94.

“Okay,” Emma said but she didn’t try to say anything after that. 95..96..97.

“I take it you don’t want to talk to me?” 98.

“Not really, no.” 99.

“It’s because of this, isn’t it.. You’re scared? You’re feeling threatened.” 100. 101. 102.

“No,” she denied. 103.

“Yes you do… Emma I made a promise to you. I said that I wanted this with _you_. Why would I turn all of that away? After everything I’ve done to prove this to you- why would I give that up?” 104.. 105.

“I don’t know, but you seemed to get around just fine with it back then. Part of me feels like it was more than those two.. Hell, who am I kidding, you probably fucked anything that walked.” 106..107..108.

 

108.

108 Mifflin.  The car halted and before Emma could apologise for what she said, Regina was out of the car, waking her mother, guiding her inside and back to unpack the car. Henry didn’t even need to strain his ears to hear that conversation, he knew either Emma was screwed or Regina would cry- and right at that point in time, it was looking like the latter. Regina unpacked the car quicker than they had time to offer to help.

 

She had then put the groceries away as Emma sulked into the living room and dropped heavily onto the couch. Cora was awake now, but since she herself was still frazzled by her anxiety attack earlier, she’d been mute and just watching tv. Henry couldn’t take it so he went to help his brunette mother and sure enough, she was crying. He said nothing, he just wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back and then she broke, completely. Her tears were strained and her throat hurt. Everything just kept coming down over and over again. Everything, from their first argument to nearly losing this insufferable woman just made Regina cry harder. Henry was there for her, though, he would always be there for her. So he let her cry it out until she wiped her tears and hugged him to indicate a thank you. They then silently worked together to finish put everything away and then Regina cooked them a late breakfast before she washed up, refused to eat, got herself dressed- surprisingly kissed Emma’s lips goodbye and just left the house in search of Maleficent.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“You’ve been crying,” the blonde says instantly as Regina looks her in the eyes. Regina wipes at her face and Maleficent lets out an airy laugh.

“Dragon, remember. It’s not in your face, it’s your scent.. What happened?”

“Emma happened,” Regina croaked out and Mal nodded.

“Ahhh. A congratulations are in order for you two, right?” she asked and the woman snorted.

“I don’t know anymore,” Regina muttered and Mal stepped aside to let her in. Regina fell into the couch and curled up. “We have to go to Keaton,” she finally managed to get out because she just needed to rip the damn band-aid off.

“DNA- Keaton?”

“Yes,”

“Why?”

“Lily… I have to know if she’s mine,”

“Wait… I get it now,” Mal said with a shake of her head. “You two had a discussion about me…”

“No.. we had a discussion about our past experiences with women. You just happened to be one of them,” Regina replied off-handedly but she clutched onto the throw pillow that was in Mal’s home.

“And Clara too, yeah, I remember… and you want me and Lily to go with you to get a DNA test done because you think she’s yours,”

“Yes,” Regina responded.

“Okay,” Mal said simply because it made no difference to her. “ What time?”

“Four,” Regina muttered again and Mal nodded before she sat at the edge of the couch and pulled Regina’s feet out.

“Are you going to talk to me about it?”

“No,” Regina muttered again and though Mal sighed, she nodded as well.

“Tea?” she offered instead and Regina responded with,

“Please.” So she got her the tea and set it before her and even though she didn’t expect her to drink it, when Regina reached out and took a grateful sip, Maleficent smiled.

“So you really think it’s a possibility Lily’s yours too,”

“I do,” she nodded

“You do know that means that if that’s the case, you’ll have all new reasons to nearly kill the Charmings right?”

“I’m aware,” she responds dryly.

“But it is possible,” Mal said, not really directing it towards Regina.

“It is..” _How, I’m not sure. But it is-_ she thought to herself.

“You’re going to have to talk about this sooner or later, you can’t run from your problems,"

“I’m not running. I had to tell you about this anyway,” Regina sounded like she growled and Maleficent rolled her eyes.

“You have a phone,”

“It would have been impersonal,” Regina combated and Mal threw a hand up in surrender.

. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Four o’clock rolled around and Regina entered the hospital by herself. She’d left Maleficent’s just a bit early in order to clear her head, ensure that her appointment was set and hoped to hell she’d be okay- but once she was inside, she wasn’t so sure she’d done much of a good job in trying to. She walked to the front desk very slowly and riddled off her last name. The nurse nodded, called the appointment and its time back to her, for which she nodded and then called Doctor Keaton’s line. Doctor Keaton came out with a smile. SHE wasn’t one to judge, so when she saw Regina there, she knew she needed to be a bit more sensitive.

“Miss Mills, how are you?”

“Fine thank you,” Regina managed and that’s all the woman said. Doctor Keaton ushered her to the back and then asked.

“Who are we expecting,”

“Maleficent, Lily, Clara and Casey,” she mumbled and the woman nodded before jotting them down on their respective tubes and such. They waited in silence for a few minutes and then in a cloud of smoke, Mal and Lily appeared and Clara knocked on the door.

“Perfect timing,” the woman said surprised and Regina just looked on at the full room. Regina didn’t know what the hell Clara said to Casey about this, but the child didn’t seem at all frightened, but Lily looked a bit confused.

“I didn’t tell her,” Mal basically waved off.

“Yeah, and now I’m even more afraid to ask why,” Lily said out loud and Mal just bobbed her head.

“Keaton needs a blood sample for something and we’ll see in about two days if it’s true,”

“If what’s true? Mom, why are we here?” Lily asked with pure curiosity and frustration. Mal pulled her aside and whispered.

“There’s a possibility Regina is also your mother- yes, it is highly possible for women to have a child together, it’s all either magic or true love and we’re not sure which is which, which is why Keaton here is going to get your blood and let us know,”

“You’re a lesbian!” Lily hissed and Mal rolled her eyes.

“For the love of the Gods, Lily. Focus. No, I’m not a lesbian, hell, I’m not even bisexual, but have you seen Regina- sorry Regina, but..you know,” Mal apologised to the other brunette before turning back to her daughter. She continued to explain and Lily calmed her tits.

 

They all had their blood taken, twice. Once for the general principle and one for the magical and True Love principle. Clara and Maleficent just went off in conversation and Casey was sleeping in her mother’s lap. There was a possibility that Regina had daughters.. There was also a possibility that she had a daughter who’d been born sickly and then her head just spun, because the far was that if the infertility potion had anything to do with it.. Casey suffered as a result, but like she and Henry concluded, unless Cora froze the pregnancy or something weird happened.. Casey wasn’t hers- and even still, she found herself feeling responsible for that little girl.

Now where Lily was concerned, it would fit without a shadow of a doubt. How, she wasn’t sure, but it would fit.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Henry had said nothing to his blonde mother and nothing to his grandmother because shortly after Regina left, so did he. The only person who managed to say something, was Cora and she said one sentence before she exited the living room to go to sleep because it was really taking a toll on her about her one and only weakness being the one thing her daughter once again, never judged her for whereas she would have found reason to torment Regina over it.. Back in the EF of course.

 

“You fucked up,” is what she managed and it seemed comical coming from a woman who looked like she’d been frightened to the tenth power, but it was true. Emma did kinda fuck up. The blonde only sighed in response and soon she got dressed and left the house, leaving a note for Cora in case she woke not to touch anything because she was prone to setting things ablaze. The blonde figured files and more files would help her drown out the fact that she made Regina cry, but she wasn’t so sure anymore.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Soooo,” Lily began as she sat next to Regina. Regina looked up at the young woman and all she saw was.. Maleficent. Through every scrunch of the nose, Lily was all Maleficent. “ You could be my mom too, huh?”

“I could be,” she muttered her acknowledgement but she wasn’t upset. Truth be told she was just really concerned.

“You know it’s not your fault if we do find out you are my mother and you ended up missing most of my life, right?” Lily asked the other brunette and found that when Regina nodded, it seemed as though she wasn’t quite sold on that. “Regina.. Or..mom..whatever you want me to call you. It’s not your fault. They took me away,”

“Because I was hellbent on setting a curse to enact my revenge on them. That’s my fault,”

“No, it isn’t. They stole a child. They stole _me_ , and they did it just because they wanted Emma to be little miss perfect. If they were such believers, they should have known she’d turn out like that anyway, but no. They take me away from my mother and I wasn’t even developed enough for her to enjoy having me there. They left her holed up in a cave with nothing but my rattle and the memory of knowing she would never get to see me.. And look how long it fricken took for me to finally have some happiness. Emma gets instantly welcomed as the saviour and I get tagged as a devil in the flesh” she ground out and muted her swearing even though Casey was asleep. Regina just watched the way Lily fidgeted in her seat with anger that she’d pushed down for so long. Placing a tentative hand to the brunette’s shoulder, Regina let her hand run across Lily’s shoulders and she pulled her in at her side.

“I’m sorry,” was all she said and all she needed to say.

“I know.. It’s not your fault,”

“Most of it is,” Regina smiled tearily.

“No it’s not,” Lily sniffled. “You got hurt, you wanted revenge, but you didn’t tell them to take a child, an unborn child. You never told them to shove me or Emma in that damn tree. They did that of their own volition. They didn’t have to. You were after them, not Emma...not me.. And I missed out on a childhood- even if I did end up being evil, I missed out on a childhood with my parents. Emma missed out because of their stupid hero code and claiming it was for protection when they knew damn well, it wasn’t.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The doctor’s office held those people in there for a good bit until finally, Clara had to leave, Maleficent had to leave, but Lily wanted Regina to come with her because it was jsut something. Some comforting thing about Regina, even though she didn’t say much at all. It was something about the woman that made Lily feel so much more at ease. Maleficent could do the same, but right then and there, right at that moment..she wanted Regina.

 

“I’ll run the tests a couple of times to ensure that everything goes as according to plan, but I may need to contact mother superior about this as well,” Doctor Keaton said and they all nodded. “These samples could spark, however,”

“Meaning,” Mal queried.

“Meaning that the magic present in them may have a reaction to this world’s version of testing to find certain things out,”

“You say that as if you’ve had that happen before,”

“I have, that’s why I’m telling you,” Keaton nodded and Mal nodded back.

“And if these flamboyant samples do set fire to your machines, what can you conclude from that?”

“If I say nothing, I’d be lying. If it sparks, we know that there are predominantly X chromosomes in the cells,”

“Meaning that it was more likely to be two women and not the heteronormative male-female pairing,”

“Precisely,” Keaton said. “Magic is weird here, therefore whatever methods of this world we use on our own bodies, creates this effect that helps us to decipher what’s what,”

“It’s like that show.. Mythbusters,” Lily says and they look over at her. “ What? It’s like that. It’s science testing the laws of gravity and natures and blah blah,” she waved off and they continued to stare at her so she sighed and explained.

“The show’s about a group of people who basically are all specialized in one thing or another, whether it’s a science field or a trade. They pull things from movies and reports and whatever else they find and put these exact things to the test.. So say in the case of our DNA being explosive as you so gingerly put it… that catatonic nature of the cells is what you’re testing. They did one with shooting a bullet through a carton of milk to prevent an explosion because of a gas leak. If the milk stopped the bullet it was plausible, if it didn’t, it was ‘busted’ as they referred to it-”

“-So which was it?” Mal questioned and Lily shrugged.

“Busted. They tested it two ways. With and without the carton; nothing happened, not even a spark,”

“This show sounds intriguing,” her mother told her and she nodded.

“Most of the time.”

“Well, I guess I no longer need to explain,” Keaton said to them and they all just remained there for a bit until Maleficent finally decided to go. She just wanted to go home and sleep.. It was a dragon thing, but she was also lazy most other days.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina had agreed to go with Lily, which meant her letting Lily drive her car to take them wherever the hell it was she lived. Oddly enough, Lily lived somewhere in the forest. Her house.. Or clubhouse, was within a large tree that sat just shy of another cliff. In all her years of existence, her hesitance to walk straight into danger was nonexistent. Then again, it wasn’t like she had anything to fear. She had magic, but Lily was practically harmless..not that she knew how to control her magic that well, anyway.. and that was yet another thing Regina hadn’t gotten to think about. Who would teach Lily her magic. Both she and Maleficent possessed it, but who was more qualified to teach her. And then there’s Casey. What if Casey had magic that hadn’t manifested itself yet. She’d have to teach her that. Her daughter or daughters would have to get to know Henry.. They’d have to get to know Emma.. technically they already knew Emma, and Henry but they had to _know_ the woman in some other manner and learn even more about the young man who could have quite possibly been their brother.

They went inside the hollowed out trunk and Regina looked around. She could already tell there were levels in that giant thing and it smelt of forest- fresh after the rain. It smelt like a home and it was clean and just about as bare as anything else. It mimicked true Enchanted Forest lifestyle where all of the furniture and fixtures and fittings ranged in wood types. Regina would be lying if she said she wasn’t in awe of it all. So as she put her coat away, Lily set hot water for something to drink and asked,

“Want some tea?”

“Just water would be fine,” she’d said in response and it was not surprising that she was managing more words at that point.

“Water it is,” Lily responded before she got Regina a cold glass she usually kept chilled in the freezer. She set it before the woman and poured her some water from the pitcher before she put that away and made herself some tea. Lily walked into the small living room and picked up the throw blanket she’d had folded behind one of the chairs. She draped it over Regina. “You’re going to need that.. Out this way can get really cold, really quickly,”

“Thank you,” Regina whispered her response and Lily just smiled before she set her tea down and took her shoes off. She climbed into the chair where Regina was and drew her feet up under herself before she turned her tv on. “Whenever you wanna talk, I’ll be here,” the young woman offered and though she didn’t look at the brunette before her, she could tell Regina had nodded in response.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Swan, you’re killing my mood,” Mulan groused as she tossed a ball up into the air repeatedly. Little John had just went out for lunch and Mulan was just waiting on the phones at that point. Emma had been sighing since she walked through the doors of the station and she’d been even crappier by the time she cracked open a file- the same one she was currently on and had been on for a good handful of hours.

“I’m pretty positive it was shit before I got here,” Emma snapped and Mulan stopped tossing her ball up into the air. She sat up straight, a glare permanently etched on her face as she regarded the blonde.

“Okay, first off- chill the fuck out, Krampus,” the warrior snapped back and Emma sighed before she looked down at her stack of papers like they’d done her something. “ Secondly. Don’t take your shit out on me. It’s obvious you have trouble in paradise, but that doesn’t give you a free pass to be an ass,”

“I know that, Mulan, and you’d do well to watch your tone-,”

“-No! You’d do well to not be such a dick when I’m doing nothing but trying to chill during my shift,”

“Your shift doesn’t exist for you to _chill_! That’s not what you’ve been hired for,”

“Same as you not being Sheriff just to be an ass, but you don’t see me telling you that,” she spat and Emma fell silent.

“I’m sorry,” the blonde sighed.

“I know,” Mulan told her. “You have to talk though, Emma. You can’t just bottle it up and blow up on us,”

“I know, it’s just…” she trailed off with another sigh.

“What is it?”

“Regina,” she said instantly and Mulan settled into her chair.

“What happened between you two,”

“It’s personal, but let’s just say I said something I shouldn’t have once again and she didn’t respond, but she didn’t not respond,”

“Okaaaaay.. You lost me,” Mulan admitted.

“After I said what I said, Regina just fell silent.. I know she was crying, but she still kissed me before she left and then she...just …..left,”

“And you just let her leave?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t do anything about it,”

“You could have, you just didn’t,” Mulan told her and she sighed.

“You’re right,”

“I know I am,”

“Aren’t you supposed to be trying to make me feel better or something,”

“Pfft, no,” Mulan snorted. “You said something idiotic and you want me to make you feel better. At least she didn’t set you on fire, plus she still kissed you before she left. That means she loves you, and she knows you did a dumb thing, but she’s not as mad as you might think. She’s just hurt,”

“I know she’s hurt, but I don’t know how to fix it,”

“You apologise, Emma,”

“Apologies seem worthless when I keep messing up,”

“You’re not perfect. Stop trying to be,”

“I need a damn filter,”

“No, you just need to think before you start yammering. You fly off at the mouth when you’re upset over something and it doesn’t even matter what comes out of your mouth after that. Just, watch what you say and don’t let her leave every time you two argue over stuff like that,”

“If I don’t let her leave when she wants to we’ll just argue more,” the blonde said but Mulan shook her head.

“No, it gives it time to sink in and she feels even worse over it and you feel like you royally fucked up even if it was minor,”

“To me, everything is a royal fuck up where Regina’s concerned,”

“I really hope you’re not trying to make a joke in a time like this,” Mulan said but she laughed and Emma laughed as well.

“I’m just trying to be less of a shithead right now,”

“You’re not a shithead.. You’re just a shit,” Mulan joked and Emma threw a wadded up napkin at her before she sighed and rubbed at her eyes. “ Go home, Saviour. Go make it up to her. Find her or something.. Just, fix it,” Mulan told her and she nodded before she leaned back in her chair. She stared at the files for a moment more before she set her jaw, determined and ready. Emma flipped the file shut and quickly stacked it before she hopped up from her chair and grabbed her jacket. She trudged over and hugged Mulan a bit half assed and shouted a thank you over her shoulder as she ran from the police station and towards her Bug.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hello,” came a smooth voice that Emma wasn’t usually known to converse with.

“Maleficent,” she said and the woman, though Emma could not see her, smirked.

“Saviour,” she teased. “To what do I owe the pleasure. I’m positive you’ve slain me once, cared enough to call for a rematch have you,”

“Ummm, no?”

“Are you asking or telling me?”

“Telling?” Emma said unsurely and Maleficent laughed.

“Doesn’t seem so.” Silence.

“I.. called to see if Regina came by,”

“She did,” was all Mal said. She wasn’t about to give anything away.

“Okay.. umm, did she tell you about the thing,”

“What thing?”

“You know... the um.. paternity test thing?”

“She did,”

“Okay.. okay. Did you get it done?”

“We did,” the blonde said to her and Emma nodded before she caught on that she hadn’t spoken.

“Okay.”

“Emma,” Mal sighed. “ Why are you calling? Because I’m more than positive you and Regina would have had a discussion over something as serious as this, and unless you’re calling to find out where she is, I suggest you just hang up now,” Mal finished and Emma sighed.

“Sorry-,”

“-Don’t apologise to me, I’m positive you have many times to apologise to Regina, so save it for someone who actually should be hearing it, hmm?”

“You’re right,” Emma admitted and Mal went silent. “ I am looking for her, I just don’t know how to find her,”

“Isn’t that the point of your past history, to be able to hunt people down, so to speak,”

“Yeah, but with Regina.. If she doesn’t want to be found, she won’t be. She’s done that before and it’s nearly taken everything I had just to find her. If we didn’t have magic, or if there weren’t clues she’d left behind, I don’t think I’d have ever found her those past few times,”

“Yes, well that does sound like Regina.. She’s with Lily,” Mal finally said.

“Lily.. why?”

“Lily wanted to spend some time with her. She felt like Regina could understand her a bit more with things she’s already discussed with me… I suppose she feels the instant connection with Regina that she felt with me, but felt Regina would be better at articulating and just...talking...who knows. Once she’s okay, I don’t care who she talks to,”

“Yeah, I can understand that,” Emma agreed. “ Thank you,”

“Don’t thank me yet. You still need to go and find them,”

“Where does she live?”

“Somewhere in the forest is all I will say,”

“Well that’s very helpful but this entire place is practically a forest,”

“Then look for something that doesn’t look like it should be there and that’s where you’ll find them.. Either that or do the smart thing and call, hmm?”

“I’m kind of afraid to call again. She hasn’t answered her phone,”

“Then you’re stuck….. Call Lily,” Maleficent suggested and Emma was about to respond, but Maleficent said.  “I know you don’t have her number, but for once, put your old skills to use and just run her files or something,”

“I’m not at the station,” Emma nearly whined and Maleficent just about growled.

“You are one lazy human being, you know that?”

“Only sometimes and when I’m in need of a quick solution to a long term problem,”

“This isn’t a solution,”

“I know. It’s part of the solution that’s not going to be a quick fix. I wanna actually fix it and I want to do that as fast as possible because I can’t just let her feel that way,”

“Then stop talking to me and go do that,” Maleficent said to the blonde.

“Okay-okay.. Thanks, seriously,”

“Yeah.. Go on, be the saviour.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma took heed to Maleficent’s words and put her old skills to work in finding Lily’s number and location. Once she’d cracked down on the other woman’s number, she called.

“Hello?”

“Lily,” Emma said quickly.

“Ummm, yeah, who is this,”

“Emma,”

“Oh.. hey,” she said a bit confused.

“Hey.. umm, I was calling to find out if Regina was there,”

“She is,” she responded and if that wasn’t Maleficent’s attitude through and through Emma would’ve shot herself

“Okay.. umm, could you put her on, please,”

“No,”

“No? Why? Listen, Lily I need to talk to her,”

“Yeah, but you can’t,”

“Why not?”

“She’s asleep.. I was going to call you and tell you that you need to come and get her, but I didn’t have your number sooo,”

“Yeah, I get it, but umm… I kinda don’t know exactly where you live. I mean I found out, but I’m lost as fuck right now trying to find this particular tree,”

“I can’t direct you in this lighting, but it’s near a cliff,”

“Wait is this the same cliff that’s facing that stream where the little girl went missing,”

“Yeah.. wait- a little girl went missing?”

“Yeah, about a couple months back, someone’s seven year old just vanished. They were supposed to be camping around that area and she just.. Disappeared,”

“Damn,”

“I know… Listen, Lil.. thanks for- you know..”

“I know, Emma and it’s not that big a deal. She’s okay, just.. Come get her,”

“I will,” Emma nodded before Lily made a sound of acknowledgment and they hung up.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was literally after ten at night, something Emma never took the time to acknowledge.

She did end up finding the ‘tree’ house thing.. She didn’t know what to call it, but she found it.. She knocked and the door opened shortly after. Lily was in her view with a soft smile on her face and  a head tilt in the direction of a sleeping brunette. Emma nodded and entered before she paused to see Regina curled up under a throw blanket, peace slightly evident in her features.

“How long has she been asleep,” the blonde whispered her question and Lily shrugged.

“About two hours.” Emma nodded and went over to the woman before she bent down and stroked Regina’s long bangs of hair from her face. Emma placed a kiss to her temple and smiled sadly at the woman before her. She whispered,

“I’m sorry,” against Regina’s cheek as she kissed her once more. “ Thank you,” Emma said in reference to Lily but her eyes remained on Regina.

“Like I said, not that big of a deal,”

“It is.. Thank you,” she repeated and Lily gave in.

“You’re welcome.” Emma then slowly took the blanket off of Regina and began to fold it when Lily took it from her and shook her head. She watched the woman rest it aside and nod back at Regina. “ I’ll help you get her in the car,” she said to her and Emma nodded. She was doing a hell of a lot of that at that point. So, as Lily offered, she and Emma got Regina into the car without injury and laid her down. Lily brought out the blanket that Regina had been wrapped up in and she laid it over her. Regina’s body relaxed even more underneath the fabric and before Emma could ask, Lily told her,

“Just like you, I kind of had a baby blanket.. I got it taken apart and sewn into this one so that I could always use it. My scent never left that for as long as I’ve had it,”

“But.. why are you giving it to Regina.. Won’t you miss it?”

“I might-,” she began with a shrug, “-but maybe she needs it more right now.. And even if she isn’t my mother, I’ll always have a place for her in here-,” she pointed to her chest “-because she loved my mother before- during and after people hated her.. But if she is my mom that’s cool too.. Just don’t think I ‘ll call you mom because we’re the same age- that’d just be.. Odd,” Lily then joked and Emma smiled a little.

“Duly noted… Goodnight, Lil,”

“Night Em.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Ma,” Henry called as he’d walked into the foyer to see what all the noise was. It wasn’t his mother’s it was his grandmother fidgeting with a bottle. He’d actually just walked through the doors at home and usually he’d have been minced meat coming in at that time, but neither of his mothers were home and he wasn’t necessarily breaking his curfew. It was the weekend which lent him an extra few hours to be out and about considering that sleepy ass town only ever had ladies night or men’s night or the occasional little park thing. “Nana? Nana are you okay?” he queried worriedly as he hurried over to the woman.

“I’m- fine,” she gritted out as she continued to fiddle with the bottle. Henry got to his knees next to her and tried to pry the bottle from her hands, but she wouldn’t let go.

“Nana, just let me help you,” he offered but she continued to fight him.

“Stop it. I’m fine. Just return to your activities,” she said as she tried to sound demanding but it wasn’t working.

“Nana- just-let-me-help,” Henry said as they waged war over that one bottle. It popped from their hands and flew across the hall, the pills scattering from it after it’d hit the floor.

“God dammit, Boy!” Cora yelled as she scooted and crawled across the floor to pick up the scattered, white pills. Henry followed behind her and began to do the same, but his eyes never left the way Cora frantically shoved them back into the bottle, hands shaking in the process. He silently put them back into their container before he slipped his hands over hers and eased the bottle from her gently. Henry read the label. _Ritalin._

“Nana,” he tried to call calmly but Cora wasn’t answering. “Nana,” he cooed before he wrapped himself around her.

“If- I could just..just..take them, m-maybe I’ll feel better?”

“Nana.. you won’t feel better, it’ll just reduce the symptoms for a minute or two.. But you won’t feel better. Nothing cures anxiety and it’s okay,”

“It wasn’t okay today. I blew up a fucking tomatoe stand,” she admitted and Henry let out an airy laugh.

“You did, but that’s only because you have magic. Anyone without magic that suffers from anxiety would have had the same break down as you, just a lot less tomatoe sauce on the market grounds,” he joked and saw the faintest smile touch her lips. “Nana, anxiety isn’t easy to deal with on a regular day and even on a good day it can still be bad, and only some people have really found a way to get around it.. Maybe you could try listening to music or zoning out into a bubble or try to imagine the crowd isn’t as big as it truly is.. I know you want to feel ‘normal’ but the truth is that you _are_ normal. Fear is normal and as many times as you’ve said it was a weak thing to mom, you don’t realize you were saying that to yourself as well… I want you to be okay, but you can’t be okay with those,” he pointed to the pills that sat off a good distance from them.

“Then what am I supposed to do with those,”

“Keep them, but don’t rely on them. If it gets that bad and you really need them, use them, but don’t let them control you, Nana. You don’t need them, you just think you do, but you’re fine,”

“I’m fine?”

“Yes, you’re fine,” he found himself repeating to her and she finally nodded.

“Okay,” Cora said and Henry nodded.

“Good.. now let’s go,”

“Go where?”

“The hum hum is calling,” he told her with a devious smirk as he rose from his spot and helped her up.

“We gone blow up Nazi shit?”

“We definitely gone blow up some Nazi shit,” the boy laughed before he picked up the pill bottle and set it down at a table and he and Cora entered the living room, setting up like they had the last time she stayed over.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Throughout the drive home, Emma had continuously looked back just to make sure Regina was okay. She was. When they reached Mifflin, she took the woman from the car and rang the bell as she held Regina bridal style./ Henry answered with instant question on his face and all Emma said was,

“She fell asleep.” He’d nodded and let it be before heading back into the living room with his grandmother. Emma did sniff around and figured she’d smelt something divine but as far as she was aware, no one but Regina had cooked, and that was from morning. She shook her head and took the woman upstairs, Lily’s blanket still within the woman’s hold and she set her down before placing that exact same blanket over her. She shut the lights out and closed the door just slightly before she showered and changed in the dark and went back downstairs. Her nose did not fail her, there was food there.

“Nana and I cooked dinner,” he told her and she spun around and smiled.

“What’d you guys make?”

“Spaghetti.. Nana’s too Italian not to make it just about every opportunity she can” he said with a grin as he walked over to his blonde mother and hugged her. “ I love you, ma,” he whispered and she hugged him back.

“I love you too, kid.. How’s she holding up?”

“She’s… okay for right now. She broke down earlier, but she’s in there blowing stuff up.. The garlic bread is in the container in the toaster oven and there’s salad in the fridge,” he remembered and she hugged him once more before releasing him.

“Good. I’ll take up some for your mom and see if she wants to eat.. Or at least- can eat,”

“Is mom okay?”

“I think she is.. I’ll have to find out when she wakes up, but I know for sure that we need to have a talk. What I said was way out of line and it reminded me of what that kid at your school said about her, too,”

“Yeah.. don’t remind me about him. I’m still itching to jab out his eyes,” Henry muttered darkly and Emma shivered.

“Yeah,” is what she settled for in response before she turned to the cupboards and took down two plates. Emma then set them down and got two glasses. She figured Regina would drink Apple juice if anything, so she poured some for the brunette and some for herself and added a few ice cubes. She paused before she picked them up and put them in the freezer. “ I’ll be back, I need to talk to your grandmother for a minute,” she told her son who just shrugged and let her go.

 

“Fucking Nazis! Die!” Cora chanted her mantra as she rode through the battlefield on a humvee and just shot at everything and everyone in sight.

“You know they can’t hear you, right?” Emma said in interruption and Cora jumped, the controller flying from her hands and sparks tingling from her fingers as they shot towards the X-Box. It cinched the poor thing and Emma’s head dropped.

“Shit,” the older woman hissed as she got up and walked over to it before poking it and wincing at the damage.

“Sorry,” Emma said from her spot and Cora shook her head.

“I can’t fix this,” she concluded and Emma walked over to her and knelt where she was.

“I think I can,” Emma said before she shut her eyes and waved her hands over the X-Box. Her fingers glowed and they smelt the caramelization of the device, which either meant it was getting worse.. Or better.. It was getting worse.

“ _I think I can_ ,” Cora mocked. “ What are you, Thomas the fucking Tank engine? You just fried that thing into Oblivion,”

“Well at least I tried to fix it, unlike you. _I can’t fix this_ ,” Emma mocked Cora. “What are you, senile?”

“No, you shithead, I’m just unfamiliar with the mechanics of this devil box of fun and mischief,”

“Then I guess I’m buying the kid a new X-Box..and Call of Duty,” Emma sighed before she stood.

“Maybe if you open it I can fix it,”

“Are you some sort of mechanic now?” Emma asked smartly and Cora mad a harr-harr face.

“No, asswipe-,”

“-God the names just get even more colourful,” Emma laughed and Cora paused to laugh as well.

“If you open it and let me look at it, I can visually replicate it in my mind and possibly create a new one,”

“Oh, like a photocopier,”

“A photo copy what?”

“Nothing,” Emma said as she shook her head and went towards the X-Box. “ Pray to Hades we can get it open,” she told Cora before pulling out a pocket knife she usually kept handy and jabbed it in the side of the machine. Emma wiggled the box and jiggled its charred pieces before she heard it crackle and break apart. “ Well, that was easy,” she concluded.

“That’s because you fried it, numbnuts,” Cora said before knocking her on the head. “ Okay,” she began before she looked it over. Most of the outside was burnt, but the metal pieces, cogs and all, still seemed to be functional looking.

“Guys.. what happened to my X-Box?”

“Your mother scared me shitless and made me cinch it and then she tried to Thomas the tank engine the shit out of it and fix it, but she just made it worse and now it smells like a dead body in here… so now I’m trying to replicate it,” Cora explained to her grandson whose mouth was agape.

“And you think that’s going to work?” he asked her and she shrugged.

“Worth a shot, right?”

“Yeahhh,” he sighed out before he sat beside her and watched her work her magic. Surprisingly, it worked. Cora had managed to houdini the damn thing and bam! New Radioactive hum hum.

“I did it!”

“Yes, now could you make a protective case for it so we don’t go through this again,” Henry begged and she nodded before creating something that just looked like a plastic box.

“That’ll work,” she said as she dusted her hands and went back to her spot. Emma rose from where she was and waved her hand over the charred one. It vanished and reappeared in the trash outside.

“I think that’s cue to take my leave,” she said and Cora stopped her just before she left the room. Her tone had changed as she asked her question.

“Did you find her?” Emma paused and nodded before she said.

“Yeah.. I found her.” Cora nodded back before she responded with,

“Good.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After the blonde had reheated her and Regina’s food in the pot and toaster oven because Regina hated microwaves, she’d set Regina’s food on a tray and somehow managed to balance her own food and their drinks as she ascended the stairs. She’d said a good night to Henry and Cora over her shoulder and got grunts in response. Once she had hit the final few steps, she heard the pipes crackling behind the walls, which meant water was running and water could only be running if someone was washing their hands, flushing the toilet or showering. That meant Regina was awake. Emma pushed the door open quietly and was met by the lighting in the room. Regina’s side of the bed was empty and the bathroom door was cracked, steam rushing from it and a humming sound coming from inside. She set their food down before she separated their meals and took hers around the other side of the bed. Emma turned on the tv and it’s usual low volume brought life to the room. The tap turned off, the curtain was strung across and then closed immediately after. Regina had picked up her towel and wrapped it around herself before she pulled the door open completely and walked out and over to the drawer. Her hair was dripping just slightly as she sifted through and found herself a giant t-shirt that she usually kept for nights when she really didn’t wanna wear underwear and then got herself a pair of undies. She walked back into the bathroom and changed before she came out, tousling her wet hair with the towel. Regina then folded the towel and put it down before she finally noticed that Emma was in the room just looking at her. She bit the inside of her cheek before she exited the room and went wherever she was going. Emma waited. She wouldn’t eat until Regina was back in the room. All of five minutes later, Regina was back and climbing into the bed, grabbing Lily’s blanket as she got comfortable. They both sat side by side, barely touching, in silence. The only sound in the room was that of the tv. Finally, Emma broke it.

“Your mom and Henry made spaghetti and I figured you needed something to eat.”

 

Silence.

 

“thank you.” It was whispered so quietly she almost missed it. Emma just nodded and when Regina picked up her food, so did she. They ate in silence, the occasional sound of silverware to platter and the usual tv noise. Once they were done, Emma cleaned up their dishes and set the dishwasher before she asked Henry or Cora to make sure they empty it out.. Once again, grunts in response. She rolled her eyes and went back upstairs only to find Regina with the tv off, glasses on her face and a book perched up on her lap. Emma went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth before she walked over to the bed. She climbed in bed and could smell the distinct scent of mint on Regina. The woman had already brushed her teeth. At that point, she really wish she’d given in a bought a laptop because she was afraid to turn the tv back on and disturb Regina, but she also couldn’t go straight to sleep because she just ate. So she took out her phone and just decided to do something- anything that would keep her distracted until Regina finally lied down and shut the light out.. Or more importantly- talked to her. She was hoping for the latter.

 

After a while of deafening silence, Regina spoke.

“You made me cry,” she admitted and Emma instantly stopped what she was doing to look at the woman who wouldn’t look away from her book. Emma took in how Regina’s glasses had slipped to the edge of her nose and she reached out to push them back up. She took small victories in not being denied that action or being fried where she sat.

“I know,” she said after she put her hand down. “ I was out of line and disrespectful,” Emma agreed.

“You were,” is all Regina says and Emma sighs. It’s silent for another long period of minutes, pushing just shy of 11:40 pm.

 

“I scared your mother tonight and made her zap Henry’s X-Box.. Then I tried to fix it but I just burnt it to hell,” Emma said nervously and saw the faintest smirk appear on Regina’s lips.

 

Silence

 

“Are you mad at me?” she asks quietly because her heart feels heavy and if Regina says yes, she’s just about sure it’ll break, but she doesn’t say it, hell, she barely answers.

“no,” comes out in barely a whisper and then it’s followed by and large intake and a heavy sigh. “I’m not mad at you.. I’m hurt _by_ you,” she tells her and that hits harder than she expected.

“I never-,” she stops herself because she really doesn’t want to be repetitive, so she settles for being traditionally repetitive. “ I’m sorry.”

“Are you?” comes the question immediately after that and Emma shifts quickly.

“I am.. I was being rude and I wasn’t thinking about what I was saying because I was frustrated and I felt threatened and I still do, but that doesn’t and will not ever give me the right to say something as mean and as cold-hearted as what I said- to you ever again.”

 

Silence…

 

11:44 pm

 

“Okay.” That’s all she gets is an okay. Regina closes her book after she marks her page. She sets it on the table and does the same with her glasses before she picks up the remote and turns the tv back on. She shuts out her light and lies down, eyes shut for a moment until what appears on the ceiling is nothing she’d thought she’d think to see. It was Nebula cascading across the ceiling in hazes of aqua to ultraviolet and flecks and sparkles of gold and other colours she couldn’t put a name to. Emma lies down as well and before she’s completely settled, Regina is already curled beside her, holding onto her cami and Lily’s blanket and running lazy circles on the blonde’s exposed navel with her thumb. Emma sighs almost happily and her arm rests on Regina’s waist. She squeezes just lightly and Regina lets out a sigh of content.

 

Silence

 

11:52 pm.

 

“I know you may not be so affected by these words when I say them, but.. I love you, Regina. And I don’t know how I started to, but I’m glad I let myself feel it. I’m sorry for what I said to you and I want you to know that I’m going to make mistakes over and repeatedly, but I will try damn hard to fix them and I just hope you can forgive me when I do and not give up on me like everyone else seems to..”

 

11:53 pm.

 

“I won’t,” comes as a whisper to Emma’s ears and she doesn’t need to look to know that Regina’s already fast asleep once more.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Somewhere almost halfway across the Town, is Dr. Keaton hard.. Well, barely hard at work. She’d set the samples in the machines and ran both at the same time. It clicked and whirred like it was supposed to and started to hum like it usually did, so she just let it do its thing and went about her paperwork. She’d have to stay overnight just to keep an eye on it because if it was left alone and some reaction happened, the hospital would be burnt down or sucked into some weird universe.

 

She’d only been doing her paperwork for a bit (12 am) when one of the machines sparked and sparked and sparked. It tripped, which in turn activated the other machine that instantly caught fire that glowed in a grey-blue hue. The hospital lights flickered as both machines sizzled, Dr. Keaton just watched and recorded, marking certain columns and being forced to create a new one. One of the machines gave off a scent that smelt of ash and honey. The other had no scent at all. The machine that wasn’t grey-blue hue, was lit up with violet and gold. Dr. Keaton kept a straight face as she continued to record and analyze the strange occurrence before her. Oddly enough, both machines ended up stopping at the exact same time. She put her gloves on and walked over before opening them. One had crystalized, the other had turned into complete ash. But where both were entirely similar was texture and fine particles of what appeared to be pixie dust mixed in. This wasn’t the pixie dust that any of the fairies had, this was shimmering multi-coloured pixie dust that meant only one thing..

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

11:56 pm.

 

Emma had climbed from the bed and went around to Regina’s side before rolling the woman over and lifting the hem of the shirt she wore. She bent down and placed ten kisses ranging in position all around Regina’s stomach.

“heeyy, Egg,” she whispered. “Day ten. I did another dumb and mean thing today where your mommy was concerned.. It made her cry and I still feel really stupid about it, but.. I think she forgives me.. I’m not sure, but I hope so. She went to the doctor today, and no- nothing’s wrong or anything, she just needed to get a DNA test done because there is a possibility that you might have more than Henry as your sibling. I know it seems crazy, but your mommy and I had a talk and it’s possible that you might have two sisters and a brother already. She’s not sure and that’s why she went in to take the test. I didn’t go with her because of the dumb thing I told you I did earlier. I know that if she finds out that one or both of them are hers, she’s going to feel so broken about missing so much of their lives already, but if they aren’t she’ll be just as hurt…. Sigh, Egg, I don’t know which one would be better for your mommy, but I hope that with whatever happens, I can be there for her like I should’ve been- you know?... Your nana had an anxiety attack today, too. She blew up some tomatoes at the farmer’s market because she couldn’t find us and the crowd was too much for her, but she’s okay now.. Then I scared her and she blew up your brother’s X-Box.. I tried to fix it and I just charred the crap out of it… I’m now realizing today was just an adventure of mishaps.. Hell, just about everyday's an adventure of mishaps with us.. But, I should rest, Egg. I wanna get up early tomorrow and actually spend my entire Sunday with your mommy and your brother and all your grandparents if I can afford the opportunity. Hell, even your Uncle Neal and maybe Henry’s friends- who knows.. I love you kid. Be safe in there and thanks for not kicking your mom’s stomach to shit today.. If that was you,” Emma winked before she pulled the shirt back down and climbed into the bed. She wrapped herself around Regina and held onto Lily’s blanket before she closed her eyes and in a few seconds, she was out. Slowly, Nebula’s existence faded from the ceiling and both women were drifted into sleep.

 


	12. C?! Alone. Did you know? Eleven Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get your answer in this chapter my lovely humans. Do enjoy.
> 
> Clearly it's not as long as the others but I'm pressed for time on getting to work and I want to update Cigs and Ash and Train Tracks... soon.

Her house phone had rung off unnaturally early, Sunday morning and Regina was half surprised by who was on the line.

“Hello,” she’d answered groggily as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. It was three in the morning, she’d literally only been able to nap.

“Regina, it’s me- Doctor Keaton,” the woman on the other end of the line said and Regina’s eyes opened wider as she sat up.

“Is everything alright?”

“I would say so, but you all need to come down to the hospital as quickly as possible. There’s something I need to show you and clarify with you,”

“Okay, I’m coming,” she said immediately and the doctor made a sound of acknowledgment.

“See you then.”

 

They hung up.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina didn’t know what she feared more, the fact that the test seemed to end so quickly or the fact that she wasn’t completely awake and this was the defining and changing moment of her life. She didn’t bother to shower, but she did brush her teeth and she threw on a pair of jeans and her birkenstocks before washing her face and pulling her hair back and out of her face. She’d written a note and left it on the bed and picked up Lily’s blanket to carry with her. She’d have to return it- she remembered.

 

Regina hurried down the stairs and quickly checked in on her mother and son who were both out cold. She shut off the lights and left the tv on just in case one of them woke in panic and needed to pee or something. She then turned and jogged out the door before quickly starting her car and speeding towards the hospital.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina didn’t even bother greeting the nurses on call with sense as she just hauled ass through and toward Doctor Keaton’s office. She knocked a couple of times in a frantic pace and the woman opened her door immediately, before she was stepping aside and letting the fidgeting woman in. Doctor Keaton said nothing to her, instead she offered her somewhere to sit and they played the waiting game.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Something didn’t feel right. Something felt cold and something was missing.. No, Someone was missing. Emma groaned and groaned as she reached out and swiped her hand around the empty space on the bed. Yeah, Regina was gone. She tried to open her eyes, praying that the light she’d thought to already be in the room would take it easy on her pupils. However, when her eyes opened, there was no light. The room was still in a pitch darkness.  _ What time is it? _ She looked over at her alarm clock after she’d managed to roll herself on her side. It was a little after four in the morning.  _ That’s strange _ . She wondered if Regina had somehow managed to get up really early this morning and already started on her Sunday. Emma sighed before pushing herself up on both arms and forcing moisture into her eyes. She turned over and sat up properly before reaching for the bedside lamp and flicking it on. She then looked over at Regina’s side. Lily’s blanket was gone as well, but there was a note on the pillow. She picked it up and realized the note was bulleted, something Regina had only ever done a handful of times when something important required her to be there more than on time.

“Keaton called. Results are in. At the hospital. I’m okay.” Emma recited the note before her. She was shocked that it was already done. In her experience of understanding, DNA took a bit longer than that to be determined. She tried not to think on it too long or too hard and just opted to focus on something else, like...like...shit, she had nothing. She got up from the bed and set it, maybe that would help her mind calm down...it didn’t. So Emma then decided to shower and clean the bathroom a bit, hoping that would help.. It didn’t. Then Emma finally decided to descend the stairs and check on Henry and Cora who’d looked exactly like they had the first night they did this mess. MESS!. That’s it, she could clean up their mess, clean the house and th-fuck!. The house was already clean. That was the problem with living with Regina. Somehow the house stayed clean, even when they’d had a lot of traffic in and out. She sulked and settled for just cleaning up Henry and Cora’s mess and by the time five o’clock rolled around, Emma just decided to get a start on breakfast.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5:10 am

Once again came a unison knock and a swirl of smoke that consisted of Clara and Casey and Maleficent and Lily. Maleficent still had bed head and was dressed in her silk pajamas and Lily just had on some shorts and a hoodie. Her mother didn’t even give her time to put on shoes. Clara had on a t-shirt and yoga pants and was holding her sleeping daughter, smothering her own yawn in the process as well. Regina, without thinking much waved her hands and a pair of comfortable and warm shoes appeared on Lily’s feet. That in turn got the young woman to look down at her feet then back up at Regina and smile at her.Regina merely gave a short and almost imperceptible nod.

“Now that the gang’s all here-,” Maleficent tried to joke as she smothered a yawn and found a chair to sit in. “-do get on with it, love,” she told Keaton.

“Everyone needs to sit for this one,” Doctor Keaton told them and the remaining people, sat. “Before we start, I’d just like to say, I nearly died in the process of gathering information for you people,” she joked and there were some forms of smiles. “ Anyway.. As you know, we ran all of your DNA, and let’s just say, there were some very persistent and distinctive features about both that no one would believe at first glance,” she said and the women just let her talk. “The general DNA test we ran clearly proves that Regina couldn’t have ‘fathered’ either of the girls-,” Keaton said and they all nodded. “-but that principle was going to say that either way we tested it.. anyway, the second test proved to be a lot more….obvious- so to speak,”

“Obvious? In what way,” Clara queried and the woman bobbed her head.

“I’ll have to show you,” Doctor Keaton said before pulling out Medical grade containers that held particles in them.

“Is that our blood,” Lily asked with confusion and the woman nodded.

“It is,” she answered before she set them down and opened the containers. Doctor Keaton rolled herself over to the group and set it before them. She’d taken a grafting sheet and filament paper before sifting the particles through it and letting it fall onto the paper.

“I don’t get what we’re staring at,” Maleficent said instantly because she just wanted to find out and go home.

“That’s because I’ve yet to explain it,” Doctor Keaton laughed before she set it down. She opened the other and did the exact same thing. “ The one on the left is your blood and Lily’s. The blood on the right is Clara and Casey’s. Somehow, the vials managed to mix into one during the process and they were able to do this-,” she said as she wheeled herself across the room, exposing the damage. “-to both of my machines.”

“Explosive DNA!,” Mal said with surprise. Keaton nodded.

“Very.. and I think I have an idea-well, I’m almost positive this is why.” Silence sat in the room for a moment as she brought the chart over. “Take a look at the chart, your corresponding blood samples to their physical appearance.” They looked, but they looked confused.

“Explain, I’m not very versed in the world of human DNA,”

“It’s not human DNA, that’s just it,”

“What in the hell do you mean?” Maleficent asked a bit agitated and confused.

“I mean, that you have a human form, we all do, however, the DNA is solely magical. All of this- is magical DNA you see,”

“Sooooo, there’s no ‘human’ cells in our blood?” Lily queried and the doctor shook her head.

“No, there isn’t,”

“Then, what exactly is that?” Clara asked and Keaton shrugged.

“That’s your DNA in its natural form.”

“How though?” Lily questioned

“That, I’m not entirely sure of, but unless you came to find out things other than who fathered you girls, I suggest you let me continue,” she said and they fell silent. Regina had yet to speak or ask a question, but no one was surprised. “We’ll start with you and Casey first,” Doctor Keaton told Clara. She picked up the particles and used a swab to swipe through it. “Your DNA sample didn’t have a scent,” she began.

“Should it?”

“In a sense, either is fine, however I’m just informing you that yours did not. However, the machine it was in, was glowing violet and gold,” Keaton told her and that got everyone’s attention. Regina’s heart rate increased as some eyes drifted to her. Doctor Keaton merely smirked and did an easing motion with her hand that only Regina could see, so she settled. “Granted, Casey is a True Love baby, but she’s not Regina’s,” the woman said and Clara seemed to let out a breath she wasn’t even aware she’d been holding in. “Your DNA had also crystalized in the machine and that forced me to break it apart, but-,” Keaton paused before she reached for a different container and opened it. She let a piece fall from it and held it in her gloved hand. “-that’s what it looks like in its natural state.” She put it back in the container and shut it.

“So.. if Regina’s not Casey’s mother, but Casey is a true love baby, does that mean-,” Clara stopped short and Doctor Keaton nodded.

“Yes, the guard you shared that one night of passion with is in fact her father, but I’m not done yet. Both samples had something in common that you all need to hear,” she told them before switching to look at Mal and Lily. “Your turn,” she told the other two and they nodded.  “I need you to inhale for me and tell me what you smell,”

“It smells like ash,” Maleficent grinned.

“Yeah-but.. It smells..almost like..syrup,” Lily offered and Keaton laughed.

“Close.. It’s honey,”

“Honey?” they both asked her and she nodded.

“Yes, honey. As obvious as it is, Maleficent’s ash scent comes from her being a dragon, however the honey scent isn’t Regina’s,”

“I could have told you that. Regina’s lavender scented,”

“Exactly,” Doctor Keaton said before she pulled out Regina’s sample that she’d ran in three different ways. “ This is her blood,”

“It’s still blood,” Lily commented and Keaton nodded.

“It is, but that’s not what’s important… your machine had lit up in a grey-blue hue,”

“Grey for my mom and blue for???”

“I don’t quite know, However, whoever this person is, they smelt of honey and they have a calming scent that you can’t quite label as it’s been based off the blue hue...they’re also whoever your mother’s True Love should have been..and still is,,” Doctor Keaton riddled off and the silence from Maleficent made Regina’s interest perk up.

“It was Aurora,” she said in an airy whisper that only Regina heard. The brunette wasn’t surprised in the slightest at that.

“When?”

“A while after you. I’d.. I was broken hearted and somehow she found me. She changed me and then, she told me she was in love with me but she had to marry Philip.. and..and..nothing,” Mal shook her head and Regina didn’t push. They turned their attention back to Keaton who was rambling about the one thing all their blood had in common.

“-chromosome C,” is what they caught on the tail end.

“Chromosome C?” someone asked.

“Yes, it’s… it would probably be easier if I explained it with the visual,” Keaton told them and brought both the samples together.

“Now, where yours had no scent and yours did, but both glowed in their own hue, we concluded that Regina didn’t father either of the girls,”

“Okay, so.. What’s so important about this other Chromosome,”

“What’s important about it is that it is rare and Regina is the only one amongst all of us for the past nine generations to be in possession of Chromosome C… look at your powdered samples and tell me if you can spot the similarity in them both,” Keaton told them and everyone looked, but no one found anything.. No one but Regina.

“It’s multi-coloured pixie dust,” she said as she sat up straighter and turned the paper that held one of the sample.

“Exactly. Multi-coloured pixie dust is rare because no fairy and or pixie possesses it… Regina, however, her entire system is filled with it and it’s in your daughter’s blood-” she pointed to Clara, “-and your daughter’s blood,” she pointed to Maleficent.

“Is that bad?” Clara asked and Keaton shook her head.

“Not in the slightest and I’ll tell you why.. Regina’s C chromosome lets me know that during the conception of both the girls, her magic was present. Your true love and your true love were only found because of Regina’s residual Chromosome DNA,”

“You mean like a magnet,”

“Precisely.. Watch this,” Keaton said before she blew lightly on both sets of particles. The grains melded together and solidified, Mal and Lily’s in a steel block sort of thing and Casey and Clara’s crystalizing once again.

“Purity and danger,” Regina whispered and Keaton nodded.

“What does she mean by purity and danger?”

“She means that her chromosomes grant True Love babies for good and evil because much like Emma, Regina had the potential to  _ be  _ good or evil, however, mother superior mapped out her life and took that part away by denying her a wish.” Silence.

“Can Emma do the same thing?” Lily queried.

“No. She can’t. She was born of True Love and with Chromosome C DNA it would have had to have been something in particular that was present in either of her parents’ DNA or Emma herself for it to be passed along or created,”

“It sounds like an abnormality,”

“It is, most replicate it to down syndrome with the one extra chromosome. Regina was born of determination and drive- True Love babies exist through determination and drive and a solidified bond, hence, Regina’s cells are a potion if you’d like to call it that, but her own parents didn’t share it. She’d acquired the cell from within her mother and her mother only,”

“How,” came the question and this time it was from Regina. It was low and curious but frightened all in the same breath.

“That part I’m not quite sure of either and that would require me testing your mother,” Keaton offered but Regina shook her head.

“No.. there’s no point,” she responded and Keaton nodded.

“Okay…”

“Soooo, if Regina didn’t ‘father’ our girls.. Who did?” Mal questioned because she was honestly so stuck in her own thoughts, she barely listened to the doctor. Doctor Keaton laughed.

“Your True Love ‘fathered’ Lily and Clara’s True Love did the same for Casey,”

“But.. he’s gone,” Clara said in an off tone that wasn’t lost on any of them. “After that night, he’d said he was leaving because he wanted to see the world and travel and he was just so excited to go all of these places and see all these things that I couldn’t tell him not to. He was in awe of what another life could have been. He wanted me to go with him but I couldn’t. I had my mother and I had Regina who I was so worried about leaving at the hands of anyone else that I told him I couldn’t, but then he’d said he’d loved me and he knew Regina would understand. He knew she would support us because she cared about the two of us and she knew we’d be okay. When he told me he loved me, I thought he was joking, but I knew I felt the same as him, I just didn’t realize it was all so real. I never thought I could have that- I never expected to ever have that. He was the one Regina let go and she gave him… she helped him leave. She helped him pack and convinced him to try one more time, but I remember when she told me he said ‘She’ll always have me.. even if she doesn’t have  _ me _ ’.. Maybe he was meaning Casey.. But I don’t know…”

 

Silence sat in the room as they all let Clara’s words sink in and finally Maleficent turned to Regina and asked,

“You did that?” Regina nodded, “Seriously,” she questioned again and Regina nodded once more- but didn’t say another word. Mal didn’t respond after that, instead she just smiled and turned back to Doctor Keaton with more questions.

“So.. if Regina’s magic was present during immaculate conception as I’d like to think one would call it now, what  _ exactly  _ does that mean?”

“It means, her magic jump started my birth and Casey’s,” Lily answered and Doctor Keaton seemed very impressed by Lily’s ability to decipher everything so quickly.

“You mean like jumper cables to a car battery kind of jump start?”

“No-,” Lily began, “- like an-”

“-Incubator,” both Regina and Clara whispered.

“Exactly,” Lily said in relief that most of them got it.

“Chromosome C is an inactive kind of magic that activates once emotion is felt. Because Regina felt emotion in both instances, her magic was activated and the result of that is residual Chromosomes that would have made their way into your systems via kissing or other intimate activities,”

“So, does it just happen if she’s aroused or is it like regular emotions that can cause her to feel that way?” Mal once again came with question and Keaton shook her head.

“Anything. Emotions or arousal. It’s unpredictable- hence why it’s multi-couloured,”

“Sporadic more like,” Clara snorted and Doctor Keaton smirked.

“Is that why Lily’s so adamant and attached to her already,” Mal asked and the doctor nodded.

“Once again, it’s all based off of her emotions and all those other things no one seems to acknowledge,”

“And that’s why Casey is exactly the same. Always wanting to see her and always managing to smile even when she’s feeling terrible,” Clara interjected and the doctor once again nodded.

“So our daughters developed emotion because of Regina’s residual chromosomes and now they’re...hybrids?”

“No, Maleficent, not hybrids. The chromosome C gene can only be contained in one person who has managed to acquire or inherit it. Regina is that one person. She’s the first of all those past generations to have it and it’s much like Haley’s comet,”

“Once every seventy eight or eighty seven years,” Lily whispers and Doctor Keaton remains impressed by her.

“So what exactly did our girls get from her?”

“Traces of Chromosome C gene some emotional development as well as part of their personalities,”

“And you’re still hellbent on saying she  _ didn’t  _ father them?” Maleficent asked with a raised brow and Doctor Keaton sighed.

“I can’t say she did because she didn’t. Her Magic housed the possibility for you both to find love, especially if it was with someone of the opposite side of the spectrum. Regina’s Chromosome C gene, housed the formation of both girls in the sense that, she broke the impossibility of you  _ not _ having a happy ending some way or another,”

“But.. what about her infertility potion?” Clara asked in absolute confusion.

“Infertility potion,” Mal questioned and both Clara and Keaton had nodded. Doctor Keaton was also the family doctor back in the Enchanted Forest.. Technically she was only Regina’s doctor. She was the one who delivered her and had been both her pediatrician and gynecologist as she grew up.. Funny thing about the rest of that story, even after Regina married the king, she only wished to be seen by Doctor Keaton. The king made provisions for that to happen but that was the only ‘gift’ the man ever gave her.

“It simply didn’t work,” Keaton answered Clara. “Either it never truly stripped her of the ability to bear children, or the gene overrode the effects it had already instilled. I couldn’t very well run her blood through the ringer for the amount of things I’d wished to test it for, but… Regina’s… special,” the woman smiled and Regina finally looked up and into the woman’s eyes. They held their gaze and Regina swallowed before she was looking down once more.

“So Regina’s… a happy ending,” Mal asked in a soft tone and Doctor Keaton laughed lightly as she shook her head.

“Regina’s isn’t just a happy ending.. She’s  _ the  _ happy ending.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“heyyy, ma-,” Henry started with a quiet yawn as he walked into the kitchen where his blonde mother was making breakfast for them. “-why you up so early,” he questioned as he smothered the air escaping his throat.

“No reason,” Emma muttered lightly, but didn’t turn away from making breakfast. Henry didn’t even think she knew how, but apparently, when the blonde was nervous, she focused harder and was more successful in cooking things she normally had no idea how to make on a normal day.

“Sure ‘bout that,” he asked with a knowing smirk and she nodded quickly.

“Yup,” she answered with a loud pop of her p. “ You hungry,” she then asked as she turned around and her son gave her a look that read ‘really, you really gonna ask me that?’. Emma shrugged and plated off the young boy’s food before she went to do the same for herself and cover up the remainder for Cora. She set her plate down next to Henry’s and they both took a seat at the island. They ate in silence.. It wasn’t comfortable, but it was silent. Finally, after a good bit of that same old silence, Henry broke it.

“Sooo, you gonna tell me why you’re stabbing the eggs like they did you something?”

“Nope, cus there’s nothin’ wrong, Kid,”

“Bull crap,” Henry told her and she looked over at him. He looked back with a challenging stare. Emma sighed.

“Fine.. Your mom said that the results are in for the DNA tests.” Henry’s eyebrows pinched together.

“I thought they took longer than that?”

“So did I, kid,” is all she says back to him. He turns back to his food and he just stares at it. He’d not taken notice of it until just then, but his mother had once again made omelettes, except this one was more than stuffed with veggies he’d never even realized he’d eaten.

“So, is she at the hospital?”

“She is,” his mother nodded.

“Okay. Are you going to go?”

“I dunno, do you think I should?”

“Well, yeah. Someone has to be there to support her, right,”

“Yeah, but.. Is it my place?”

“It is now,” Henry told her and she tilted her head in question for which the boy rolled his eyes as he answered. “ You didn’t have a right to before because you guys weren’t together-,”

“-but we aren’t together now, either,”

“Not yet… but still, you live together and you make decisions together and I’m pretty positive that gives you some leeway to be there for her,”

“Maybe,” Emma sagged. “ I just don’t wanna overstep because when I don’t overstep, I understep-,” Henry laughed.

“That’s not a word,”

“I know that,” she laughed as well, but sighed once again. “I’m just saying… I don’t wanna mess up when all I have to do is just.. You know?”

“I think I do,” Henry told her and she smiled a little.

“Good.. finish your food and let’s go to the hospital and see how your mom’s doing,”

“I think you should go by yourself,”

“Why?”

“Because nana needs someone here and I think mom would appreciate it more if  _ you _ were there for her. It’s a bit more personal than that and she’s gonna need you and only you to help her through it whether the girls are my sisters or not,”

“You really think so, Kid?”

“I do,”

“But what if she doesn’t wanna talk about it?”

“Then you don’t talk about it. Whenever mom’s ready, she’ll tell you,”

“And what if that’s never?”

“Then it’s never,”

“You’re making it sound so simple,”

“That’s because it is so simple.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

So breakfast was done and Emma got herself dressed. She had done whatever else she could afford to at that time just to delay the inevitable. Henry had showered, woken his grandmother and gotten her to eat, but other than that, Cora wasn’t really with it. She’d muttered something under her breath about going to her bridge club and groaned at the thought of Harriet and Susan yelling at each other throughout the entire damn game. She also didn’t want to hear all the other old bags of dust complain about how their children don’t call them and so on and so forth. All she wanted to do was have a boring ass Sunday, but with Cora, a boring day never actually existed. Still, she called in and cancelled her bridge club meeting in order to stay with her family a bit longer before she was to leave and literally go back up in the bush to live. She’d found out that Regina was at the hospital talking to a doctor, she just didn’t know which doctor, so the woman just assumed Regina had something business based to talk about and shrugged it off.

 

Emma picked up her jacket and keys and whatever the hell else it was that she needed along with a Water bottle that had some partially green looking thing in it that she’d left chilling in the fridge before she was out the door and hopping into her bug, shouting back at Henry and Cora to do something other than game all day. Cora made a ‘pfft’ sound at that and Henry’s eyebrows merely rose in acknowledgment. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“You brought it,” Lily said to Regina as she motioned to the woman’s arms with her chin. Regina looked down and nodded.

“I didn’t want to keep it in case we found out…,” she trailed off and Lily nodded.

“I get it, but don’t give it back,” she told the brunette and Regina looked up at her, ready to disagree but Lily held a hand out and Regina bit the inside of her cheek. “Keep it. I gave it to you. I wanted you to have it. Trust me, if I didn’t- I wouldn’t have even thought of covering you with it,”

“But, isn’t this your baby blanket,”

“Yeah, most of the fibres are from my baby blanket, but you heard what Doctor Keaton said, it was because of you that my mom found her true love and the fact that I was born because of it. So.. thanks for that,  _ mom _ , or cupid- if you like that name,” she grinned at Regina before she nudged the woman’s shoulder and Regina saw her smile, brightly. Regina showed her own soft smile and fiddled lightly at the fabric before her until Lily rose from where she was sat and leaned down to hug Regina. She stood back up straight and began to walk around the room. Even though doctor Keaton was still in the room, the woman had wheeled herself back to her desk and was focused on whatever files were before her. She wasn’t against giving them extra time in the room because she had honestly expected to have them in there every day until they found out what exactly happened. “Since I’m not a hybrid and I can’t really help give someone else their happy ending, being a dragon is starting to sound less and less cool,” she grinned and Doctor Keaton commented with a laugh.

“Don’t let your mother hear you say that,”

“Pfft, she’ll be fine. I hear her complaining all the time how her dragon form gets to her because she can’t reach her back on a normal day considering her tail doesn’t bend the way she wants it to. And if it isn’t that, it’s about her scales needing to be cleaned and how they fall off too quickly for her to want to go looking for them and keep them from other people using them as charms and whatever else.”

“She sounds like a handful,” Keaton said and Lily nodded.

“Beyond measure….hey, doc?”

“Yes Miss Page,”

“Who do you think my mother’s true love is.. Or-you know, how do we find ‘them’?”

“I couldn’t necessarily think of anyone off the top of my head, but if anyone would know, it would be the magical surrogate over there. She would have had to have come into contact with or sensed something as it relates to both Clara and your mother’s true loves,” the doctor shrugged and Lily nodded though she wasn’t quite sure. She then turned back to Regina and saw the look on the woman’s face. Regina didn’t  _ want _ to tell Lily and that’s because she couldn’t tell Lily. It wasn’t her place and in all honesty it never will be. Even though Lily’s cheek was bitten on the inside with hesitance to still ask the question, she’d finally smiled at Regina and shook her head. She wouldn’t ask the woman. She’d ask her mother and see if that got her somewhere because she wanted to know who her other parent was. She wanted to figure out whether she had another mother...or a father and why they aren’t together. So, Lily bent down once more and kissed Regina’s cheek before she whispered a thank you to the woman. She was out the door and waving a goodbye, claiming she had other things to get done and deal with. Regina nodded, knowing what those other things were and was sighing in relief that she wasn’t questioned. Doctor Keaton flipped the file she’d been working on, shut and rolled over to where Regina sat, still fiddling with the blanket. The first words to come out the woman’s mouth was.

“You’re not pregnant,” and Regina sighs and shakes her head. Doctor Keaton would know, considering she’d tested Regina’s blood and her hormone levels were more than balanced, but that also had to do with the fact that she was the woman’s doctor and if Regina really was pregnant she’d have instantly gone to Doctor Keaton the second she found out and gotten herself tested again just to be sure.

“I’m not pregnant,” she repeats and Doc fixes her mouth to say something else.

“Why did Emma say you were? Why are you agreeing with her that you are?” Regina sighs again.

“Because, Snow White pestered the poor thing until she snapped and blurted out the first name she could think of-,”

“-and that was you?”

“It was,”she sighs for a third time. “Her mother badgered her on why she was apparently so happy lately and instantly assumed it was Captain handless Wonder,”

“I assume that’s Hook,” Keaton grinned and Regina nodded. The brunette pushed herself further back into her chair and tilted her head up to the roof. “So, Emma blurted out your name and claimed that you two are true loves and having a baby and getting married… none of which is true,”

“We’re trying to make it true. If we don’t.. Both of us could die and or a baby could as well,” Regina said sadly at the remembrance of the news they’d gotten from Rumple.

“It’s the verbal True Love contract, isn’t it?” Keaton asked with a tone that matched Regina’s. However, she tried to hide it but her smile was just as sad.

“Uhuh,” Regina nodded with defeat. Her eyes slid shut and she put a hand over her face. “Emma’s the product of true love and I’m the happy ending potion.. Shouldn’t this make us nearly fertile beyond belief to actually conceive a child?”

“No-,” Keaton begins in a short tone. “-what this makes you both.. is incompatible,”

“What do you mean- incompatible,” Regina asks as she sits up quickly.

“You and Emma scientifically or magically can’t have a child together. She’s born of True Love which means she was born out of the purity of love. You were born out of sheer determination, not necessarily by your mother, but from the day you were conceived in her womb, hence your Chromosome C gene. From the womb, your mind and your heart already knew you’d have to fight like hell just to find your happy ending. Emma had it easy. Mother superior and whoever the hell else sat in council at that point in time, swore fealty to her grandfather and the realms he ruled because he was in favour of some of the ideas and laws the fairies had wanted to implement, hence the granted immunity from the long list of people fighting to find their own true loves. Your mother was born outside of that realm. She was an outsider who managed to get in, which is why even she was fighting so hard to find her own happiness. She wasn’t fighting just for revenge. She was fighting to get away.” Silence...then laughter.

“Even before I was born she’d beaten me,” Regina says in a tone that’s just not believing the possibility that it happened once again. She was denied a chance before she was even born. “And even now that I think about it, it’s more than obvious I won’t get it because our magic can’t mix,”

“I didn’t say it couldn’t.. I just said-,”

“-you’re just saying that there is no way in hell I can have a child with Emma Swan because True Loves and Happy Endings are never in pairs, you either get one or the other. You’re telling me it’s impossible because this type of magic has never been mixed before and there’s no telling what will happen in that precise manner.  _ You,  _ Doctor Keaton are telling me that’s it’s better I just give up now and spare myself the misery and humiliation because once again, I am rendered useless and detrimental all because of someone else’s big mouth!”

 

Silence. Silence-

“Regina,” Keaton sighed and the woman shook her head.

“Don’t,” she muttered.

“I didn’t say not to try, and I’m not telling you to give up, however you are correct about those two mixing. It has never happened, and if it does, there is a possibility everything you’d ever done could be undone, it could put you all in danger, more importantly your child and it could have adverse effects,”

“Like what? Isn’t it already adverse enough that the child would have me as a mother,” Regina bit out sorely and Doc shook her head.

“No.. your child could be born with a heart deformity that causes it to deteriorate over time,” she explained and when Regina’s face pinched into annoyance as she said,

“I don’t get it,” the doctor sighed before she explained further.

“There is a likelyhood that you and Emma will create a child. The problem is that your child will be affected by everything you two do and everything you two feel. When you’re arguing, his or her heart will feel it because as True Loves and one another’s happy endings, once they combine and create and actual hybrid which would be your child, their heart would deteriorate. The damage over time would be too much to undo, especially if you’re both known for holding grudges. Regina… there’s a possibility that if that happens, your child wouldn’t live to see their first year’s birthday. Magic becomes temperamental when it’s manifested in another individual. The baby would literally be what you were… an incubator, a surrogate, a greenhouse so to speak, except this greenhouse would have noxious fumes and gases that are destroying it quickly and slowly all at the same time.”

 

Silence.

Silence.

Silence.

“We can’t do this, can we?” Regina questions as she looks the doctor square in the eyes, tears threatening to fall and her veins already becoming prominent. Around her eyes are red and look painfully rashed. Doc doesn’t answer because in all honesty, she’s not entirely sure. Magic in itself is something that no one can predict, not even true love magic or happy ending magic. So, she remains silent as she rolls closer to Regina and pulls her in for a hug which the younger brunette lets herself fall into. Her tears are falling now and they aren’t even the slightest bit controlled. They are strained and they are pained and they are quitting with every whimper. “We can’t be happy.. We can’t have a child.. We can’t even be together,” Regina lists off the impossibilities that she’d begun to believe were so possible, and not just for her sake, but for Emma’s and Henry’s and the baby’s. Doc sits there with the woman in her arms as the not so silent tears turn into little flickered whimpers of pain. When Regina pulls herself away, her mask has already slipped back into place. Doctor Keaton looks at her and she knows.. She already knows.

“You aren’t going to tell her, are you?” With a look of utter aggravation on the brunette’s face, words come out.

“Why should I?” Regina spits out her question and Doctor Keaton sighs as she tilts her head.

“Because you have to. If you don’t and that nine months comes and goes- you could  _ die,  _ Regina-,”

“-DON’T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?!”

“NO! I DON’T THINK YOU HONESTLY DO BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE A COWARD AND KEEP SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THAT, A SECRET!”

“I’M SCARED!” she screams so loudly that Doctor Keaton falters at the words. Regina’s voice breaks so badly that she’s crying again and it’s rougher than the first go round. She breaks so incompletely that she’s on her knees, wailing. “I- I’m s-scared!” she grits out from her staccato based tears. Doc gets on her knees and pulls the woman in once again.

“I know,” is all she whispers to Regina and even though she honestly doesn’t know what that precise fear feels like, Regina’s too busy crying to tell her otherwise. Regina cries and she cries and when she can’t cry anymore, she’s choking on her own tears and saliva.

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Emma somehow makes it to the hospital through all of her thinking and she grabs the weird concoction in the water bottle along with her jacket,keys and phone. It’s become such a mundane practice that she doesn’t even have to bother blinking in order to remember what she can physically feel she has from what she doesn’t. She practically sails through the waiting room and waltzes right up to the counter. It’s blatantly clear that for the saviour, everyone would stop what they’re doing just to be of assistance. Hell, if Emma even so much as got a piece of dust in her eyes, people were ready to just slay the poor particle of existence. Being the saviour had its perks and that perk came right in that moment when she rambled off her question of where Regina was or where she could be and the nurse on call who sat at the counter pointed down the hall and began direction spewing. Emma nodded randomly at the woman because her mind was more than far away at that point and just when the nurse finished, the blonde found herself not heading into the direction of the room where she was directed to go, instead- she found herself running to a nearby seat and quickly planting herself in it, hyperventilating as she went along. She was now in the four walls of the hospital and nothing had ever felt so draining and frightening all at the same time. She opted to just wait, as impatient as her foot tapped against the linoleum, she’d have to wait.

 

She waited and she waited, but when a door that cracked somewhere down the hall, opened to its fullness, Emma pitched up- her ears perking at the sound and her eyes wide in obvious fear.

 

Regina appeared shortly after the blonde had managed to just let herself...be. She was coming down the hall with a defeated look on her face and Lily’s blanket dangling from her fingers. Emma was out of her seat quicker than the brunette had time to blink and as she ran .. or- jogged to where Regina was, the closer she got, the more painful the woman’s features appeared. She halted just before she came toe to toe with the woman and without another word, Regina’s arms came up and around her, the blanket sliding across the back part of her legs. She heard sniffles and they were damn sure wet. There was silence and that silence was amongst the two of them for a good moment until Regina rubbed her face against Emma’s chest.  _ Is she rubbing her snot on my shirt?! _

“They aren’t mine,” Regina muttered into the woman’s chest and Emma sighed heavily. Most of it was in relief but some of it was sad because she had no clue what to tell Regina as a result of the DNA tests. She remained quiet and so did Regina, that was until she took in a deep breath and continued. “They aren’t mine-,” she started again with a sigh as she slowly pulled herself away from Emma just to look her in the eyes. They both still held a firm grip on one another and for both women, that was what safety honestly felt like. “- but I was the reason they were born.” The words are confusing and all Emma can manage is a,

“How?” out of the whole thing. Regina shrugs a bit before she tells her,

“My DNA grants happy endings. It was.. A surrogate- an incubator that helped the copulation of both of the girls,”

“You mean like an artificial womb?”

“Basically,” the woman responded and her tone was flat. Emma had to pause before she asked her next question. She needed to broach the topic in a manner that wouldn’t offend Regina or make her feel attacked or something. 

“Did you..want them to be your daughters?” is what she asks and if the response Regina gives isn’t what Emma expected, she’d be lying. Regina’s eyelids dip shut lazily as she shakes her head and sighs.

“To be honest, I don’t even know anymore,” she tells her and Emma nods.

“I think you would have been a good mother to them had you gotten the chance to be,” Emma says and Regina smirks at it but it’s not a smirk of happiness, it’s mocking.

“Funny, considering now you neither I won’t ever get that opportunity at all,”

“What do you mean?” the blonde asks in utter confusion and Regina’s head tilts, sarcasm slipping into place.

“I mean, you neither I can have a child together because of our magic,” she tells her and when those words sink in, Emma shakes her head almost angrily.

“I don’t get it. You’re a literal walking happy ending and I’m the product of True Love..shouldn’t that count for something? Shouldn’t that give us leverage over all other things? I mean.. I’m a true love kid, doesn’t it break curses and all that other mumbo jumbo?”

“Apparently all it counts for is death where either of us and a baby is concerned-,”

“-Woah, death?!” Regina sighs at the blonde’s distressed face.

“Yes.. death. I have what Doctor Keaton refers to as Chromosome C genetics. It’s clearly a recessive gene,”

“How recessive?”

“Nine generations worth of recess,” she tells her and Emma’s face scrunches.

“I don’t understand.” Regina sighs again but she calms her breathing to explain.

“You are a woman that was born of True Love. The foundation of your birth was based around purity and fate and basically the fairies and your grandfather having a treaty that his first grandchild would be assured a safe haven pass to be both pure and in the lapse to find true love without having to look so hard- thus denying others it in the same breath. I somehow tampered with that when I intended to get my revenge, hence the rift in your childhood… I was born solely from sheer determination that Doctor Keaton told me is not from my mother, but from myself,”

“Wait.. how did you create a chromosome for yourself? You can’t just up and make one, they have to be passed on,”

“I thought the same until she told me that from conception I was already engineered to realizing I would have to fight like hell for everything I ever wanted and needed. That in itself created the gene. A gene of multi-coloured pixie dust that rarely exists in fairy tale characters. My mother could have passed it on to me if her intentions were different, but even still, I’ve been made aware that my mother wasn’t searching for revenge in her state, she was running away to a new place to find peace. She was the outsider who got in as the lovely DNA specialist put it and regardless of her getting in, she too was unable to get that. One would think that her marrying my father was something that could have changed the outcome of my life-however, I was once again denied that possibility by Mother Superior herself,” she laughed bitterly. Silence.. Silence…

“I’m really starting to hate that woman,”

“The feeling isn’t mutual,” Regina says and Emma’s surprised but Regina rolls her eyes and says, “I am over trying to feel something where others have tampered with my life and ruined my opportunities and childhood. I had a fate much like yours.. To be good or to be evil. My possibilities were stripped from me by a few council members and your lineage that basically mimics the Hawksbill creek agreement in The Bahamas.” (It doesn’t replicate or relate to it at all. :P. It’s about land division and extra shit)

“So you’re saying that our magic can’t mix because.. Our daughter could die iffffff-,”

“-she could die if she does inherit both chromosomes of a true love baby and a happy ending one. Doctor Keaton has explained that our child- should we have one, will more than likely die before their first year because of the weight that is now presented on their heart. The baby will become the incubator much like my gene was for Maleficent and Clara’s daughters, however what she incubates is nothing more than the negativity from both of us when we’re either angry or arguing or simply holding a grudge-,”

“-which we’re both guilty of doing more often that not,” Emma sighed and Regina nodded before she too sighed, more heavily than the blonde before her. Regina slowly let the blonde go and stood up straight before her. Emma let her hands slip from Regina’s waist and as she looked the woman in the eyes, all she saw was war in those dark pools of chocolate.

“I ended up getting rather upset earlier about it,” Regina finally admitted as she looked anywhere but Emma’s eyes.

“I would have done the same,” the blonde says to her before she lifts a finger to Regina’s chin and moves the woman’s eyes back to hers. “You’re gonna have to look at me if you want us to get through this,”

“I can’t, we-can’t,” Regina says with a shake of her head, effectively pulling her chin from Emma’s hold.

“You can, and we can- you’re just afraid to,” Emma says to her before she repeats her actions and has Regina’s chin back where she can see the woman’s eyes. Regina pouts and Emma copies her. It’s time to change the way that conversation was going. “What do you wanna do today?” comes the question and the response is dull, it’s saddened and it’s borderline draining with the way quitting tones leak from it.

“Nothing.. I just want to do…...nothing, Emma,” is what Regina says in response to the blonde’s question and Emma internally sighs. She bites her cheek on the inside and lets her head fall at one side. “I just want to go home, curl up and rot... or die, whichever works faster on my mood,” the brunette lets out, sarcastically. “I want to be home, with nothing and no one reminding me that my life is just one big loss. I want to be home in my bed, in the dark..alone. I want an end to my pain. I want to not be tied to this contract anymore because every turn lies the possibility of death for you, or for me and our little girl. Emma I just want-,” she stops herself quickly, her eyes dazing over. “-I want to not _BE_ a happy ending. I want to _not_ be the solution for everyone else’s happy ending… I just _want_ _an_ ending. Whatever that ending may be. Either I die, or you die or our baby dies. And if I had to choose, I’d choose myself because every single last part of my life.. I’ve always lost.. Your mother won a battle your grandfather started before my mother even thought to have me. You won against me without even realizing who you were the minute you stepped foot over the townline. Henry won against me when he stood me up for lunch and decided to find out who I really was...everyone wins and I lose and I know now that I will never win, Emma. I’m not meant to win. I’m not engineered to win, and that is just what Mother Superior had planned. I want peace and the only peace that seems to exist for someone like me.. is death. It’s true that Villian’s don’t get happy endings- or at least this-,” she pointed to herself, “-villian doesn’t. You can’t have both, you can never have both and in my case, I can’t have either. I can’t hav-,”

“-stop it,” Emma says softly and because Regina’s so aware of the blonde, she pauses. What Emma says next just has her nodding and following along. “We’re going home and we’re going to ignore every single thing outside of you and me once we’re inside. We are going upstairs and into our room and we will lock the doors, shut the curtains and just lay there in the dark under the stars until we pass out from sheer boredome. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to, but if you do, it’s yours to say. What you tell me will never leave those four walls. What you shout or swear about will never leave those four walls. Whatever issue you have with me, or Henry or your mother or anyone will not leave those walls. Regina… whatever it is that’s on your chest, once said- will not leave those walls.. I know I can’t convince you to have hope but if there’s one thing I can fulfill, it’s taking you home so that there is nothing else within your peripheral that reminds you of all the things someone has ever taken away from you or destroyed right before your eyes. You want the darkness, you can have the darkness. You want the blindness it brings.. Have it. You want to not be seen or see anything before you but that. Do it. Let me take you home so that you can do that. Let me take you home so that we can do that together. I made you a promise. I am here through everything and anything and when you lose hope for yourself, I’ll still have it for both of us because there has to be some way. There has to be some way we escape this. There has to be some way that our daughter escapes this. There has to be some way that  _ you _ can escape this and I am not about to give up so easily because of what Doctor Keaton says. From what I’m hearing, it could happen, but it never has because as far as history goes no one sounds like they ever ended up dating someone of true love origin whilst being a happy ending. We are the first, but we won’t be the last and I’ll be damned if I don’t still try beyond all the magical complications that only begin to mimic those of the real world. All this is beginning to sound like is that if our daughter is born, she’s born with a genetic disease that she can’t escape no matter what precautions we take or what prayers we send up to the Gods. All it sounds like to me is two parents, concerned that once their child is born, she could be born with her heart outside of her chest or born with down syndrome, or something. This is all these words are beginning to sound like to me. It’s just much worse because it’s magical and everything magical is unpredictable.” Regina remained mute and as those words sunk into her mind and the way Emma had become so protective and adamant about fulfilling her wishes, she felt herself nearly tear up at the gesture. “If you want to go home. Tell me and I will take you home,” the blonde said to her and she swallowed back her tears and croaked out,

“I want to go home.. Take me home, please,”

“Okay.. let’s go home,” the blonde said without a question. She wrapped an arm around Regina’s waist and pulled her in before she picked up that weird concoction in a bottle and handed it to the woman who took it without hesitance and began to drink it. She’d moan in appreciation if she wasn’t so hellbent on just going straight to her bed and crashing in the dead of the darkness.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It honestly does suck a nut when they get to the car, get in the car and fall silent with one another. It was expected, but for both it’s as if they had to fight to keep quiet. Regina just wanted to die in a hole and Emma wanted to die with her in that hole, but it was blatantly obvious that they had to force themselves to remain quiet as the blonde drove them home. That was another thing they both took notice of. They were beginning to be extra coupley when they would leave one car just to ride together in another. Then again, that is amongst one of the millions of things they both kept notice of. Regina’s eyes remained trained on the window and whatever was outside as Emma drove the bug about as fast as she could manage with the town speed limit, just so that they could be home and not stealing glances and on the verge of saying things to one another.

“I can’t fucking believe this shit,” Emma hissed a whisper to herself as she shook her head and continued to drive the bug. Even though there was acknowledgement that somehow came from the brunette when her chin lifted away from her fingertips, Regina merely stared at her and still, said nothing. It was clear to the brunette Emma was going through a war that involved Regina but didn’t necessarily involve Regina. It was the same war that was going on in her head.  _ She quite honestly couldn’t believe this shit either _ .  They were on the same wavelength, but were trying so hard to just not talk about it for fear of Regina getting angry or crying over it, something both once again took notice had become a regular practice. Emma was making her feel and she was making her feel all too well. Emma made her feel too many emotions all at once, but in the same breath, she liked it. She welcomed it, she craved it. Regina didn’t know what was worse, feeling emotions or feeling emotions that just made her even more vulnerable than before.

She remained quiet and Emma did the same as they just continued the drive home. Emma never left her side and she’d vocally thank her but she settled on the gentle smile she gave her as being enough. It was.

They make it inside and it’s clearly obvious that their son can’t wait to find out. He’d left his nana, once again battling the nazis in the other room. She’d become quite good at it, which he expected considering Cora lied and connived her way through shit. If him bouncing on his toes with such a gleaming face was anything to go by, you’d still go by it if it weren’t. And Regina would be lying if she said she was against just ignoring the young boy right that moment just to get away from more emotions, but where Henry was concerned, he’d get answers. And where she loved this boy more than herself, he definitely was getting answers. So, before Emma can say ‘not now, Hen,’ Regina answers his question that he didn’t even ask yet.

“They’re not your sisters, sweetheart,” is all she tells him and he goes by the look on her face that she’s not necessarily upset over it, but she’s not too happy either. He knows it’s something else but the pleading side look he gets from Emma leaves him nodding at his mothers and letting them escape upstairs. Of course Cora takes notice, but when she asks where they went, he merely tells her they’re tired and ‘let’s just get back to our game, nana.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It’s quite possibly the best idea Emma Swan has ever had where Regina was and is concerned. The blonde stayed true to her word by shutting them in and shutting the world out, even going so far as to soundproof the walls, blocking their words from escaping and blocking any offensive sounds from drifting in. They’d just climbed back into bed in whatever they were wearing and got under the covers after a while of just blankly staring at the ceiling.  Emma shut her eyes and opened them again.  _ Andromeda _ . 

“Messier 31,” she whispers as her fingers reach up and in some weird trance, she thinks she can feel the actual stars, almost as if touch suspended droplets of water. It feels cold, but it feels tingly and fresh.. It feels, different. Regina is still quiet, but her eyes lighten beneath the galaxy that Emma has managed to imagine upon the ceiling. It’s comforting and it’s welcomed. They’d both be lying if they said that this didn’t feel normal to them in that exact moment. It was becoming their normal because they’d managed to do it just about every single night since this contract was enacted and Emma has to wonder how long it honestly would have taken Regina to come around had the child or them, not been in danger. She can’t stop herself from thinking that Regina would deny her and pretty much banish her at every turn where this came into play- and as Emma panics internally- as she becomes disgruntled, so does M31. The stars begin to cluster and form biggers balls of gas until they’re exploding within the galaxy, forcing more space between one another and triggering massive destruction within Andromeda.

“Em-Emma,” Regina says as she pitches up and reaches out in literal blindness to find that Emma’s basically having a seizure next to her. Something’s triggered off in her mind and all Regina can do is lift her up and best she can and wrap her arms around the woman and coo into her ear so that some part of logical Emma can hear her. She does it so that some part of Emma’s innocence overpowers her trauma. She’s doing it because.. Because.. Because she loves her.

 

_ Instant. _

Instantly the blonde stops, almost as if her mind and Regina’s were linked. Almost as if she heard the personal quote.

“You’re okay,” is what she can faintly hear Regina telling her and her only response to that is a very unceremonious,

“ ‘‘m ‘kay.”

 

It’s silent once more as the flickering and destruction in Andromeda subside, but slowly the galaxy itself begins to fade.

 

_ Reached too far. It’s too much. It’s too far away. Just the night..please, just the night. _

 

“Lie down, Emma,” Regina tells her gently and she’s shivering, hell she’s even sweating, but Regina hadn’t let her go and she’s almost positive now that the woman just won’t with her being in the state she’s in. Emma shakes her head because she’s not sure that if she lies down that she’ll get back up, but Regina eases her into it without her even realizing it and when her head hits the pillow, she releases her constrictions. She still holds on to the woman, but she relaxes her body and melts into Regina’s chest, the brunette woman’s scent both calming and arousing. It’s her who should be comforting and holding and cooing Regina, but at this point in time the blonde is almost positive she can’t even piss by herself anymore.

 

“My genes aren’t all bad,” is what Regina blurts out after a while as she rubs lazy circles on Emma’s arms. Emma’s instant response is a gravelly-

“huh?”

“My chromosomes. They aren’t all bad,” she repeats and Emma gets it but she doesn’t get it. “It’s because of my C gene that both Mal and Clara found their true loves and ended up with happy ending children.. Clara more so than Mal considering Casey is an actual True Love baby,” she muttered but she wasn’t angry. Emma’s eyebrows rose in the darkness and Regina felt the faint movement of the blonde’s face against her chest. She took it as the blonde being even more confused than she normally is, which is why she found herself smiling.

“Could you tell me everything?” Emma asks her as she squeezes onto the hem of Regina’s shirt and the brunette nods. Actions in the dark were becoming harder and harder to decipher, but somehow- they both just...knew.

“When Doctor Keaton called this morning, she said that she had something to show all of us, however, the day prior is when she warned us that if the machines do spark and go off, there’s more than likely a possibility that it was two females involved in the creation of Casey and Lily than a male and female…”

“Did the machine spark,”

“Oh yes. It did more than that. It nearly set fire to the hospital in the process,” Regina told her and Emma made a sound the brunette couldn’t place. “Doctor Keaton explained that whilst that did happen, it wasn’t for the reason we all thought.. well, they thought. I was too busy drowning in the what ifs still...and I have what is considered-

“-explosive DNA, I’m guessing,” Emma queries and when Regina rubs her arm in a form of yes answer, Emma grins a bit and says. “Who would have thought you’d come in guns blazing and setting machines on fire. Sounds like a KISS concert,”

“I am wholeheartedly unfamiliar with the mechanics of music in this world..,” Regina admits before she lets out a whispy laugh and continues. “...anyway, Casey is a True Love baby and that is as a result of a guard both Clara and I knew. He was.. he was the one I helped escape even after the whole Evil Queen thing,” she remembers fondly. That story was muddled but what was remembered about their interaction is what was important. “ Lily.. is Aurora’s daughter-,” is what Regina gets out before Emma goes rigid.

“-Philip’s Aurora?”

“The one and only. She’s the one that smells of honey. Clara and Casey’s DNA had no scent, whereas Maleficent and Lily’s smelt of Ash and Honey,”

“Telling,” Emma says sarcastically.

“It was either that or what they look like in their natural states,” she shrugged lightly. Emma made another noise so Reign lifted her fingers to work through the blonde’s scalp and heard Emma groan happily. “My blood sample was the only one that remained in its blood form, theirs had either crystalized or turned into something akin to a metal slab. My Chromosome C gene is multi-coloured which means it defies and denies restrictions. My genes grant happy endings for both good and evil whether the person they’re in love with is good or evil,”

“So you’re like a really accurate OKCupid,”

“I surely hope you’re not comparing me to that floating, grown man- in diapers,” Regina jokes and Emma snickers. She pinches her lightly and takes pride in when Emma flinches with laughter.

“Not anymore,” Emma smiles before her face is buried in a part of Regina that feels extra warm.

“Emma?”

“Hmm?”

“Please remove your face from my chest. I’m almost positive I can’t breastfeed you and even that would be a terrible kink to admit to having,” she says all too seriously that Emma thinks she’s somehow managed to offend the woman, however, when she does move, Reigna is quick to put her guilt and panic at ease by bringing her down to lie on her stomach and let Emma listen to the inner workings of her body. It’s a good bit of time until Emma says.

“Do you ever wonder how strong Kalani’s heart would be if we could hear it right now?” Regina’s frozen over the words, the name, hell, she’s frozen over the sheer thought that Emma still has some flit of hope. She gulps and swallows.

“I’d imagine.. it would be as strong as yours. Resilient and defiant, much like you are on a general basis. Her heartbeat would be…”

“...special,” Emma says with a smile and Regina nods.

“Special,” she agrees.

“I’ve been thinking about some baby names lately.. I mean, early? I’m not sure anymore.. I know it seems like I’m hopping so far ahead, but after I realized you wanted to name our little girl something Hawaiian, I figured that naming her Rayna could work too. It means Queen and her name’ll start with an R just like yours.. If you want it to that is,” she offers a bit dejectedly but Regina smiles once more before she’s kissing the top of Emma’s head.

“ Already naming our second born after her mother I see. Watch out or she’ll rule us both,” the brunette jokes and Emma’s heart swells, not just at the fact that Regina seems receptive to the name but that she said their second born. She clearly isn’t disregarding Neal, however that position wholeheartedly means that Regina not only acknowledges their relationship on how they co-parent, but she also finds that it’s Regina completely accepting that they are mothers to Henry, together. She snuggles into the woman without another comment and the squeeze she gives Regina’s sides lets the woman know that she’s okay.

“You already named our first after his grandad, it seems fitting. He was a king and she will be a little queen,”

“Technically he was ‘ruler of his household’- which your very eccentric son decided to be by the time he was two,” Regina sniped with a laugh and Emma groaned.

“Why’s he only my kid when he’s doing bad things?”

“Because I always end up claiming him when he does something remotely evil,” Regina responds smartly and Emma smirks.

“Fair enough.”

  
  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It’s more than a good bit later, it’s more like a good long while later when Regina somehow leaves the cocoon of safety that Emma had created for her. Emma was getting hungry as was Regina and so the brunette found herself exiting their room and heading downstairs to make something for both her and Emma.. she’d figured she should just make something for the entire family at that point and so decided, so done.

“I’m coming to help,” is all Emma tells her as well, which meant that they were both exiting the bubble of safety.

  
  
  


Regina begins pulling out ingredients for beef stew. These are things that range from homemade broth to flour and butter, of course the beef, but there’s also onions, carrots and celery. Potatoes are somewhere in there along with some thyme, sage and seasonings that Emma thinks belong in a compost heap.

“ I can peel potatoes and carrots but please don’t make me cut the onions, I’ll lose a finger and I kinda don’t know how to properly use a knife,” she admits uneasily and Regina’s confused by this.

“But you’ve made omelettes,” she tells her.

“Yeah, but I did that with the pretty grass and pretty leaves,” Emma says dejected and Regina’s lips twists at the side. She nods but still turns around and says.

“Pick up the knife,”

“Regi-,” Emma tries to object, but Regina cuts her off.

“-Emma.. just pick up the knife,” she tells her in an easing motion and as Emma looks at the knife with hesitance, she picks it up and her hand is shaking. Regina pulls out an onion, a rather large one that is hella intimidating. She places it on the cutting board and puts her hand over Emma’s. She silently fixes the blonde’s hand on the chef’s knife, sliding Emma’s pointer onto the slit of the blade and her thumb and middle on either side of the flattened part of the blade. She tightens both their grips on the handle of the blade and brushes Emma’s hair from over her shoulder. “This may feel weird the first time around, but if you’re not comfortable with this method, then shift this finger over,” she tells her easily also by showing her which finger she meant. Emma nodded and Regina kissed her cheek. “Good,” she said to her and the blonde smiled a little. Regina then showed Emma exactly how to begin cutting an onion to give herself leverage. She cut off the top and cut a slit running down the ..’side’ of the thing and then told her to peel it away but leave the bottom on, it’s ‘where all the tear ducts are’. Emma did so and was rewarded with yet another kiss to the cheek by Regina. By the time Regina ran through the general cutting principles, she was set to leave Emma with potatoes and carrots. Emma was proving to be a fast learner and Regina had only hoped that someone had seen it when the blonde was earlier because Emma would have known so much more or she would have been so much more versed in most things had someone taken the time to actually pay attention..then again,she also figured had she not run rampant with revenge the blonde would have grown up even more privileged.

“stop..that,” Emma whispered into Regina’s ear as she came up behind her, arms wrapping around Regina’s middle and Emma’s nose, nuzzling her neck. Regina shivered on contact from Emma’s light breath ghosting against the small and fragile hairs on her skin.

“I can’t,” she admits and as she admits this, Emma squeezes tighter. “Emma.. I honestly can’t,“ she repeats but Emma grunts and sighs.

“You’re not responsible, Regina,” is what Emma tells her and she pauses. Emma always just seems to know.

“I-,”

“-You’re not,” Emma reiterates, not even letting Regina get away with it.

“I’m not,” Regina says but she doesn’t believe it.

“You don’t believe that,” Emma says and Regina shakes her head.

“How could I. I was blamed for it long enough,”

“That’s because everyone wanted someone to blame and my mother is Snow White. They wouldn’t go against the queen of the White Kingdom.. Besides, most of them never thought much for themselves anyway,”

“You blamed me for it,”

“I was being stupid. I didn’t know the full story-still don’t,” Emma tells hers and once again, she’s just shy of arguing when Emma kisses her lips to shut her up. It works and at the exact same time, Henry walks in.

“Whoops,” he says as he instantly turns around to run out of the kitchen. Emma pulls away from the brunette and it’s once again where the kiss is just done to be done.

“Hold it, Kid. Sit down,” Emma says to their son and he turns around with his eyes shut and blindly walks toward a table. He bumps into something and both his mothers has to keep from laughing at him. “ Hen, you can open your eyes. We’re decent,” Emma tells the boy and he does as he’s told.

“Sorry, I just thought you two were.. you know..being, intimate or whatever,” he says and Emma smirks.

“Just a bit, but not in that way,”

“Ma, I don’t think there is any other way for you to describe your version of intimacy to me.. Or any intimacy for that matter,”

“Whatever, Einstein. Sit.” He sits. “Miss us, huh,”

“Kinda. I smelt food and wanted to know if I could help, but you seem to be helping mom just fine,” he teased and boy if he didn’t sound like Cora when he said that.

“As a matter of fact, your mother has helped tremendously. It cut my work time in half,” Regina praised and Emma beamed. Henry rolled his eyes but smiled.

“Well since ma did such a good job, do you think I could keep her for a bit until dinner’s ready?” he asks and Regina looks over at Emma who looks at her.

“If she says yes,” Regina then says without breaking contact with the blonde. Emma shrugs and nods.

“Sure kid. No first person shooter though,” his blonde mother tells him as she shakes her head in disgust. Henry laughs and thinks of another game.

“Mario Kart?”

“Hell yeah!” she cheers before she quickly kisses Regina’s cheek and they’re both out of the kitchen, leaving the brunette to..solitude? Who knows.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina had kicked up again on cooking, silently working through all the things that now come to her as second nature. She was swaying her hips and humming through a random song that caught up in her mind as she continued to sear the beef pieces before putting them into the pot and using the anjou it had created to further thicken the stew as it cooked along. She heard footsteps that shuffled and scuffled and knew it wasn’t Henry or Emma which meant it was only one other person...and this was the person Regina didn’t even realize she was somewhat upset with. Her mood darkened slightly at the thought of what could be a conversation and she nearly took off her finger in the process. She didn’t look back because had she done that she’s almost positive she’d have snapped the knife in half.

 

“-I fix your umbrella and go on my way! Singing toodle-llama-llama- toodlie- liea,” Cora bellowed as she entered the kitchen and went straight to the fridge for some water. Regina continued to work as her mother found her short as climbing into the bar stool chair and wiggling to be sure she wouldn’t bust her ass should she try to get off of it. Cora cracks the water open and takes a big gulp before smacking obnoxiously and grinning.

“I see someone’s in a better mood,” Regina commented and didn’t count on her mother hearing her,”

“Oh! much better, sweetheart,” Cora replies cheerily. “I have Henry to thank for that one,” she praises and Regina’s just short of asking why, but refuses to. “ How are you my little queen,”

“Just..peachy, mother,” Regina bites out and continues to move around her kitchen, eyes now definitely avoiding her mother’s. Cora scoffed as she perched her shoulders up on the counter.

“Well if that isn’t just the biggest load of shit,” she commented and Regina stopped abruptly, spinning to meet her mother’s eyes. “Oh, now you look at me,” Cora shakes her head. Regina doesn’t comment and Cora sighs. “ What’s the matter darling?”

“I said nothing,” Regina tells her as she now shakes her head and turns back to her activity.

“No. I asked you how you were, I didn’t ask you what was wrong and now that I have that half-assed response, I know for a fact that something is wrong. So, what is it?”

“Mother, it’s nothing,” Regina grits out, her tone low and gravelly.

“Bull shit it’s nothing-,”

“-Mother!”

“Mother!” Cora mocks and Regina glares.

“You are so immature,” she comments and Cora rolls her eyes and yawns.

“Tell me something I don’t already know, Regina,”

“I’m more than positive that it’s  _ you _ who is supposed to be telling  _ me _ things I DON’T KNOW, MOTHER!LIKE HOW I’M A HAPPY ENDING CHILD!” Regina belts and it’s happened well within the space of three minutes worth of interaction with her mother. Cora’s face falters and it hits her.

“The doctor,” she whispers and Regina’s there heaving in breaths as Cora’s head falls slightly. “You know,”

“Yes. I know,” Regina bites out and Cora sighs. “Did you know? Did you know this whole time?!”

There is silence as Cora fiddles with the water bottle and says,

“No-,”

“-I don’t believe you,” Regina says quickly. “ You knew everything..” she accused. “Ev-ry-thing.”

“Not that,” Cora tells her and she scoffs. “It was something your father kept a secret from me for fear that I would exploit it to my advantage.. When you were born and Doctor Keaton delivered you, she had pulled your father aside and at that point I’d assumed they were just discussing the delivery, but I later found out, just before your father died that you were born a happy ending child. He’d kept it from me and he’d kept it from you because- once again, fear that somehow you’d slip and tell me or that I would become aware of it before you did and further study it only to exploit it in the end. Darling, I didn’t know and your father thought it best if no one ever knew because had anyone worse than myself gotten hold of you… you could have quite possibly been dead-,”

“-But that’s just it mother, because of this, Emma and I.. we.. our baby!” she broke. She let the tears fall and she just broke. “ma-ma!” she whimpered and Cora quickly left her seat and walked over to Regina. She cheered silently when her daughter didn’t push her away and instead, she asked.

“W-we can’t have her.. She.. we can’t have her,” Regina repeated it like it was a mantra for the century. “I never win, mama. I just want to win and I never win. I never get to win,” she cries and it’s muffled and she mutters words Cora can’t understand. She rubs her daughter’s back and rocks her as she turns down whatever stoves are on and manages to get her to sit at the island. Cora makes her way back to the fridge and finds Regina some apple juice. She’d wish it wasn’t cold because it then takes her longer to heat it up, until she remembers she also still has magic. So, with a flick of her wrist, Cora has a hot cup of simmering apple juice with cinnamon and nutmeg in it. She rests it before her child and Regina’s tears flood even more. She hasn’t had that exact drink since she began to learn how to ride. Her mother clambers her short ass up on the adjacent stool and sips at her water, waiting on the moment that Regina is okay for her to ask-

“What did the doctor say?”

 

It took everything in Regina not to tell her mother exactly what Doctor Keaton had said, but by the time she was done, Cora had made several comments, most along the lines of telling Regina-

“-I’m not surprised you could have fathered those girls. You’ve always been eccentric… and gay.”

 

Regina had managed to laugh at that and by then, her heart was feeling lighter at knowing the truth.. Well, some of it, and she’d gotten her favourite childhood drink made just the way she remembered it.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Cora helps Regina finish cook dinner and by the time they’re done, Henry and Emma somehow know and Cora has to keep from commenting that Henry inherited that odd trait from Emma. He and his ma set the table and bring the food out, opting to cater to the Mills women for the evening even though Regina cooked the meal and Cora made dessert. They sit and eat like a family and Cora behaves herself rather well, Henry behaves himself. They all avoid Cora’s anxiety attack from the day before because of her consciousness and they avoid bringing up Regina’s Doctor’s visit because of her sensitivity. Cora and Henry clean up as Regina puts away leftovers and though she wants to spend time with them, she’s more adamant about going back in the room and just..sleeping. She kisses Henry’s head and talks to him for only so long until she retires upstairs. She showers and gets herself dressed before she climbs in bed and turns on the tv. It’s been sitting on that one channel for days but she doesn’t mind, so long as it’s on and Emma’s in there with her, but the blonde is still downstairs with their son. She doesn’t know if she should wait or if she should just force herself to sleep, so she decides to lay there and do neither. She leaves the room lit up with both their bedside lamps on and the curtains in the room just slightly cracked.

  
  


It’s a while later, but then Emma is opening the room door and shutting it lightly before she walks over to the horse, picks up her towel and heads into the bathroom to shower. Regina’s still awake, still staring at the ceiling, not even moving much past her eyes to blink and her chest to breathe. She’s there, still, until Emma comes out and is drying the tips of her hair that she more than likely got wet intentionally. She strings her towel across the horse after she’s walked around the room, naked for the first time and she’s lucky that Regina doesn’t look at her in that moment because she would’ve pissed herself. She throws on a sports bra and spandex boy shorts and climbs in bed. Just before she settles, she realizes that Regina is wide awake and staring at the ceiling. For some reason, she smiles and when she smiles the brunette’s eyebrow raises and she inches her face to look over at Emma with curiosity. Her eyes glaze over the woman’s physique, but there’s nothing much past curiosity in her eyes. She’s not breathing heavy at the sight of Emma. She’s not gasping or blushing or anything. She’s merely admiring Emma’s form and is mildly surprised that the blonde is as built as she is.

“I workout,” is what Emma tells her with a roll of her eyes as she settles beneath the covers and presses her back against the headboard. Regina nods but the nod is confused in a sense. Emma’s lamp is shut off and when she reaches for the remote, she finds that it’s in Regina’s hand.

“Can I have that,” she motions with her chin at the device and Regina lifts her arms to give it to the blonde. Emma mouths a thank you and takes it before she’s stretching over Regina and shutting off her light.

“Em..ma,” she mumbles because Emma didn’t count on her chest nearly smothering Regina’s face.

“Oh shit, sorry,” she laughs and lifts herself back up and plants her back against the headboard once again. They are silent. They always end up doing this anyway. “So, Henry wanted to know about your doctor’s visit… I explained it to him and I gotta say, this kid picks up on things quicker than I can get the words out,”

“He is much like you in that way,” Regina comments and Emma smiles.

“Yeah.. maybe.” Silence once again. “Regina,” Emma calls and the woman shifts her eyes to see the blonde’s.

“Yes, dear?”

“Thank you,”

“For what exactly,” Regina asks as she now sits up straight, her back flush against the headboard.

“Just.. for everything, you know,”

“I’m not sure I do,” Regina responds with hesitance.

“Nevermind,” Emma says with a smile. Emma changes the channel and turns up the volume a little. “I just want you to know that I appreciate everything you’re doing and I’m not giving up on us having a little girl. I’ll never give up on that possibility.”

 

Silence.. Silence.. Silence- and then

  
  


Emma’s lower hips are straddled and Regina’s hands are pressing at the base of her waist. She’s not sure when or how it happens but the brunette is on her and she’s wearing a very revealing, thin strapped, silk night dress that cuts just shy of her hips. Regina leans in and their eyes meet. Brown connect with flecks of neutral colour and hands slide around a small waist. Regina is pulled in, lips just shy of contact and then, she smirks before she lets her head rest on Emma’s chest. Emma laughs and rubs Regina’s back.

“I swear if someone just looked at us they would have thought we slept together on the first night,”

“Well it’s a good thing no one’s looking then,” Regina hums into Emma’s chest and Emma laughs once more.

“Smartass,” she comments and Regina is now laughing.

“I’m well aware..thank you, Emma,” she finally says in a soft breath and Emma smiles.

“I’d ask what for but you might just say for everything like I did,”

“I am thanking you for everything. I’m thanking you for keeping hope when I want nothing more than to give it up. I’m thanking you for the simple fact that you support me still even after this and that all you want is to give me a happy ending when it now turns out I am the happy ending and somehow all I’ve been reduced to getting is heartbroken.. So, thank you, Emma, because you’ve given me more than I could ever had hoped to have in such a short period of time that I’m grateful it was you who made such a huge mistake that brought us this close together. Maybe you could be it, maybe you could be True Love for me.. Maybe..” she trailed off sleepily and Emma just smiled once more.

“Maybe you could be my happy ending Regina,” Emma whispered into her hair before kissing the top of the woman’s head and hugging her tighter.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Little egg, you in there,” Emma whispered to Regina’s stomach as she scooted around the bed and bent her face. After Regina had fallen asleep Emma had laid the woman down in order to plant Eleven kisses to Regina’s stomach and rub a thumb over her navel. “ We hit another bump, kiddo. Your mommy is scared and I know that she’s scared because of the news we got today… The girls aren’t your sisters, but your mommy found out she’s a happy ending baby and that means that anyone she comes into contact with, ends up with either a baby or a happy ending in some weird way.. Only problem is, she’s afraid it won’t work for her..we both are, kid. Doctor Keaton-that was your mommy’s doctor when she was born, she said that your mommy’s genes and mine have never mixed before and it’s likely you might end up taking the brunt of it all, egg. She scared me and your mommy today because if that happens.. She said you might.. That you might…” she pauses and shakes her head, distress is apparent and when Regina’s body stirs, Emma sucks it up quickly and just covers the brunette up and climbs back in bed. Emma shuts her eyes and prays that andromeda appears so that she can drift into oblivion and when something appears that’s just shy of a galaxy, she settles for it and forces herself to blackout...What she misses is that Regina’s face is full of tears but her eyes are shut.

  
  


_ Please don’t get hurt, Egg. _


	13. It comes and goes. The first of many. Lucky on an unlucky day. 21 kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> do enjoy you lovely humans. I'm in a shitty mood but have at this chapter

April 1st Wednesday, 2015

It is officially clocking in at ten days later in the town of StoryBrooke and all that could go back to being normal.. and boring, did just that. Henry was officially back in school, clocking in on day 21 with he and his mothers being ‘roommates’ as he’d taken to calling it because saying anything else remotely close to ‘dating’ made him blush.

Now, to go down the list of scenarios and things that had already happened over the course of the ten days, it began with Henry and his return to the four walls of hell.

It was some date in 2015-(March 24th) a good week later and the start of a fresh bit of hell where he was allowed back in following his suspension(March 17th). He was prepared to just get back into his regular scheduled set of classes but quickly realized that wasn’t something he could so simply have due to the fact that the minute he was out of his mother’s bug and through the gates of the school, he’d been labelled ‘bully slayer’. Henry was confused for a moment until he remembered why he was out of school to begin with. Along with the new name and blatant praise for doing what he did to Nico, came even more praise. This set of praise revolved solely around his piercings that he had. Now he wasn’t just ‘bully slayer’, but the Mayor and Sheriff’s badass son.

Now, because his mothers had just let him go to school with shining studs in his face and no hat to cover his head or makeup to cover his brow, people’s mouths fell open on sight. There was awe from some, but respect from most when eyes had settled on him. He’d been the centre of attention that day when it came to a lot of the girls thinking it made him look even cuter or even some of the guys wanting to know the gorey things, like if he bled or anything. Henry had basically been stolen from his friends in order to answer the questions all of the other students had. He was now the rebel to represent all rebels. Henry was now the leader of the teen version to the free world. Granted, the school wasn’t against the children having them or showing them or the tattooes for that matter, but Mother Superior just happened to be head Dean of the school and for the love of all that existed, Regina had no fucking clue what possessed her to do that.

It was because of Henry that on his first day back in school people took a page out of his book and by all the days that followed, there started a class A revolt by the students who no longer gave a damn about consequences, or the lack thereof. Most had begun to wear their own piercings very out in the open and where that came, so did the lack of care or concern for their appearances. Now, it didn’t suffer badly, but the usual loose button here or crooked tie there turned into completely undone ties here, consistently undone buttons there and above all else, missing ties and frequently undone shirts. It wasn’t something that was necessarily frowned upon, however it also wasn’t something that was rampant in that particular school either. The majority of the student body was well behaved in respects to most things, but not anymore. It was a domino effect of epic proportions because in one way or another, the junior and senior schools had each changed in appearance if you looked at the clustered amount.

“Modern day Catholic school,” Nick had mumbled when the four of them were out and about on the school grounds. Ava had looked over at him and with a questioning pair of eyes, she’d asked him,

“What?” He sighed heavily and said,

“The school. Just look at it. Since we came to this world and we can watch all of these things, I saw a couple movies and tv shows and we look exactly like they do now,” he told his sister and he made motion up and down his frame to emphasize it. His tie was undone as was his shirt and Henry was more than positive his friend was missing a belt.

“Perfect example,” Grace had said with a shake of her head and the boy shrugged.

“I’m just sayin’ we’re starting to look a lot like those people in the real world.. This world.”

“He’s got a point,” Ava agrees and they all contemplate that piece for a moment.

“He’s right,” Henry says and Grace bobs her head in agreement.

“Good, now that we’ve established that I’m right.. What do we do about this?” the young man asks as he looks out and over the school campus. Henry sighs and scratches his head.

“I don’t know, but I don’t think we have a chance after this one.”

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


If anyone had said the words Cora and behaved in the same sentence, Regina would have probably had an aneurysm on the spot; but the simple fact that those exact words came from her own lips had made the brunette feel unnerved and made conversation even more surprising. Cora was actually staying out of trouble, for the most part and that probably had something to do with the fact that she was spending most of her time with Regina at her office and still staying a good handful of nights in her daughter’s home. It was either that or the fact that Regina was monitoring her mother like she was out on parole. Regina had taken it upon herself to teach her mother how to use most of the things from the 21st century and it proved successful because her mother was as a quick study especially when Regina told her she could game as much as she wanted to afterwards. Cora and gaming went hand in hand because she knew that the minute she sat before a tv with the hum-hum ready to go, her and her pals junk food and beer would have their own party. Most times Henry couldn’t ‘hang’ as she’d taken to calling it and was ready to write him off as her partner in crime. Of course he’d rolled his eyes at her and told her that he was a student first and a delinquent second and teased that before she could even figure out how to hang, she had to first be able to last through her persistent need to have nap time. He nearly got thumped in the head because of that smartass comment. And as if his ‘luck’ couldn’t get any better, both of his mothers continuously blamed him for his grandmother’s new found obsession with the god damn thing because they realized that in lieu of that, Cora refused to go home. They’d found out why soon enough that it wasn’t solely based around Henry’s XBox and the woman’s clear cut gaming addiction.

It was amongst some of the things that Regina had been trying to get her mother to deal with, and one of those- which she dreaded with a passion had to do with going into crowded places. Regina had explained to her mother that if she wanted to be okay, she’d have to force herself to be in those situations she finds herself avoiding like a plague. Cora instantly fought her on that and Regina had told her she would either get over it or be under it for which her mother had told her with blatant honesty that she would just have to be under it because it was too hard for her to try and get over it. Cora wasn’t leaving simply because she still felt slightly unstable as a result of her breakdown from the other day. She didn’t know if she would last by herself after that hiccup and she wasn’t to keen on trying to find out. Cora did not take too well to the possibility of her having to walk into a place where people taller and shorter than her would shove against her and rub on her. She did not take well to the thought of having to stand there awkwardly as her items are being rung up, not knowing where to allow her eyes to roam or what the fuck to do with her hands. And the woman nearly had a hernia at the thought of actually creating conversations with any of the cashiers. Actually, Regina was pretty sure if Cora was given the opportunity to poof away somewhere her daughter couldn’t find her, she would do it- if only to avoid the God damn stores or any place that was consistently a clusterfuck of people.

Regina had just written that possibility off the list of things that her mother could handle dealing with anytime soon. It still was a strange thing that her mother would do anything else but that and she’d do any of them for a Cadbury chocolate bar. It was food or games, and nothing else would work. On a few accounts over the days, her mother had proved extra difficult because she wanted Regina to buy her the new Pokemon versions and Regina had told her no. And it got even more difficult when she wanted Regina to buy her a Playstation 3 after Henry had showed her a video of God of War. Regina had just said no on that one and Cora pouted for the rest of the week. She’d thought of asking Emma, but figured that Emma would probably fold at the thought of Regina roasting her ass, still, she had to try.

 

~~~~~~~~

 

_“Swan,” Cora called as she walked into the Police Station dressed very casual in a pair of nicely tailoured jeans and a button up top with open toe sandals. Regina had been persistent on getting her mother to dress a little bit more with the times and managed to convince her that once she found what worked for her body, that’s all that mattered._

_“Yes, Cora,” Emma had answered her as she flipped through one of the files she’d been working on. She didn’t look up at the woman and Cora just about scowled at her. She had to remember she wanted something Regina already told her she wasn’t supposed to have and Emma was her only hope of getting it...unless she could of course figure out where to get it from without having to go into a store._

_“Soooo, I was thinkin’-,”_

_“-you’re always ‘thinkin’’, Cora,” Emma interrupted with a grin and Cora’s hand lit up, ready to roast Emma on the spot. The blonde sighed, sensing the magic in the air. “Put it away, because I’m more than positive you came here to ask for something and if you expect to get it, you need to be nicer to me,” Emma scolded and Cora scowled even harder._

_“I hate you sometimes,”_

_“Feeling’s mutual, mom,” Emma responded, eyes still focused on her file. Emma was a tough nut to crack on a bad day. Why’d she have to pick that particular day to ask for the Play Station?_

_“Fine.. yes I did come to ask you for something-,” she’d managed to get out before Emma looked up at her with a raised brow and interrupted her once more._

_“-I’m guessing this something_ **_isn’t_ ** _that Play Station I heard you asking Regina about and now you’re trying to convince me to get it for you,”_

_“Noooo. NO-NO! It’s actually a Play Station 3, but details-details,” she said as she tried to play it off and Emma actually sighed out a laugh. She put the file down and pushed away from her desk, feet coming up to rest on it and hands resting atop her stomach._

_“Alright, let me hear this genius monologue of yours,” the blonde said to her, opening up the floor for the woman to speak, but Cora faltered._

_“Well, I very well can’t do it now with you staring at me like that now can I?”_

_“I don’t even think you thought this through,” Emma told her honestly with a laugh and Cora’s silence proved her point. “Cora-,” Emma began, “-I can’t buy it for you. Regina already told you no, and I’m convinced she told you no for a specific reason,”_

_“Well, she didn’t tell me why she told me no. I went by her office the other day and said ‘Sweet Gina, beautiful daughter of mine- can I have a Play Station 3?’ and she didn’t even look up at me before she just flat out said ‘No, mother.’,” Cora argued and Emma shrugged uneasily._

_“She didn’t tell me either, but I’m pretty sure it’s either valid or born simply of concern,” the blonde told her and based on what Cora just told her, she had a small clue why Regina ended up saying no._

_“But, I want iiiiiit!” Cora whined and Emma smirked._

_“I know,”_

_“And it looked soooo goooood,”_

_“I’m well aware,” Emma nods in agreement._

_“Curse Henry for telling me about it. This is his fault,”_

_“Pretty sure your addiction isn’t Henry’s fault,”_

_“It sure as hell isn’t mine,” Cora argued and Emma laughed._

_“Sure about that?”_

_“Damn right!”_

_“Okay then,” Emma said easily and Cora’s eyes narrowed._

_“You’re being a sarcastic little shit, aren’t you?”_

_“Maybe,” the blonde grinned and Cora huffed._

_“You’re mean,” Cora sasses._

_“So I’ve been told,” Emma says nonchalantly and then Cora’s eyes light up which makes Emma’s eyes flash in panic. “Cora- no!”_

_“Cora-yes!” the woman says before she makes a motion with her hand and is engulfed by purple smoke._

_“Shit,” Emma hisses before she perches up in her chair. “God damn that old woman,” Emma said out into the room before picking up the phone and dialling Regina’s office number._

 

_It rang for all of two seconds before Clara answered. Emma had completely forgotten about that since she’s been avoiding talking to Clara since that particular day. She didn’t know if it was because she was embarrassed of her own jealousy or if it had anything to do with how she’d acted that day in the store. It was just safe to go with both._

_“Mayor’s office,” Clara said with a distracted tone and Emma gathered her bearings before she spoke._

_“Hey, Clara- it’s Emma,” Emma informed and the woman’s attention switched._

_“Oh, hi Sheriff. Mayor Mills is a bit busy right now- is something wrong? Is it Henry? Do I need to get her or-”_

_“-no-no, it’s not Henry. It’s her mother.. I kind of need to talk to her though, so if you could…” Clara caught on._

_“Of course, hold on,” the woman said to her before she made quick work of finding the woman. Emma heard the distinct click of heels a moment later and then heard the receiver be picked up._

_“Emma, hold on, I’ll transfer your call,” Clara told her and she just nodded, even though she was positive Clara couldn’t see her. The line clicked over and Emma was put at ease for only a moment._

_Emma,” Regina had said in a tone that was both worried and relieved. Emma smiled at that._

_“Hey,” Emma started and Regina smirked._

_“Hey,” she copied._

_“I may be late for lunch today,” Emma said right out the gate and she could see the instant falling of Regina’s face._

_“Oh,” is what the brunette settles for. “Did something come up?”_

_“Not technically,” Emma said uneasily._

_“I don’t quite follow,” the brunette admitted._

_“Your mother came by the station today and wanted me to buy her a Play Station 3,”_

_“Why would she want you to do that?”_

_“Because you told her no,” Emma says and Regina makes a sound of confusion._

_“I did?”_

_“Yeah, she said she came by your office a couple of days earlier and…” the blonde trailed off, repeating what Cora had repeated from that day and Regina laughed._

_“You should have told her why I more than likely said no,” the brunette said and Emma smirked._

_“It didn’t click just then.. But that seemed to give her some asinine idea and she just vanished like four minutes ago. I have no idea what she’s going to do this time, which means I have to wait by the phones until someone calls and tells me she either blew up another building or is threatening to shove things back up people’s butts,”_

_“Sounds like a plan,” Regina laughed._

_“I’m surprised you’re taking this as well as you are,”_

_“That’s because now that we know mother is afraid of congested places, there’s only a handful of stores she might actually walk into,” Regina explains and Emma nods._

_“True,” she agrees and Regina hums. “Sorry about lunch, Gi,” Emma then apologized and Regina shook her head._

_“Don’t be. The simple fact that you called to tell me is enough, and you’re not cancelling, just, postponing, right?”_

_“Right,” Emma said with a smile._

_“Good. So I’ll see you later?”_

_“Of course..want anything in particular?”_

_“Just you and our usual,” Regina said with a laugh right after, but Emma rolled her eyes and grinned._

_“Yes your Majesty,” Emma drawled and Regina let out a hearty laugh._

_“Goodbye, Emma,”_

_“Goodbye, Regina.”_

 

_They hung up._

 

_Emma had waited by the phones after that, and not one call came through. Not one call of disturbance, nothing. No one wanted to report a maniac or a senile old woman running rampant through the town and no one called to report a missing Cora. Emma was surprised..and frightened. She didn’t know what to do about that, but lunch was already running late and she couldn’t neglect Regina for another fourty five minutes just because Cora went M.I.A. So, the blonde basically said Eff it, and went about getting her and Regina lunch. She’d asked multiple people along the way if they’d seen Cora but everyone had shook their heads. Most were even surprised Cora was alive which proved that the townspeople really weren’t dependent at all._

 

_“This town is terrible,” Emma complained once she’d walked through the doors of Regina’s private office. She’d plopped down into Regina’s office sofa and groaned. The brunette’s eyebrows rose and a smirk was set on her face. She let her slender fingers release their hold of the file she’d been just shy of signing off on. Regina then removed her glasses from her face and looked over at Emma._

_“If this is your way of being nice and telling me I’m doing a terrible job as Mayor, your words have been heeded,” she told the blonde and Emma froze. She dropped the bag with their usual lunches on the table and shook her head, quickly._

_“Oh, no! Not you, Regina! I mean the townspeople. They’re unreliable. I asked about your mom and  if anyone’s seen her around- or at all for that matter and they’re like ’huh’. Some of them still think your mother’s dead you know that, right?” she’d asked and Regina let out a laugh._

_“I’m not surprised considering they care about me and my lineage as about as much as I care for theirs. Which is little to none. My mother’s existence was and is still the last thing on any of their minds. Do they intend to lead some form of revolt or try and stake her?”_

_“Well, no,” Emma answered unsure and Regina shrugged._

_“Well then there’s nothing to worry about. Mother’s fine so long as they don’t try to tie her to a pole and set her on fire. No mobs, no worries,” the brunette says off-handedly._

_“Wooooow, what did they do with the usually no nonsense mayor?”_

_“They let her have the day off so that she could spend a good lunch with her friend,” Regina answered with a smirk and Emma’s eyes lit up, but her tone was teasing._

_“Oh, so we’re friends? But, you’re not my fiance?”_

_“Yes Emma, we are friends. If you intend to be my fiance then you need to take me on a consistent amount of dates and make me believe that falling in love with you is the only thing I’d want to do,” Regina grins and Emma grins._

_“Alright, fair enough,” she’d said to the brunette with a laugh, “-and would you look at us, it only took one lie and idiocy to get us there,” she joked and Regina let out a bark of laughter._

_“Correction. It took many years and us finally realizing we’re more alike than we think for that to happen, but if I’m set to be honest, then I’d just like to say that I’m actually genuinely happy it did happen this way,”_

_“Seriously? You’re actually happy we became friends this way?” Emma questioned with a grin and Regina settles into the chair right next to the blonde. She nudges Emma’s shoulder and nods at her and Emma wraps an arm around Regina before she’s hugging her tightly and then releasing her so that they can eat._

 

_Lunch is amazing, but they don’t find Cora and are shocked to see that when they step through the doors of the mansion- she’s back home in the front of the XBox once again, gaming like nothing had ever happened. Emma’s tempted to bust the woman’s bubble to question her like a parolee, but Regina convinces her to not even bother asking her where she was because if it was something bad, Regina really didn’t want to have to deal with it. Henry comes in shortly after his mothers and no one questions his whereabouts because it makes no sense questioning a boy who was about as secretive as both of his mothers combined. So, they all just shrug off their odd ends to the days and have dinner like nothing happened._

 

_Cora and her need to be consistently M.I.A ends up repeating over the course of a handful of days and along with that comes Regina’s persistence on her mother getting over her fear, or at least managing with it. It proves to be the worst idea when she springs it on Cora and tells her that she’s taking her to the most congested place she could find which was the Farmer’s Market. Cora cries the entire experience and wails that she’s going to tell on Regina. She literally wails like a toddler and Regina has to poof them away from the situation before it becomes worse. Cora does in fact call Emma who calls Regina and scolds her for which Regina sasses her and then Emma tells her that she’s going to take Cora to lunch just because of that. Regina rolls her eyes but concedes. It’s between those days that the pair never miss lunch together, but they both end up missing dinner most, if not- all of the days and it gets to Henry the same way it gets to his grandmother. Cora tries to keep the dinnertime ritual going, but by day four of it, Henry is just over the thought of it and convinces her to just eat snacks with him instead and she concedes. His mothers aren’t able to do anything about it when it comes to their jobs because the minute they wake up, they’re out the door and dealing with work until those late hours where Emma would just drive to the Mayor’s office or Regina would just drive to the Police Station. It does take a toll on them because in all honesty they both want to be home and they want to have dinner with their son and Regina’s mother, but it’s the month where the second set of businesses file reports and taxes and somehow it just happens to be the exact same time-frame where the station gets a boatload of fraud reports. So between them comparing files and helping one another understand sections and pieces of each individual file, it keeps them away from home and stuck in the office._

  


_Of course night time talks with Egg continues because Emma is adamant about that being a thing and of course Regina is still listening in on these little talks because she wants to know how Emma feels about everything and every single last thing that Emma says is all in positivity and planning that she’s not necessarily giving away so Regina can’t actually figure it out at all. And on top of that, they both keep imagining the night sky across the ceiling of their bedroom. Everything ranging from Messier 83-Hydra to Messier 87-Virgo._

 

_It all shifts back to normal and even comes down to another Swan-Mills-Charming family dinner._

 

_~~~~~~~~~~~~_

“Hey kids!” David greets cheekily as he and Mary Margaret near the table with Neal in tow. The woman is glued to her husband’s side, clearly unable to settle down once her eyes fall on the table of people before her.Regina raises a brow at him and Henry grins but Emma scrunches up her face and somewhat scowls at her father. Snow sets Neal down and they all let their attention fall on the little boy who toddles over, surprisingly right up between Cora and Regina. His pacifier is glued to his tongue as his little head shifts left and then right as he looks between the two Mills women. His chubby little fists do a grabbing motion as if to say “UP!UP!” and both mother and daughter look at each other in shock. It’s a silent conversation of panic between them as Regina’s eyes bulge with the words ‘Pick him up!’ and Cora’s respond with, ‘Hell no, you pick him up!’. Finally Neal just decides for them and toddles over to Cora before he grips onto the woman’s dress hem and attempts to climb up onto her lap. Cora doesn’t let him, instead, she picks him up and settles him onto her lap and Neal looks at her, pacifier still stuck in his mouth and then there’s a little dribble ridden grin he gives her that makes her eyes lighten and she smiles back at him. He settles his head on her chest and Cora feels her eyes water at the action. It doesn’t go unnoticed by anyone else at the table, especially Snow who seems more than mortified. David just shrugs it off and bends down and kisses his daughter on the cheek. “Howdy, Pumpkin,” he coos and Emma scowls even harder at the man before she responds.

“Dad, do you really have to do that?” she whines and he rolls his eyes.

“Yes, I really have to do this, Emma,” he responds with a laugh before he takes himself over to hug his grandson and then hug Regina and Cora.

“Other pumpkin,”he grins at Regina who smiles at him.

“Hi David,” Regina says with a loving tone as she hugs the man back. When they release he moves on to Cora.

“Oldest Pumpkin,” he jokes with Cora who tries her hardest not to give into the joke, but she cracks and laughs.

“Shepherd,” is what she says in response as the man bends to give her a hug. He moves over to ruffle Henry’s head.

“Gramps! Come on,” the boy laughs as he swats his grandfather’s hand away from his head.

“Sorry,” he says but finishes messing it up anyway. Something glimmers on Henry’s face and Snow catches it  as she goes to give Henry a hug.

“Oh! You’ve got piercings,” she notices. _Right._

“He’s got piercings,” David says as he turns to his wife. Cora doesn’t bother answering as Emma shrugs uneasily and Regina answers for them all.

“Yes, he has piercings,” Regina says and Snow’s face is caught between question and shock. Regina sees it and continues to speak. “He’d gotten them shortly after the fight he had with.. what was his name?”

“Nicholas?” David questions but Regina shakes her head.

“Dobby,” Cora says and Regina laughs but shakes her head.

“Asswipe,” Henry mutters and Emma kicks him under the table.

“Kid,” she scolds and he looks sheepish enough not to say it again. “His name’s Nico,” Emma says aloud and Regina along with everyone else at the table nod.

“You didn’t tell me,” Snow says aloud and no one has any idea who in the fuck she’s talking to. “No one told me. David you didn’t tell me,” Snow scolds and he shrugs helplessly.

“It slipped my mind,” he admits and she purses her lips at him. “Besides, it’s not my news to tell,” he continues before he sits down and she shakes her head at her husband before she looks at Henry’s face once more. He’s unaffected by his grandmother’s simmering rage as he smiles at her still and hugs her when she finally decides to hug him. She hesitates as she moves on to her daughter and when their eyes meet, it’s silent conversation between the two of them that no one else bothers to interrupt. Snow and Emma still hadn’t gotten on manageable terms because of what she’d said to Regina the last time, but as far as her mother assumed, it was just based around the fact that she wouldn’t give her blessings to their holy union. The conversation they have with pinched smiles and no words falls on a general greeting of ‘Hi, how are you?’ and “Good. I’ve been good.’ It’s a terrible thing, but Emma doesn’t make a move to change it because she feels that given even half the chance, her mother would just repeat the exact same things she did and not see how what she says or does garners consequences. So, if their relationship suffers all for the blonde to make a point that her mother can’t just hurt Regina at every avenue she deems worthy of it, then it would have to suffer. Snow tries to swallow back her anger and her pain as she moves on, giving Regina a pinched smile. The brunette gives her the exact same pinched smile and that’s it. Snow doesn’t speak to Cora and Cora doesn’t make a fuss over it either. Once Snow is seated, their orders are taken and the group of people find themselves off into conversation.

 

Throughout the dinner itself, Cora consistently excuses herself from the table, finds herself zoning out or just flat out ignoring the others. Snow believes that it’s because of the big blow up between her and the other matriarch, but it’s not. It’s got something to do with a certain little birdy who’d taken a keen interest in the older woman.

 

~~~~~~~

 

“Why don’t you just wait until you’re off to ask me to see you?”

“Because I get bored and my shift sucks and seeing you makes it better!?”

“Is that a question or an answer,”

“A bit of both,”

“Why me?” comes the question that sounds confused and irritated all in the same breath.

“I don’t know. You’re just… cute I guess.”

_Cute!_

“Cute? Dear I’m old enough to be both your mother and your grandmother and I’m not far from being your great-grandmother. I’m not cute- Hell, I’m not even tolerable. My face looks like mashed potatoes and I’m closer to dust than I am to clay,” she complains and the young girl laughs. Cora is wholeheartedly confused.

“And I care why?” is what the girl asks her and Cora shakes her head.

“You’re weird,” she comments and the girl shrugs

“And you’re funny… if you can tell me right now that you don’t find me attractive or at least good looking, I will leave you alone and never bother you again,”

“I’d be lying, but if you want me to then I will,” Cora says as she completely misses the girl’s point. The girl rolls her eyes and grins.

“So there’s nothing stopping you from staying,” she says and Cora makes motion to argue.

“As I’ve explained before, I’m-,”

“-Old enough to be my mother and grandmother and great gran, trust me, I heard you, but I don’t care about any of that,”

“So what exactly are you looking for out of this ‘relationship’?”

“If I’m being honest. Some fun and reckless abandon… maybe a-,”

“-Sugar mama,” Cora sniped and the girl laughed.

“If you wanna be then yeah,” she tells the woman who scoffs.

“God, Regina was right. All I’m good for is being someone else’s atm…. Sucks for you, I have no money,” Cora tells her and the girl’s head drops.

“I can’t believe you actually took me seriously,” she sighs and Cora looks even more confused. “As flattered as I’d be even if you did, I’ve got my own money. Like I said, I want fun and reckless abandon. I don’t care about money because there’s a lot I can do without it. I was just looking for a really fun drinking buddy and you look like you can throw down,”

“You’re eighteen,” Cora sasses

“I’m legal,” the girl sasses back and Cora sighs.

“You’re still too young,”

“No I’m not-,”

“-You are and that would make me a cradle robber-,”

“-Is that why you won’t say yes?”

“No, it’s because you’re still too young-,”

“-I’M LEGAL!”

“AND I’M BORDERLINE SENILE!” Cora snaps and the girl quiets down. Cora takes a breath.

“You don’t want to be labelled as a cradle robber, that’s what this is about,”

“No. I don’t give a damn who calls me a cradle robber, You’ve barely got your foot into the world and you’re already out and after the oldest person you can find. Besides, either way you put it, I’d be labelled a cradle robber. Me saying yes just speeds up the process of that happening,” she tells her and the girl laughs. “What!?” Cora questions and the girl keeps giggling as she shakes her head.

“Since when did you start giving a damn about what other people think of you,”

“Since I’ve been living with my youngest. Her human is rubbing off on me. Either that or I now possess a soul, I’m still not sure about either of them to be honest.”

“How about this. Whenever you figure out what it is you want and whether or not you’re human and have a soul or simply affected by your daughter’s own form, let me know, yeah? Just- don’t write it off so quickly,” she says to Cora who sighs but nods.

“Alright,” she concedes and the girl winks at her before she leans in and kisses Cora’s cheek. Cora turns bright red and stands there stunned.

 

“Sandbags got game,” Regina mutters to herself before she shakes her head and heads back inside the restaurant.

“Hey,” Emma smiles at her as she takes a seat at the table.An arm is wrapped around Regina and she is pulled in and at Emma’s side. Regina settles herself against the blonde and whispers,

“Well, there’s no need to worry about mother, anymore,”

“Why would you be worried about her to begin with?”

“She was.. out of it this evening, didn’t you notice?”

“I did, so, where is she?”

“Outside,” Regina shifts in her seat and snuggles closer.

“Why’s she outside?”

“She’s..dealing with a certain.. someone”

“Ohhhhh, it’s the waitress from the last time, isn’t it,” Emma says and Regina looks up at her and nods.

“How did you know?”

“How did you not know? She kept giving old Sandbags there the eyes and when it wasn’t that, she was always empty handed when she came back into the restaurant … plus you can kinda see them from where we’re sitting,” Emma ends as she points to the section where the actually was a window and Regina’s eyes follow the imaginary line drawn. Regina shakes her head and buries her face into Emma’s chest. Emma grins. “What’s wrong?”

“My mother is a cradle robber,” she groans and Emma laughs.

“Pretty sure that girl was after her, not the other way around. Cora looks so lost, I don’t think she’d know this girl was hitting on her even if the girl flat out told her she was hitting on her,” Emma had said and Regina groaned again.

“Knowing mother, she would probably think the the girl was meaning it in a literal sense and then claim domestic abuse, not that she even knows what the hell that is either,”

“We really need to give your mom a vocab lesson, and soon,” Emma says and Regina nods but makes no move to remove her face from Emma’s chest. They stay like that and allow everyone else around them to just do whatever the hell it is they want.

And of course when Cora comes back inside, still beet red, Someone’s ready to comment, but Regina saves her and asks if her mother wanted dessert because she was heating up. She made up an easy lie about her mother knowing she has to have cold things or else she’ll end up with a fever and Cora plays along. Cora also realized Regina knew something, but she was grateful the woman didn’t say anything in the front of the group. She orders sorbet and when she’s done, Snow pays the bill.

“Matriarchs setting a standard.” Emma had joked shortly after that.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The Sunday that had followed was spent lazily, but it had to be spent lazily without Regina and that just about aggravated the hell out of Emma. When Regina had gotten up, she’d moved around the master bedroom so quietly that by the time Emma was waking, Regina was kissing her on the lips and telling her she had to go and that breakfast was already made and waiting. Emma’s face fell immediately when she realized the day and it sagged even more because she remembered that Regina was usually stuck in the office til really late. She now understood what Henry felt on a daily basis when his mother either ended up stuck at her job or brought her job home and still couldn’t just give enough of her time to her only child. Regina saw the look of distress on Emma’s face but she honestly couldn’t do anything about it. Like she’d explained to Emma before, if she didn’t do it on Sunday, her Monday would definitely be worse. Emma didn’t understand why there was always so many files that Regina had to deal with, but she also understood that if there wasn’t a lot, that meant Regina wasn’t doing a good job and the town was suffering. Though she admired the brunette’s hard work and initiative to keep everyone afloat, single-handedly, Emma hated what a toll it took on Regina physically as well as the woman’s relationship with Henry. She realized that in part to Henry wanting to find out the truth, when he was younger, he was also upset about the fact that she worked so much, and no one would see that unless they were living with the Mills clan. Emma, now getting a front row seat to it, understands that Henry had residual anger over the fact that the little time he got with his mother, he had to spend it contemplating how to connive and scheme against her.

 

Regina had bent down and kissed Emma once more and though Emma appreciated the action, it did nothing to help her not feel upset over the fact that the first day she’s had off in weeks, is now being spent without the woman. Truth be told, she’d come to really value Regina’s company more than anyone else’s. They’d managed to start talking about their magical abilities and Emma was really learning some things as Regina explained how magic is exact and completely incorrect all in the same breath. Emma had learned the name of Regina’s horse and how she came to meet Rocinante. She was so intrigued by the beautiful black stallion ‘war horse’ that she’d done research and found out about the origin of the name involved in the Spanish inquisition, or something about a book.. Emma couldn’t really tell, all the words kept melding together and they weren’t really defining the Horse’s relation to anything but his rider, Don Quixote. At least Regina had one thing from her heritage to remember forever.

 

By the time Regina has left the house, Emma makes the decision to just ‘hang’ with her father and son who take her fishing. That wasn’t necessarily her idea of fun, but it also isn’t so bad once she gets the hang of the basics. Cora once again disappears, but it’s not even a surprise anymore to anyone because Cora is..well, Cora. Regina does call to check in on them throughout the day, but the house phone goes unanswered until she dials everyone’s cell phones and talks to them. Emma is short with her and if Regina could stop what she was doing and figure out why, she would, but she couldn’t. Her mother barely gives her anything to work with because she’s in some loud place and screaming and distracted and calling people asswipes and idiots and punks. She mentions something about a’ boosting session,’ and Regina completely goes dumb on that one. Regina is taken away from her family once again when Clara walks in and is asking her questions about one particular foreclosure and so on and Regina sighs deeply as her shoulders sag and both she and the woman head back into the four walls of stress.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Over the course of the miniature fishing trip, Emma complains and complains and complains about Regina not being there when she’s off and Henry just looks over at her and simply says to her,

“Now you see how I feel,” which she truly does. It takes that ‘stressful’ occurrence for Emma to remember that Henry has once again been in that exact situation for how many years again?

“Sorry, Kid,” she apologises to him but he shakes his head.

“Don’t.. At least we know why mom works so much, right?”

“Yeaaah, I guess you are right about that one. But she needs to have a rest every once in a while. Saturdays aren’t enough if she’s working more than fourty hours a week and she still gets up to make breakfast, plus she comes home and makes dinner,” Emma complains and her father grins.

“Then maybe you should get up and make breakfast sometimes. You and Henry could help take the load off, you know,” he tells her and she nods.

“I know. I’ve been thinking about doing that more often, but I just don’t know what she likes to eat,”

“She doesn’t really eat breakfast. She’s only been doing that because you’re here,” Henry tells his mother and Emma’s face falls slightly.

“Why?”

“Because she knows you’ll get on her about not eating at all the same way she’ll get on you if you don’t,”

“I know,” Emma sighs and Henry shrugs.

“You can’t force her. I don’t try to. Mom pushes back, so it doesn’t even make sense to push her to do it.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s damn near three in the afternoon when lunch is had by Emma, her son, her dad and now Neal and her mother. It’s surprising that Snow agreed to lunch with the, considering how skittish she was the night before. She says little, same as Emma, but the boys are off into conversation and trying to keep the moments from being awkward. Neal is yammering to Emma in his best form and Emma tears her eyes away from her mother’s in order to pay her little brother some attention. Somehow, Neal climbs into her lap, his pacifier still glued to him and Emma has to wonder if the little boy goes anywhere without it or if he wants his teeth, then she remembers he’s barely past one, he’s not aware of how important his teeth are. However, once Neal is in her lap, there’s no stopping his little bouncing feet from stomping on her thighs, lightly. He’s happy dancing and Emma doesn’t realize what it’s for until she hears the music playing in the background. It was something about Thunder and reverberations of techno based music and male lead vocals with airy tunes that honestly were hella catchy. Almost as if he sensed the question, Henry spoke up.

“It’s Snow Ghost by Yoe Mase,” he says and Emma looks over at him, grateful for the clarification.

“It’s catchy,” she admits and he nods.

“I know. I played it til I got sick of it, but you can never truly get sick of masterpieces like this,” the teen grins and Emma smiles. David rolls his eyes and speaks up.

“You don’t know masterpieces, son. Try listening to Bach and Beethoven. Symphony number nine, bet on a dime that’s one of your mother’s favourites,” his grandfather said and Henry looked confused.

“Which one?”

“That one,” he pointed to Emma who looked surprised as well.

“How-..” she stops short because.. How?

“In the station, what do you think that is I always have playing in the background?”

“I don’t know, I thought it was just some weird woodland creatures making music. Considering this place is a walking ball of magic, everything here has me second guessing what’s real and what’s fake,”

“Well,” David laughs lightly. “it’s symphony number nine. You always hum it when you don’t realize and playing it throughout the day somehow helped you focus better.”

“I realize,” she acknowledges before she turns back to Neal who seems to have settled into her lap. His head is bobbing because there’s a new song playing and Emma strains her ears to catch the tune.

_So close! To falling into habit, and giving just to have it. You’re so easy to deny it, no matter how we try it. And now I’m slipping away!_

 

Emma finds herself bopping her head to the song as well, even if it is only five lines worth of lyrics. She and Neal jam out in their own little corner and her mother catches sight of her children, her frown upturns and that’s when she sees a smile from Emma that anyone has ever rarely seen.. Well, excluding Regina and Henry of course. She’s seen her daughter smile that way once before and that was when she claimed Regina and she were together, Regina was and is pregnant and they were getting married. If only Snow knew that the smile then and the smile now were on two different wavelengths of truth would she understand that the smile she’s smiling now, is the exact smile she gives Regina, born of nothing but truth and trust and honesty where they both admitted that they not only cared for one another, but loved one another for all their mistakes and their histories, no matter how messed up they may be. Of course it wasn’t some fairytale love that bordered on the crappy love at first sight kind of thing, however it was true in every sense of the word that regardless of what’s been done, Emma truly does love the brunette because of everything she’s worked so hard to change and prove that she’s not the same woman when they first met. The same could be said from Regina’s perspective. She has grown to love Emma, something that neither found so surprising, but it felt good to know that one person did, even if it wasn’t in the way of breaking contracts or spells.

Emma looks up at her mother and manages a very small smile towards the woman who takes it as progress before she nods at her daughter. She shifts in her seat, on the verge of saying something and Emma’s eyes are on her, almost as if they’re searching for that thing in which she wants to say. Snow settles herself before she opens her mouth.

“How’s Regina?” comes out and if Emma is shocked by the question, which she isn’t, then she had a damn good poker face on that one. Both her husband and grandson stop their own conversation and look over, mostly assessing Emma more so than Snow. David wants to see if that knot is forming in Emma’s forehead and Henry just wants to see if she will shift uncomfortably. Considering she complained nearly all damn day about the woman not being there, there’s only two responses she could quite possibly give. Both Emma’s father and her son are pretty positive they know which response that is.

“She’s..good. She called earlier to check in on us because she’s working late today at City Hall,” the blonde tells her with a shrug that she tries to make seem as if it’s detached. But she just nearly says ‘I miss her too.’

“Right.. She does that every Sunday, doesn’t she?” her mother questions as she looks from her daughter to her husband and grandson. They nod and she turns back, her own nod towards Emma. Emma nods and sags a bit.

“Yep. Evvvvery Sunday,” she stresses and no one misses the way her eyes flicker down at the table and the way her fingers fiddle with a cloth napkin. Her mother swallows before speaking again.

“ Are you going to carry lunch for her?” Snow queries and waits to see if the thought even crossed Emma’s mind to do that, that way she’d be able to spend at least an hour with her soon to be, right? Wrong. Emma shakes her head, because the thought never crossed her mind. She was too upset at the fact that Regina had to be away from her and Henry to remember she could just ‘politely’ interrupt the woman and the three of them could have lunch together. She looks over at Henry. _Of course he didn’t mention it. Little shit_. He looks at her and gives her a look that says,

 _‘Don’t you dare blame me, woman._ ’

“No,” she says simply and that’s all it takes before Snow is calling for Ruby to come over and saying,

“Could you put something together for Regina for lunch please, Emma forgot to take it to her,”

“Yeah, sure thing. What’s she getting today?” Ruby asks and everyone looks over at Emma who seems more disappointed in herself by that point than anything else. Snow’s head flits between the two women quickly before she’s speaking again.

“Just her usual and could you make her some-,”

“-Lavender tea,” Emma whispers in interruption and Snow nods when Ruby looks over at her. She jots it down and makes a loud sound when she dots the end of the order.

“Okay, just give us a bit and we’ll get that as quick as we can,” Ruby tells them and turns to leave. David sees this as an opportunity for mother and daughter to do some damage control.

“Hey, Henry, what do you say me, you and Neal go out to the docks for a bit, you know, let him feed the ducks and whatever else a one year old can get up to,” he says loudly enough to his grandson and in a tone that only Henry can pick up on. The boy catches it and nods before he agrees and plucks Neal from his mother’s arms and they’re telling them goodbye. Of course this leaves the table insanely quiet and massively empty, but Emma’s so lost in her own disappointment that she doesn’t even realize her mother is looking at her as if she were trying to see behind the pain.

“You don’t like the fact that she works on Sundays, do you?” It’s a question that seems like it’s been floating in the air for only God knows how long. Emma shakes her head.

“No. I don’t,” she answers shortly and her mother nods.

“She has to though,” Snow says and Emma looks up, a scowl on her face.

“Don’t you think I know that?!”

“I know you know that, but you seem to act as if you don’t know this every time it will happen,”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Emma asks defensively and her mother shrugs.

“Just what I said. No matter how many Sundays come or go, you will never be happy about the fact that your weekends have to be spent without Regina,”

“Oh, I’m _sorry_. Is that a crime?” she questions her mother sarcastically and Snow takes it in stride.

“It’s not a crime at all, but what would be a crime is you being upset with her over something she has no control over,” Snow tells her and Emma looks like she’s ready to jump on her mother’s words but Snow is absolutely right and Emma hates that. Since when in the hell is she team Regina?! For whatever reason, she hates it and she figures it has something to do with the fact that had they kept her, she could have put up with her mother knowing her like the back of her hand when she was a troubled teenager and not a young adult who’s angry over the fact that she can’t spend most - if not, all her time with a woman she’s not even married to..yet. Emma says nothing instead and Snow takes the moment to settle into the upper-hand she has. “I’m sorry,” she says to her daughter and Emma actually looks like she’s more than confused. She looks shocked because-

“What exactly are you apologising for?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but I feel the need to apologise. I suppose it’s your worry over Regina that has me apologising for doubting you two, or maybe it’s because I can see what it is you both were fighting to protect..whatever the reason. I’m sorry for how I acted and how I’ve been acting and I know our relationship won’t change overnight- not that I’m expecting it to, but I am sorry.”

 

Silence.

Silence.

Silence.

“Okay.” It’s all Snow gets and that’s what she settles for. She settles for that okay because if she doesn’t, she’s more than positive Emma will shut down on her again. So, she nods and she takes it in stride.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Post lunch time with her parents, Emma and Henry head over to City Hall and wait at the desk to see if Clara would come to greet them or something. She doesn’t and they just walk towards Regina’s office door. Henry knocks first and they get no answer, so Emma knocks second and then she knocks a third time before she just rolls her eyes and opens the door. She halts and then Henry halts as their eyes settle on a passed out Regina slumped up against an equally passed out Clara. At first glance, Emma probably would have panicked, but as she stared, she realized Regina just passed out from exhaustion. She walks over to the table and drops the bag with a heavy thump on the table and she misses the way Henry rolls his eyes at her in a disapproving manner. The action wakes both women, Regina with a jolt and Clara with a groan. Regina’s eyes flutter and settle and then she smiles warmly at the blonde who seems annoyed at something.. or someone.

“Hi,” Regina says to Emma who raises her eyebrows in a sarcastic manner and responsive ‘hi.’

“Brought you lunch,” she says off handedly before she motions to the bag and is somehow allowing her feet to take her towards the door.

“Emma, wait,” Regina calls her and she hates herself for stopping. She pauses and hears Regina rise from the couch. Clara is also up and making work of getting rid of some of the files and extra papers before she greets Henry, greets Emma who gives her a pinched look and is out of the office.

“I’ll just..yeah,” Clara says to Regina who nods gratefully as she watches the woman shut the door. Regina glances back at Henry who has skillfully put enough distance between him and his mothers in order to allow them whatever privacy they may need.

“Emma,” she says again. “Could you turn around, please?” Emma turns around and widens her stance as she looks at Regina with guarded eyes. “Have I done something?” she questions and Emma’s tongue pushes at the inside of her lip as she shrugs. “ That’s not really an answer,” Regina says to her and she shrugs again which causes the brunette to sigh. “Fine-,” she gives in. “-thank you for lunch,”

“Thank my mother, she’s the one who ordered it for you,” is what Emma says and she just sounds so petty and so bitter. Regina pauses for a moment before she nods..

“Well, I’ll call her later and thank her then,” she says before she walks over to her meal and sits. Henry comes and sits next to her and she puts an arm around his shoulder as they converse and she picks at her food, something she does when her mind is frazzled or her thoughts are jumbled or something troubling remains on her mind. The only troubling thing at that point, is the one trouble that refuses to speak to her. Emma just stands in the office all awkward and ready to go, but Henry’s still talking to his mother and she finds herself sighing loudly so that he gets the idea, but he ignores it and continues to talk to Regina. Emma huffs before she plants her ass in one of the spare chairs in the office and taps every limb she has, against the the flooring and cushions. When she becomes impatient enough, she jerks from her spot in the chair and walks over to the window before she peering out and over the town. Regina is patting Henry on the shoulder and nodding with him, whatever silent conversation they’re having goes right over Emma’s head as she tries to drown out her jealousy and her insecurity and her flat out anger over not being able to just have one thing for one day without interruption. She hears the click of the door and turns for just a moment to see in a blurry haze..nothing. She turns back to the window and it is then that arms come up and around her, one at the base of her waist and the other, just above her heart. They pull her in and she fights with herself to give in because she’ll have to let it go soon enough.

“I don’t like you being upset with me,” Regina tells her and Emma can feel the woman’s face is buried between her shoulder blades which allows her to realize two things. She hasn’t taken her jacket off, but Regina has stepped out of her heels. Still, she says nothing and when Regina sighs into her Emma sags with guilt. Her fingers itch to just come up and feel the soft skin of Regina’s hands on her. They itch to feel the way Regina’s grasp seems protective and desperate and pleading. They itch to feel what Regina feels, her thumbs rubbing against the soft fabric of her shirt, or her face against equally soft pleather. She chokes on her words because she wants to admit that she isn’t upset with Regina, but on both counts of admission, that would be a lie. She is upset with her, even if it isn’t directly her fault. Emma still wants to blame someone and Regina seems logical enough, but then she realizes she’s doing something- something terrible. She’s doing something recklessly mean and it’s quite possibly gone over Regina’s head in that aspect that she doesn’t catch that Emma seems to once again be criminalising her without a second thought.

 

It’s a snap decision but when she does it, she selfishly pours her apology into it. She knows she shouldn’t, but she’s too afraid to do it any other way for fear of seeing the pain that might cascade across those already tender features of a woman who wanted nothing more than to be seen in a different light. So, Emma spins in Regina’s hold with a quickness that surprises the brunette. Her breathing hits a ragged chord and then and only then does the blonde dive in with no more motive than the guilty one she’s trying to get rid of with this one kiss. She crushes their lips together and granted, there may not be any sparks or deep emotions connected to it, but a kiss seems to work better than words that always tend to fail her. Now, Regina’s no angel, but so far, Emma’s the only one who’s been acting like that much of a devil on a consistent basis to garner a full assessment. Her fingers thread through perfectly teased curls and thumbs deafen the already ringing ears of the brunette as her eyes are squeezed shut, praying that Regina’s not shocked enough to keep them open. Praying that by the gods, she just takes the kiss and doesn’t question it. Emma is praying that Regina is distracted by it enough to not give a damn about how she’s been so pissy lately. When she thinks it’s enough, she pulls away and her eyes search with a frantic beat to see if Regina’s is in question and it’s blatantly obvious there is question, but she won’t ask. She won’t ask, simply because she realises the defensiveness in the blonde’s eyes, she realizes the guilty apology warring through the white glimmer of light that’s somehow still shining in Emma’s eyes. Emma releases her slowly and Regina swallows lightly, her bottom lip being pulled in as she takes the appearance of shy child. They say nothing and because they say nothing, Emma darts for the door, her hair carrying in the imaginary wind it had picked up in her speed to leave as her fingers run through her hair in an attempt to not hit something. Regina’s finger comes up to touch her lips and another wraps around her waist in an attempt to keep herself together. Her gaze falls on the blonde once Emma is outside and as she watches from the window with Emma talking to Henry and them leaving, she sees Emma glimpse at the window and their eyes meet for the final time in that moment where Emma looks like she’s nearly about to apologise from the other side of the glass, but she doesn’t. She shakes her head and runs to catch up with Henry. Regina, she stays there, lost in thought until it’s interrupted once more by Clara, but at that point, she doesn’t even care anymore and even still when Clara pushes her to eat, she refuses and tells the other woman to eat it. Clara doesn’t do it and Regina watches it go to waste before her. She does call to tell Snow thank you, but other than that, she drowns in the deafness of her mind and her work that is before her.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They’re finally home, and by they, it’s Emma and Henry. Henry hasn’t asked and she hasn’t bothered to offer in telling him what went down. Once they’re inside, Henry runs for a phone to place an order and sets it up to be delivered around a specific time. Once he’s done with that, he calls up his friends and they talk and whatnot for a good bit as Emma just fries her brain with more tv.

Regina is still at Town Hall, busting her ass in such relentless fashion that when her son calls, she’s frazzled and short tempered, thankfully it’s not with him, nor is it with Emma because when Henry hands over the phone and Regina’s looking for some goofy source of comfort the blonde usually gives her, she gets nothing but Emma’s shortness and flat out unwanted moments of talking. The blonde is upset with her still and she knows why, but if she doesn’t do it one day, it will spill over into several other days and Regina was for the latter that the major at that point.

“I’ll see you soon,” she whispers into the phone as she grips tightly onto the receiver, hoping Emma can feel her need to want to be home in that moment. The blonde glances at the clock where it’s nearly ten and sighs.

“Yeah.. see you soon, Regina.” She hangs up on her without anything to give the brunette ease and that’s a straw worthy of breaking multiple camel backs.

 

She hasn’t called her Regina like that in days. Regina herself was getting used to the nickname because it sounded a bit more like something she’d actually answer to, but now.. Now she was back to just Regina and her fear following that would fall back to Your Majesty- or worse, Evil Queen.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Regina’s finally home and grateful to be. She rests her things down and walks down the hall and toward the living room.

“Emma?” she calls in question and the blonde just looks over the couch before she turns her head back to the tv.

“Oh...hey,” Emma says dryly and Regina’s face scrunches up.

“Are you still upset?” Regina then asks her and the blonde shrugs as the brunette nears her. Seeing that Regina picked up on that from the get go, Emma wasn’t sure which direction to take it, but if being petty was a thing she was good at without much effort she’d go with what she knew.

“I don’t know,” Emma lies and Regina sighs.

‘You’re lying to me,” she tells her with a sigh as she settles into the couch next to the blonde. Regina releases her feet from her six inch heels and settles herself back against the couch.

“I’m not, but whatever,” she continues to lie and Regina just rubs at her eyes tiredly.

“Okay, Emma,” Regina waves off and they fall silent. The doorbell rings and Regina hears Henry yell from all the way upstairs that he’ll get it. His feet pound down the stairs and Regina’s almost positive he’s in socks.

“FREEZE!” she scolds him and she hears the distinct thump of a halt. She rises and walks towards the stairs where her son is looking around guiltily, and his hands are shoved into his pockets. His mother squints at him before she does a give it here motion and he caves before he pulls his hands out and hands over the socks. She inspects them. They’re still white, but in Regina’s mind and through her eyes, they look grey.. and filthy. “What if you fell?” she questions the young man and he puffs out his chest.

“Mom, come on, I’m not clumsy.. much. I could’ve managed from here to the door,”

“You said the exact same thing a few months back and you ended up slipping in these exact same socks and nearly cracking your skull open on my hardwood floors,”

“Not my fault you decided to get them waxed,” he muttered and she threw his socks at his face for which, he laughed. She smiled at him and rolled her eyes. The bell rings again and they both look over.

“Go get the pizza,” she says to her son who grins and proceeds to retrieve the greasy goodness. Regina makes her way into the kitchen and gathers plates and glasses and some juice for herself and Henry and a beer plus a bottle of red wine for the blonde to choose from. They meet midway in the hall and walk into the living room together before they’re setting things down. She holds up the beer and Emma shakes her head, and then she holds up the wine bottle but the blonde shakes her head again. She thinks Emma is just being difficult but when Emma reaches for the juice and pours it for the three of them, she remembers Emma promised to not drink because Regina can’t either. She smiles internally at that, but she’s still broken over the way Emma is being. It’s truly shocking that they both have become so equally affected by the other in such a short space of time and Regina puts some point together that the effect of the contract is just that.

 

Henry places the boxes down and begins dishing out pizza and setting up the Netflix account for a good movie he can watch with his parents. He doesn’t even wait for them because he’s picking the movie since Emma’s a newt and Regina’s just trying to settle in and relax. He finds an old movie called ‘The double life of Eleanor Kendall’. It seems interesting enough if the pretty lady on the front of it is anything to go by.

“Hey mom, she kinda looks like you,” Henry comments with a cheeky grin as he turns to face Regina who squints and leans in to see for herself before she’s leaning back and nodding weirdly.

“Yes, I suppose she does, though, I’m nearly positive her skin is more tan than mine is,”

“Details,” Henry jokes and she smiles at him. “Ma, you okay?” he asks Emma and she shrugs.

“Yep,” is the response he gets and that isn’t something he’s used to getting from her. When the blonde takes notice that Henry seems to have taken less interest in playing the movie and more interest in her, she looks even more beaten up. “Sorry, just tired Kid.”He nods but she knows he didn’t buy that lie. She’s been lying all day and it’s starting to weigh on her just how easily it comes to her..that once again had something to do with her childhood and having to lie not just for herself, but for the other kids in the home when something broke or if someone accidently had an accident on themselves or anything for that matter. Emma had to lie about a lot in her life and now she was starting to question which part of any of it was true. Even up to now, when she thought about it, if they do make a baby, the baby is based off a lie and that just.. that started to rip at her. She’s once again choking on the words that scream to be released, but instead, Emma shakes her head and feels tears sting at her eyes. She’s up and out of the chair quickly and apologising for the first time that day where she actually means it.

“I’m sorry,” she chokes out as she rushes from the room and runs upstairs. Henry is ready to go after her, but Regina grabs hold of him and stands before she’s wrapping her baby boy in her arms and whispering that Emma will be okay and that they just needed to give her time. Of course he breaks slightly in his mother’s arms, but that’s what he would have done eventually if he went after Emma and she snapped at him. It was better this way.

 

Regina convinces him to just watch a movie or two with her and let Emma cool off, to which he agrees with reluctance that she knows could only have come from the both of them. So, they watch two movies together, the double life one and then Frozen Stars. Henry falls asleep against Regina who lays him down in order to clean up and put away the leftovers but leave a meal out for her mother that Cora could just throw in the toaster oven. When she reenters the living room, she decides that carrying her son up to bed is highly out of her strength level and instead she teleports the sleeping boy beneath his covers, changed into pjs and snuggled up with one of his old stuffies. Regina remains with him for a moment before she’s brushing back his hair and kissing his forehead and whispered  her usual ‘I love you’ to her little prince. She leaves his door cracked and heads into her own bedroom that she shares with the blonde. Emma is under a massive blanket and that’s her version of hiding. Regina can smell the fresh use of soap and concludes Emma showered before she decided to hibernate. She looks at the lump on the bed for but a moment more before she heads into the bathroom and showers before she’s back downstairs and is once again in their room with two teacups in hand. She sets them down and walks around to Emma’s side before she rips the blanket off the woman who groans at Regina.

“Get up,” she bites out because that’s it for her. Emma scowls at her and she’s nowhere near phased. “ _Get. Up._ ” She repeats and it’s in the Evil Queen tone that sends a shiver down the blonde’s spine. Emma continues to scowl until Regina’s legitimately grinding her teeth.

“Emma Swan, get your ass up this instant!” and that somehow snaps the shit out of Emma’s pissy mood. She sits up and looks at Regina with a sassier pair of eyes.

“I’m up, now what?”

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Nothing, but I could ask the exact same question and you’d tell me the exact same thing, so I guess we’re at a stalemate,”

“You’re being a pain,” Regina grinds out and Emma shrugs before she throws her hands behind her head and flops down on the bed.

“Yeah well, what are you gonna do? Make me sleep on the couch? New flash, we aren’t married! You can’t make me do jack shit, so if I wanna be a pissy little brat, I can and will be!” she grins stupidly and it’s so grating that Regina just sighs heavily and rubs at her eyes.

“I get that you’re mad-,”

“Mad?! Noooo! Not even close,” Emma says sarcastically.

“Then what are you if you’re not being an absolute-..” she stops short and Emma laughs before she sits up and she puts her hand around Regina’s waist in a very sickening manner. Regina looks down at the possessiveness between the two of them and she feels unnerved even more so now than she had with Emma’s grandfather and this is solely because she trusted and still trusts Emma.

“Go on. Say it. Say the word. _Idiot_. Say it, I know you want to. You’d be right anyway, I mean, everyone around you would probably agree and then tell me I’m overreacting, but hey, I’ve been told that enough times to be aware of it.”

“...dick,” Regina mutters after a few words and Emma laughs.

“I’m sorry, what!?”

“I said, you’re being an absolute dick, right now,” Regina spits and Emma looks impressed.

“Wow, the queen has expanded her insult vocabulary! Sorry?!” she says in a joking manner and Regina looks so pained that Emma actually feels a bit of sorrow for a moment. She sighs and rolls her eyes, sarcasm coming back into play. “What? You gonna cry, now?” she questions teasingly as Regina still stands before, clearly on the verge of tears. Emma rolls her eyes again, seemingly tired of Regina’s emotions. “God, you cry too fucking much. Get over it, Regina. You know in the multiple homes I ended up in, if you cried, you got beat.. I’m mad, so what! What’s that got to do with you?! What does me being a brat right now have to do with you? Hmm!?”

“Everything- you-,” she stops short again before she’s trying to pull herself out of Emma’s hold but the blonde keeps an uneasing grip on her.

“No! Say it! You’re always on the verge of saying it. So say it,”

“I’m not going to say it, and let me go,” Regina bites out before she’s trying to move again but Emma grips harder and she whimpers. “Em-m-ma stop, you’re hur-hurting me,” she manages and Emma gives her a hollow look.

“Hurting you? I barely even touched you,” Emma tells her, genuinely confused but Regina seems to be seizing up right on the spot. It shocks Emma to say the least and once she releases her, Regina puts an x amount of space between them before she completely just walks away from Emma and locks herself in the bathroom. Emma just looks around and when her eyes settle on one of the teacups, she takes a sip and settles. It’s really sadistic that she is reacting this way all because she’s not getting what she wants and it may seem out of character for her, but it’s a rare thing that most don’t realize Emma is famous for enacting. When she needs to pee, she’s up and out of the bed  and knocking on the door. “Can you open the door, I need to pee,” she says and isn’t asking. Regina opens the door, mute. She exits the bathroom and gathers a blanket and a pillow and her teacup before she makes her way downstairs, stunned into oblivion. Emma only notices when she exits the bathroom that Regina has gone missing and decides to go find her, for whatever reason. Maybe to argue more because she thrives off the chaos it affords her. Emma thrives off the negativity that makes her feel not so bad when she decides to sleep, however, she never seems to realize that with Regina, that isn’t a thing. Her not feeling anything when she’s in that mood, is null and void the second Regina is involved, but she’s yet to realize this.

 

Her feet thump lightly once they hit the bottom step and she sees the light in the living room on. Emma makes her way into the living room and realizes Regina has a candle lit and sitting atop the table near her head. She’s silent and staring off into whatever cavernous hole her mind could find for her to drown in. Emma stands before her and bends down to her height. She tilts her head and something glimmers right before her. Something snaps her into a less than catatonic state.

“Why are you down here?” she questions the brunette who doesn’t even acknowledge her presence. She’s quick to give up just so she can say she tried to figure out what was wrong, but the human in her pushes her to find out. “Hellooooo,” she waves a hand before Regina’s eyes but they don’t move, they don’t blink. Nothing. Regina’s there about as stoic as a statue. Emma sighs. Her petty side really wants to give up and go sleep it off, but human Emma is telling her to fix it because she knows she screwed up..again. Emma gets down on her knees and when she reaches out a hand to touch Regina, the second it makes contact, it’s swatted away.

“don’t,” is all Regina mutters and Emma doesn’t get it at all. _Don’t what?!_

“Okay,” is what she says as she holds up the stinging hand and rests it back in her lap. “Can I talk to you then?” she then asks and Regina somehow manages a loud enough scoff that Emma registers it. The brunette clearly isn’t moving from her lying positions, but rather wraps herself tighter in the blanket, almost as if to protect herself from her own emotions seeping through.

“I don’t know, Emma. _can_ you talk to me without being sarcastic and mean? _Can_ you talk to me and not make me feel like everything I do is wrong? _Can you talk to me and not make me feel like you might actually hurt me when you’re mad enough?_ Ask yourself that question, Swan-,” Ouch! “-can you be Emma enough and talk to me like I’m an actual human being and stop giving me chopped and short form responses that either make no sense or are solely based on your poor attempt at sarcasm just because you’re upset and won’t tell me why!”

“Possibly,” she answers and that is somehow the first honest answer she gives the woman all damn day, not that Regina would believe her.

“I don’t believe you.” _See!_ “Why should I believe you now when just half an hour ago you didn’t even care that I might actually have had some form of attack being near you and your aggressive behaviour?! Why should I believe you will talk now when just a few minutes ago you were making fun of me for nearly crying again because of my frustration over not knowing what to do so I could fix it, fix us- fix _this!_ So that you were happy! Why should I believe you give a damn Emma, when you clearly didn’t and probably don’t right now. Tell me why I should bother when you obviously don’t want to. Go on and tell me,” Regina pushes and Emma can’t answer her which makes the woman scoff once more. “Exactly what I thought. Nothing. Just a waste and empty promises.”

 

Silence..Silence..

“I wasn’t going to hurt you, you know,” is what Emma tells her and she hopes Regina can find the honesty in her words, but with her luck, probably not.

“You could have fooled me… you don’t hurt the people you care about, Emma.. you don’t hurt the people you love,” Regina whispers shortly after and for some reason, those words trigger a new meaning in Emma’s head. “You told me to trust myself and to trust you.. look where that got me. You either tease me about being emotional, or you’re hurting me physically and not understanding that the trauma from my life all those years ago, never go away. They never have and they never will and you’re upset over abandonment and not getting what you want when I’ve been trying to prove that it’s not the same with me. I’ve chosen to stay, regardless of the cost or the motive. I chose to stay… had you just-,” she stops to laugh. “-had you just let me tell you what I needed to, we wouldn’t be here, but no. You want to fall into your feelings and treat me like sideline trash that never gets picked up,” she tells her and Emma’s becoming more and more her old self with every word that hits a different cord in her. The words are starting to hurt her physically that she can feel them pulling and squeezing her heart. In some stroke of that particular moment, the words slip from her mouth.

“Regina-I’m.. Gi,” she tries but Regina scoffs and shuts her eyes.

“Don’t call my name.. Just.. leave me alone, Emma,” Regina tells her and anyone would assume that Regina calling her by her first name meant that Regina was still open ears, but Emma knew. She knew wholeheartedly that the woman’s emotions were that deep that the use of her first name hurt both of them more to say that ‘Swan’ did. She knew that by Regina calling her by her first name, it meant Emma hit home on something really sore. Emma can’t do anything much past that, so she gets up and she just leaves. Regina’s not sure if she leaves the house or if she just goes back upstairs, but Emma listened to her and she left her alone. She’s alone and now is when she finally cries loudly enough that it could quite possibly be heard all the way upstairs...it is. Emma listens just shy of entering their bedroom and her heart breaks all over again.

 

_Why do I keep doing this?! Why!?_

_I hate hurting her._

_I just.. I just want to-to love her and not hurt her._

_Why do I keep hurting her! Why do I keep messing up?_

_Why isn’t she more upset with me?_

_Why won’t she tell me to just leave completely._

**_Because she cares about you, you idiot! She loves you. She’s said this to you before. She genuinely cares about you._ **

 

_I’m so sorry, sweetie. I’m sorry._

 

**_Maybe she’d be able to hear you if you screamed a little louder. Hmm?_ **

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

There’s a knock at the door and Regina’s up and out of the chair and moving on autopilot to answer it. It can only be one person.. Well, two if Emma left the house, but why would she knock, she had a key. Regina’s mask slips back into place and when she answers it, she’s surprised to say the least. There, before her is her mother giggling and singing show tunes  as she’s being held up by ‘baby face’ as she’s taken to calling the young woman. The only thing Regina can think in that moment is ‘At least she’s a gentlewoman.’

“Sorry,” the girls grunts out as she struggles to hold Cora up and the old woman is even more batty when she’s drunk. “She wanted to do the drinking game and I couldn’t tell her not to.” Regina nods and looks at Cora with widened eyes.

“Yes,” she begins as her head tilts and she studies the pair. “It would appear that you gave into mother’s less than capable please for recklessness,” she comments and the young girl smirks. She then rolls her eyes at the mayor before she responds.

“Your mother acts younger than you think. She out-drank four of the wrestlers that went to my high school-,” she tells Regina proudly before her head tilts and her face pinches into concern, “-but then she just kept drinking and ended up crying hysterically,”

“Crying? My mother doesn’t cry.. At least not in the front of people,”

“Well, she did tonight.. Anyway, I better get going.. Could you tell her I had a really good time tonight even if she did almost puke on me.. Twice,” the young girl laughs and Regina finds herself smiling.

“I will, though I’m not certain I ever got a name,” Regina tells her and the girl blushes.

“Oh, it’s Mayim. It means-,”

“-water in Hebrew, I know,” Regina smiles softly at her and the girl blushes again. “Go, I’ll tell my mother when she’s sober enough to comprehend the english language once more,” she says to the young girl before rubbing her shoulder.

“Okay.. Goodnight, Madame Mayor,”

“Please, call me Regina,”

“Good night,Regina,”

“Good night, Mayim ,” Regina smiles.

“Don’t you mean ‘mom’,” the girl tries to joke and it falls short because the way Regina’s eyes flash with something akin to hollow rage and the way her hand flickers to life, a fireball forming in full force, Mayim squeaks out, “OKAY! Okay, no joking. I’m just gonna.. run like hell,” she manages in a frantic tone. It  isn’t until Mayim is out of the lot that Regina blinks back to reality and turns to walk inside but she can hear her mother already making a ruckus in the backyard and when she steps out, Cora is out there trying to catch fireflies to no avail. Regina watches her mother’s carefree and drunken spirit clap her hands together and then peek to see if she caught one, pouting when she didn’t and still attempting to catch more.

 

Cora spins around and catches sight of her daughter.

“GIIIIINNNNAAAA!” she shrieks childishly and Regina smiles at her mother, arms folded before her and hair blowing in the cold draft of the evening.

“Hi mama,” she says softly and Cora hiccups a drool ridden grin.

“Baby girl. Come! Give mama a hug. She needs it,” Cora tells her and Regina smiles at her.

“Of course, mama,” Regina agrees before doing just that. Cora collapses in her daughter’s arms and Regina continues to speak to her. “Mama, time for bed, and guess who’s coming with you?”

“Ermissss!” Cora hisses happily. Ermis (Air-mees) or Hermes as the people so incorrectly pronounced it, was Cora’s duck plushy. He was also something Regina learned about one day when she was washing and cleaning up and needed to get her mother’s things from her room and strip the bed of its sheets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cora had looked deeply embarrassed by him and claimed that she would never own such an atrociously yellow and childish thing such as that, but when Regina shrugged and said,

“Okay. I guess I’ll toss him out or give it to Neal as a present,” Cora screamed at her.

“NOT ON YOUR FUCKING LIFE! Not my sweet little Ermis! NO! Give him back!”

“Mother calm down. I wasn’t really going to.. Wait you named him Ermis?- Anyway,I’m not that evil,” Regina tells her and Cora pouts and scowls.

“I don’t know that.”

“ _Mother_ ,”

“Well, I don’t!.. besides.. No- just, no Regina. That duck is the only thing that helps me sleep at night,”

“Mama I wasn’t going to throw him away or give him away, okay? I just don’t want you to be embarrassed about having him. Did you think I would tease you because you had to sleep with a plushy?”

“Yes,” Cora muttered.

“Why?”

“Because I did the same thing to you- why wouldn’t you?”

“Because, teasing you about an insecurity is terrible,”

“It’s not an insecurity,” Cora tells her and Regina tilts her head at her with a sad smile.

“Okay, mama.. How do I take care of Ermis,” Regina queries instead. Cora fidgets and bites the inside of her cheek.

“He needs to be washed in luke warm water and I only use Johnson’s on his skin,” Cora instructs. It sounds like she’s referring to a literal baby. It takes all of Regina’s control for her not to correct her mother and tell her Ermis doesn’t actually have skin. Instead, she nods and smiles.

“Anything else?”

“Lavender and Vanilla scented fabric softener when it’s the rinse cycle- only the rinse cycle,” she tells Regina and Regina nods.

“Okay, Ermis, tell my concerned mother you’ll see her later when you’re a little bit less drooled on,” she smiles before scratching the top of the plushy’s head.

 

~~~~~

“Alright mama, let’s get you and Ermis into bed so that you can sleep,” Regina tells her mother and Cora nods happily.

“Yes! Ermis and sleep! Ermis and sleep! Ermis and Me!” she sang and Regina smiled as she escorted the woman up the stairs and into the room. Regina tucked Cora in and produced Ermis shortly after and Cora made a grabbing motion to get a hold of him. Once she did, she was out like a light.

“Te quiero, mama,” Regina whispers to her mother when she thinks she’s fully nodded off.

“Taquito, Gina,” Cora mutters back sleepily and Regina’s control breaks. She smothers her laughter rather well before she’s out of the room and ends up being frightened when she’s in the hallway.

 

“Ermis?” Emma asks and Regina pauses before she turns to face the blonde. She nods slightly and Emma nods back. Silence passes them in the hallway until Regina pats her thighs and her nervous gesturing that she always does with her hands has her somewhat pointing to the stairs.

“I should probably..,” she begins only to stop herself and Emma is quick to stop her as well.

“Regina, no.. I mean.. Could you just come to bed, please?”

“No,” she says softly with a shake of her head, but it isn’t angry in the slightest. It’s more of one of those awareness responses. “It isn’t the best time for me to come back right now,” she tells Emma and Emma shakes her head.

“But..it’s your bed,”

“It’s ours, but it doesn’t make a difference. It’s not a good time,” Regina repeats and Emma gets up from where she was sat before she’s walking closer to Regina who is taking steps back. “Emma-,” she begins with a shaking hand. “-please, just.. Don’t,” she swallows and Emma stops.

“Okay,” Emma agrees slowly and Regina’s shaking hand slowly dies down. “Please, Regina,” she begs one last time and Regina just shakes her head before she’s rushing down the stairs and back up under the giant blanket. She blows out the candle and whimpers in the darkness it affords her. She never finds herself succumbing to sleep and it’s probably for the best because she becomes aware of that moment where shuffling feet in socks and plaid pjs make their way into the living room, dragging a thick ass blankie and a pillow. Regina’s already imagined the night sky, but since it isn’t her night, she doesn’t let it appear on the ceiling. Regina’s eyes are glazed in the dead of the night, but she can make out just from the slight nightlight that it’s Emma and Emma’s setting up on the floor. Their argument was stupid in all honesty, but it harnessed some really scary topics and equally frightening encounters as well as more of both their insecurities, both physical and mental.

 

Once Emma had set up her floorbed, she sits up and rests a soft hand to Regina’s still flat stomach. The first words out of her mouth are,

“I’m sorry Egg.” She shuts her eyes for a moment and whens he opens them, another galaxy all shifted in need is displayed upon the living room ceiling and considering it’s much larger than Regina’s room, it looks even more beautiful. She presses kisses to Regina’s stomach that border on allowing her to cry, but she doesn’t. Once she lifts her head, she speaks.

“ I hurt your mommy.. again. All I keep doing is hurting her again and again and I don’t know why. I don’t know why she means so much to me that I keep hurting her the way I do. I don’t know why I care so much that I take all my anger out on her and we aren’t even together. Egg, your mommy and I aren’t married, we aren’t in love, nothing. And still, I’m an idiot when it comes to her, but she stays and she puts up with it and even when I push her to say things, she doesn’t, she just holds her tongue because at the end of the day, she cares less about herself being hurt than she does with me getting hurt by something she might say. Egg, I’m trying but I’m failing and I’m failing because I don’t want to lose her. She’s the only sense of reality that I won’t be abandoned. And today was just even stupider. I got upset again because she has to work on the weekends.. I know she has to because if she doesn’t on a Sunday then the whole week’s messed up. She’d end up missing lunch and dinner more often than not, but I don’t want to accept that. I just.. I admire her and her work ethic and how hard she busts her ass to make sure this place is perfect, but damn, can she just get her entire weekends off so that me and our son can spend it with her. I know I sound like the lonely housewife, but I just want for her to have something other than work and worry over everyone else. I want her to have the family she fought so hard to make for herself. I want that when she has you, the beautiful little girl she’s always dreamed of having, that she already has those days where she can relax and know the town won’t get sucked into the underworld. I know all our other night timetalks were way better and happier, but nothing’s going to be happy forever, Egg and I’m praying to whatever God and deity exists that what Doctor Keaton said doesn’t happen to you. I don’t want it to happen to you. I hope and pray that it doesn’t happen to you. I don’t want you to carry the burden of me and your mommy arguing or us being upset with each other or you feeling how broken we end up over situations we can’t control. I don’t want you to experience heartbreak through us or at all for that matter. I don’t want you to hurt and I don’t want your brother to hurt and I especially don’t want your mommy to hurt. I just wish I could tell her that without being so spastic with my feelings. I love her, but I’m afraid if I do fall in love with her, I’ll hurt her worse than I already have now.. but I guess I should hope for the best and just keep a positive head about it. Maybe I’ll surprise myself and her and do right by you guys…”

 

~~~~~

 

Emma falls asleep and the sky fades from the ceiling. Her right hand stays glued to Regina’s stomach and somehow Regina’s hand slips from the couch and lands on the necklace that held the ring Daniel had given her. Sometime through the ass crack of dawn and something, Cora is up, hungry and hungover, She scrambles through the kitchen and finds pizza. She reheats it and munches on it as she makes her way into the living room. She takes one look at the pair and waves her hand. They are teleported to their bed, Emma’s hand still possessively on Regina’s stomach and Regina clutching onto the ring. They are tangled up together, much like all other nights and it’s not a surprise that once they’re back in their own bed, they gravitate closer to one another in their sleep.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It’s now Wednesday, April fool's day and yes over the course of the last handful of days, Emma did major damage control and whatnot. Regina told Cora about Mayim’s words and Cora nearly doubled over in laughter at that. Everything seemed to be coming together very perfectly and the morning was shaping up to be something fun. Now most believed that Friday the 13th was considered bad luck day, but not in the world of fairytale creatures. More often than not, April Fool’s day was the day where the most random and weird shit happened. Friday the 13th was merely celebrated as the days for the witches.

 

“Hey,” Emma grins as she walks into the kitchen once more to a smile from Cora, and Henry. Regina turns around and walks over to the blonde with their travel mugs in hand.

“Hi,” Regina murmurs in such a heavenly tone that Emma nearly pauses. “You seem happy this morning,” she says as she comes up beside Emma who pulls her in and kisses her softly. She then kisses Regina’s cheek before nodding.

“I am,” she admits and Regina hums in content. Post damage control, they were on much better terms, especially after Regina told Emma she’d made a decision that Sunday before Emma brought her lunch to take her Sundays off. Emma was so shocked by the change in tide that she felt ten times worse about her reaction which Regina put at ease. “Sooo, I was thinking..”

“Oh really,” Regina grins with a rolls of her eyes. “What scheme did you come up with this time?”

“ It’s not a scheme,” Emma grins. “ And I was just going to ask..would you- like to.. Go out with me?” There’s silence because Henry and Cora are no longer in the kitchen and Regina isn’t necessarily caught off guard, just surprised that Emma had taken her time to perfectly query the possibility of it.

“Is this one of your April fool’s jokes that your world celebrates?”

“Oh, God no!” she laughs. “ I mean, I know it’s April Fool’s but I’m not that horrible am I?”

“You can be,” Regina shrugged with a grin and Emma looked at her before she smile and shook her head.

“Soo, is that a yes?”

“I’m not sure. I guess I didn’t expect it at all just now,”

“When do I ever do anything that’s expected of me? Pretty positive it borders on never?” Emma asks her and that gets a laugh out of the brunette.

“That’s true… Yes,” Regina agrees with a smile and Emma’s eyes widen.

“Really?”

“Really,” Regina nods.

“Excellent!,” Emma claps. “ You have to leave work a little early today,”

“How early?”

“I don’t know, I’ll decide that as I go,”

“Wait, you haven’t decided what our date is yet?”

“I didn’t say that.. Just,” Emma pauses to quickly peck the woman on the lips. “ I love you. I’ll see you later for lunch and just.. Carry comfortable clothes with you,” she winks before she skips out the door so fast that Regina can’t stop to ask her any questions.

“Did she just- did I just!”

“Hell yeah you did,” Cora says as she comes in giggling. She’d caught the back end of the conversation. She’s clad in a monster hoodie complete with the ears and pouch-pocket mouth thing along with its other extremities. She also had Ermis glued up under her arm, seemingly more proud to walk around the house with him. Cora is also snacking on chips and Regina looks at her with worry.

“Mother, how many of those have you eaten?”

“Dunno, but they’re addicting and my pants don’t really fit anymore,”

“You’re going to be about as big as a whale if you don’t stop eating so much garbage,” she tells her and Cora gasps.

“Regina! How dare you insult that man’s family!” Cora jokes and Regina groans because.. Cora’s the dad jokes of her mom jokes. “Listen. If I end up with an ass like yours, it’s all worth it.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

So, over the course of this day, it and Friday the 13th have wholeheartedly switched places. It’s the unlucky luck that literally their whole family gets all damn day. Everything from signs dropping near Regina’s head and sparking, but hitting weird objects away from harming her body to Emma busting her ass but it somehow working out because the branch she trips over allows her to grab hold of an idiot who decided to runaway from her through the woods. That also worked out to basically use one of Robin Hood’s netted traps he’d set up in the woods. _Guess his paranoia works out this time._. Cora nearly sets her own ass ablaze as she attempts to cook, but she manages ‘To Meal’ successfully. Henry nearly loses his eyebrow piercing in P.E when they get jacked to do soccer that day. The ball just skims his eyebrow and though it hurt like hell because he’s about as sensitive as a grape, he’s got some sick ass cherry and still got it in his face. Snow nearly let’s Neal’s stroller go down a hill when she stops to talk to Archie and if it wasn’t for Pongo, Neal would probably have been a pancake… or flapjack. David’s luck comes in the form of punching that prick of a father who talked mad shit about his daughter and Regina.. He ended up in a timeout cell after that and the dad ended up with a busted lip and black eye.

 

By the time the pair have lunch and recap, Emma is curious.

“Wait, what’s today again?”

“April First,”

“Guess that explains why we’ve experienced the twelve plagues today.. I thought that was only on Friday the 13th?”

“Your customs are different from those of a fairytale creature,”

“I realize this now,”

“I’m beginning to notice that you realize little at a time,” Regina comments.

“No-no. I just realized that this is the first time it’s true because it goes with magic. It really is like Friday the 13th.”

“Yes.. well, where are you taking me?”

“Woooaaah, bossy!” she grins and Regina playfully scowls at her. “ You don’t wait, huh?”

“I merely want to be prepared.

“It’s a secret and I’ve decided that whenever I tell you we’re going, you are to drop everything,”

“My-my where has the chivalrous Miss Swan gone?”

“Maybe you’ll find out tonight.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

And she did find out that exact night-or rather, later that afternoon. Emma had told Reigna just shortly after their lunch that she was to leave work and meet the blonde at the docks. Regina did as she was told and when she reached the docks, Emma had a bag in her hand and was leading her towards a pond.

“Now, I’m not really a big animal lover, but I remember hearing you tell Henry a couple years back that you always wanted to see the ducks more often and well.. Here we are,” she tells the brunette who takes in the little duck sanctuary that Emma had obviously had the gnomes fix up just for this occasion. The little wooden signs and beautiful flora made Regina’s eyes gloss over in awe. Emma held the bag out towards the woman who looked down at it with a smile and took it. Emma sidled up beside her and they fed the ducks, one in particular taking a special liking in the queen had tried to climb into her boot which served to make her feel even more with nature. Her little puppy dog eyes she gave Emma was in plea to take just one duck with her and part of her thought was giving said duck to her mother so that she could have a real life Ermis! Emma caved of course because she was terrible at a poker face where Regina was concerned. So, Regina scooped the little fella up and tucked him into her pocket. He shook his little head once he was comfortable and enjoyed the warmth of her jacket as she and Emma walked on.

“He looks like a little peep. I might eat him,”Emma said and Regina gasped.

“Do not compare him to those atrocious marshmallow monstrosities!”

“Alright! Jeez, protective much,” she says but then she whispers, “when she’s out of sight I just might eat you,” and of course Ermis! squeaks like a motherfucker. Regina kisses Emma in that moment, four times.

 

The second stop for them ends up being a clothing store that Emma had gone into earlier and now they’d come to pick whatever it is, up. It’s four bags and Regina’s not sure what the hell the blonde picked out, but she’ll trust Emma’s better judgment. Emma had thanked the man behind the counter before she was leading Regina back to the car and driving a good ways out of the usually congested shopping district. Regina kisses her five times this time and Emma is just smiling and accepting them all without question. She supposes at first it was for show, but realizes that at certain moments when they’re just alone, Regina would lean in and kiss her on the lips and tell her thank you. This makes her smile because, she must be doing something right.

Regina questions nothing, instead she simply enjoys the ride and when Emma pauses to put a blindfold over her eyes that also covers her nose and is then leading through soft terrain, Regina thinks she knows exactly where they are.

“The stables,” she whispers happily and Emma grins beside her.

“Precisely right, your Majesty.. Now,” Emma whispers in her ear before pulling the blindfold off and handing her one of the bags. “Change into that and meet me back here,” she tells her date and if Regina doesn’t kiss her another three times. Once in thank you, the other because Emma makes her feel awe struck and the third just because she couldn’t get enough. Kissing the blonde was becoming her favourite past-time. She looks into the bag and a big grin is on her face. Emma got her an entire set even down to the riding boots she would usually need to wear. Her outfit is a hunter’s green and Emma’s ends up being a navy blue. When they both reappear, Regina kisses her twice more in reverence and whispers to her that she’s amazing and putting so much thought into their first date. Emma looks so proud but so afraid to say something to mess it up that Regina puts her at ease by admitting, she wasn’t nervous to go on the date with the blonde, she actually looked forward to it every second of everyday because she knew Emma would bend over backwards to make it perfect. This makes Emma happier and even more confident.

 

When she carries Regina out and there’s a trainer there who knows the brunette well, they converse and Emma- even though she’s terrified of horses, is going to do this for Regina. Somehow Regina and the horses as well as the trainers pick up on her nervousness and it surprises her that the horses don’t spook because that’s a likelyhood. Instead, Emma finds the comforting kiss to her lips easing and the horses nudging her in the butt to get a move on, funny. She mounts one of them. The trainer goes through basic rules with them that Regina can remember but Emma struggles to get through. He smiles and just tells her to follow Regina.. Bad idea. The horse that she mounts- his name is rocket and she quickly learns why when she squeezes his sides a bit too forcefully that it causes her legs to end up flailing when he picks up speed. And kicking to a horse means to go even damn faster which she sadly learns as she feels even more queasy by the air and his speed. The trainer’s eyes bust wide open in panic and Regina seems just as shocked. Emma misread speed up as slow down and now she was practically high-tailing it down a stretch.

Regina’s sitting comfortably on Andante, however he and his name are absolute opposites and when Emma’s flat out screaming for help, Regina’s equestrian like attitude and training kick into motion as she gets her horse up to a perfect speed, just good enough to grab hold of the reins Emma’s let go of in the process of shrieking for help. She pulls the horse along with hers somehow and it stops quickly. Emma is a shaking mess and Regina coos her before she’s managed to get the blonde to climb over and onto her own horse. Emma clutches onto her from behind, but Regina tells her she needs her to sit to the front so that she cant hold her better and Emma concedes. Once Emma is settled before Regina, the brunette’s arms come up and around Emma’s body and Regina pulls her back and flush against her. She kisses the back of Emma’s neck before she kisses her multiple times to calm her down and tell her how amazing she did for her first time on a horse. Regina takes both horses back, holding one pair of reins in her left hand and the other pair in her right as she guides them all back to the stables. Once they get back, she helps Emma down and the blonde is still shaking but the nudges from both horses somehow help to calm her down just as Regina kisses the top of her head once more and tells her she was braver than most. She whispers that maybe next time that happens, Emma will be grinning and Regina will pull her off the horse and they’d both tumble into a haystack, giggling. Emma calms even further into easy mode and it’s a clock in of seventeen kisses by then.

 

They shower after that ordeal and Emma hands Regina another bag. It’s even more detailed than the first. She’s bought Regina a little black dress that would be glued to every curve of her body and a pair of electric blue heels to go along with it and accessories to match. In Emma’s back is a pencil legged pantsuit that’s been tailoured to her every curve. So, they change and when they re-emerge, it’s obvious they had to use some magic for their hair and makeup, but they look stunning. Emma isn’t so shaken up anymore and she drives them towards a restaurant that’s outside of city limits. It’s not surprising to Regina who finds herself at another traditional Italian Restaurant. It’s beautifully detailed inside and low lighting that brings an ambiance of calmness. The wine selection is beyond amazing and the food is filling beyond words. The service is impeccable and the dessert makes Regina groan in appreciation. Emma realizes that as much as Regina settles for the simple things, the woman deserved something expensive that evening. She deserved to know that she can have both the simple and cute dates and those that resonate with her childhood and then she can had the more refined ones and Emma hit every fucking nail on the head with that one. Regina leans across the table to kiss her once, a thank you and then again because Emma’s beautiful.. Then Ermis decides to squeak and cramp her style.

 

~~~~~~~

By the time they get back home, it’s after eleven and Regina’s got the traditional look of the gorgeous date wearing the jacket of her date and walking up the porch with her hands clasped before her and a smile on her face. It’s not corny for them because hell, they both end up going inside together but Emma’s so close to making it corny that Regina just shuts her up with the twentieth kiss of the night. She takes her by the hand and pulls her up close and Emma corners her between the door and her body until her eyes flutter open and they see both Henry and Cora looking at them. She pulls away so fast and screams that when the door is yanked open, she has to be fast in catching Regina from falling.

“You guys are late, it’s after curfew,” Henry scolds and Cora is just standing right there nodding along with him. Regina and Emma both sigh as Regina’s head falls on Emma’s shoulder and the blonde’s arm comes up around her shoulder before she’s kissing Regina’s head.

“Sorry, _dad_. We brought you food,” she says holding up some takeaway plates.

“And a duck,” Regina mumbles with a smile as she shows them little Ermis! Cora is floored by that little fucker of fluff and takes him with a greediness no one expected. She doesn’t give a shit anymore. She basically waves them off after she gets her duck and instantly makes him his own little pond and amusement park of things duck friendly. Henry does the same, but it’s because of the food. Both the women laugh at that because.. Of course that’s a thing. They step inside and they head upstairs before they’re changing, showering and both in matching shorts and tees..

 

~~~~~~~~~~

The tv in the bedroom is going and the lights are off, the night sky is cascading upon the ceiling and it’s Emma’s doing, all the odd days are her doings.

“So, did you enjoy our date?” she questions as she watches Regina settle comfortably in the bed.

“I did, more than any date I’ve ever been on, or all combined for that matter,” the brunette tells her in all honesty.

“Think Daniel would approve of me doing a good job?”

“I think he’d be jealous you did a better job than him,” Regina jokes and Emma laughs.

“Well, I just wanted to do right by him … and you,”

“I know,” Regina nods and snuggles up under Emma.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“You just did but okay,”

“Smart ass.. Anyway.. With all the kisses tonight.. Did they mean something?”

“They do,” Regina tells her without hesitation.

“It’s April first, Fairytale Land’s Friday the 13th and yet, it’s also day 21 of us living together. It’s the Unlucky luck and Lucky twenty one grants you twenty one kisses, most specifically for the best date of my life… and hopefully many more,” Regina whispers and Emma smiles at her before she smartly says.

“But I only got twenty if I’m correct,” to which Regina pinches her but nods.

“I’m aware. But I wanted the final one to be the one that puts you to sleep-,”

“-Like a sleeping spell!”

“No, you superstitious fool!” Regina grinned and Emma grinned back. “No.. the one that reminds you that..( _something’s here)_ ,”

“( _Something’s here_ ), I know,” is all Emma tells her and they slide down the expanse of the bed, the night sky still beautifully dancing across the ceiling. Emma shuts out the tv and they just talk and talk and talk until Emma drifts off to sleep. Regina just watches her in the calmness and doesn’t kiss Emma just yet because she knows that Emma will wake any second to talk to Egg. She’s right, of course she’s right and when Emma places 21 kisses to Regina’s stomach, she whispers lucky twenty one and rambles on about how the date was amazing and how beautiful Regina looked and how she felt they almost said the exact same words to one another, but Emma doesn’t say those words out loud, still. She rambles on with egg and tells the nonexistent little girl that she honestly feels like tonight just might have be the first dip into a future. Emma tells Egg goodnight and the second she’s in the bed, Regina’s wrapped around her. It’s just shy of twelve am and Regina ‘wakes’ just to finally kiss Emma on the lips and whisper,

“Lucky twenty one,” to which Emma grins and whispers back, sleepily,

“Lucky twenty one.”

 

_I love you- lucky twenty one._

_I love you, too- lucky twenty one._

 

_Something’s here._

_Something’s there._

 

_One minuscule formation._

_One percent of one hundred._

 


	14. Status Report. A change in scenery. Laps. Technicality on catch-22 kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yay I'm updating! I'm also exhausted and blind now!

They wake up the next morning it’s Thursday right? Whatever. Point is, Emma is up, she’s awake and she’s up,widely so. She sits up and sighs, rubs at her eyes and she’s clad in a singlet and some Boxer briefs. It had become colder as the night went on and being her, she was too lazy to look for her hoodie so she settled on a just as thin singlet to keep her warm. Not her brightest idea but certainly not her worst either. Emma somehow feels guilty once again. She’s in that state of mind so early in the morning that she’s not even phased by it anymore. Her being an absolute emotional mess in the morning is something she finds herself living for now. As stupid as it may seem, it gives her something she can’t quite place. Her hair is splayed across the expanse of her shoulders and her eyes are dull in appearance.  _ Nothing new there-at least, not when you’re a mess _ \- she concludes and how many times is she going to refer to herself as a mess-  _ As many times as I can fit it in _ . She’s so off into her mind that he doesn’t feel when the bed dips and there’s Regina’s body shifting and wrapping around her. The brunette’s legs come up beside Emma’s thighs and her hands are possessively around the woman’s waist in seconds. She’s nuzzling Emma from behind and mumbling something into her hair and between her shoulder blades. Emma livens for a moment until she looks down at the hands settled on her and sees how they seem so relaxed against her shirt. Her hands twitch for a moment, nearly settling on Regina’s and it isn’t until Regina squeezes the blonde tighter that she lets her hands settle on the brunette’s. She finally mumbles,

“Mornin’,” and Regina, with a husky tone says it back. “ How did you sleep?” she questions and Regina shrugs lightly against her.

“Honestly? I slept like a baby next to you,” the brunette blushes as she snuggles closer and Emma finds herself smiling. 

“I slept pretty good too,” she admits. 

“Buuuut,” Regina says knowingly and Emma sags in her hold. 

“I feel guilty,” she shrugs ‘

“Why?” 

“ Because of what happened a couple of days ago.. I just.. I’m sorry I said what I said to you and did what I did. I know I can’t take it back, but if I could I would in a heartbeat. I just.. I want you to know that I will never be anything like my grandfather ever was and I’m sorry I even let you witness that side of me at all. I didn’t realize it until days later that the reason you were so afraid is because of him…” she rambles on and Regina’s quiet for a moment, taking the words in and letting them sink into her mind.  She nods even though she honestly doesn’t have to,and then she opens her mouth

“...Emma?” 

“Yeah,” 

“ Can I tell you something?” she queries and though she’s biting her bottom lip, she pushes through her anxiety of saying what she truly wants to say.

“ Sure- sure. Anything you want,” she says to her and Regina nods as she feels Emma turn around to face her. The blonde is looking at her with concern and worry and all the things that indicate to Regina that she Just. Can’t. Do. It. So, she settles on shaking her head and swallowing back her words before she’s telling the blonde just that. “ I’m sorry,” she says as she shies away, her eyes drooping to her palms that fiddle within one another. “ I can’t- E- Emma..I..I-can’t. I’m so sorry,” she whimpers, but Emma gets it. She understands and by the nod she gives the brunette in reassurance and the way she smiles at Regina’s tearful face, she knows she’s okay. She knows that they’re still okay. Regina knows that Emma won’t push her and that’s what makes her smile with tears in her eyes.

“It’s okay, Gi. Whenever you’re ready- yeah?”  she somewhat questions and somewhat tells her. Regina nods because it’s all she can do, yet somehow, she finds it in her to speak.

“Thank you,” is whispered but Emma shakes her head. 

“ I should be telling you that. After my idiotic fuck up I should be kissing your feet with every step of the way and begging you not to make me sleep on the couch, but with you.. Regina I don’t know. You just keep telling me it’s all okay and that we’ll get through it and you swallow back every negative thing I say to you-” 

“-but, I’ve said some negative things to you as well-,” 

“-yeah, but that’s only because I start saying them first and you forgiving me makes me feel like I have some sort of special pass- “ 

“-because I know you don’t mean them-,” 

“-I do sometimes and that’s what makes me feel even worse. Sometimes I mean the bad words I say. Sometimes I do think those terrible things about you and Regina that just makes me want to jump off a building. Sometimes, my insecurity is that bad that everything makes me believe anything is a possibility. Sometimes it gets that bad that it makes me feel like I’m in over my head and the only thing I want to do is tell myself to shut the fuck up about it. I feel like the pauper and you’re this princess who’s just settling for something that’s not even remotely special. Regina I feel like an absolute ass when I lay next to you and realize that you have been holding back every single last negative thing I’ve ever said to you and yet still, you  _ choose _ to stay and trust me even after how badly I scared you. You chose to just smile with me and you chose to let me back into your bed after I made you feel like I’d physically hurt you-,” 

“-I trust you won’t hurt me the same way I trust that you won’t run away anymore. Emma I trust you because you gave me reason to and even with every fall, us getting back up together and trying again is what is most important right now. It’s the only thing important enough to me that makes me see past all of the wrongdoings we’re both guilty of...”

They’re still sat in the bed- face to face and eyes caught in a moment and then Regina reaches for Emma’s hands. She brings them up to her lips and kisses them. “I’m still here because I love you the same way you love me. Through every mistake and downfall, you still love me exactly the same- and so what if you sometimes mean those things. We aren’t all innocent and I’ll be honest, I’m exactly the same. I’m guilty of meaning some of those nasty things I say because I want to hurt you sometimes. I want you to feel as much pain as I do, so I say them. I say them with intent and meaning.I say them because.. Like you Emma- I feel like I’m reaching far. I feel like  _ I’m _ the pauper and you’re the princess and technically, I am right. My mother was poor, my grandmother just the same because of my drunken grandfather. My father like I’ve told you- was of barely noble name. I am the pauper. I am poor. I only grew up in a ‘well off’ family because my father chose love over other things. Without that, I’d have been born into nothing. My mother would have had nothing and my father would probably be dead.. Or a drunk like my grandfather. You are my princess and as cheesy as it sounds, Swan, I’m still proud to say it to you,” 

“The same way I get to rub it into people’s faces that I’m marrying a queen,” Emma tries to joke and Regina smirks a little before she puts a hand to Emma’s cheek. 

“ You’ll be a queen soon enough,” “Why does it sound like you’re plotting my mother’s murder?” she jokes and Regina smiles at her, 

“ Because that’s where your mind took you,” 

“ I wish it took me out of this funk for feeling the way I do, but I deserve it honestly. I get away with too much and hurting you in the process really makes me remember that I’m not the only one who’s been through shit…. Thank you,” she says before leaning into Regina and kissing her cheek. The brunette’s eyes flit shut for a moment before opening and the smile she gives Emma is one of rarity. 

“Whatever for?” that’s become her constant go to format for a question. ‘

“Just.. thank you,” she repeats before she smiles at Regina and nods. Regina smiles back and places her forehead against Emma’s. 

“ Okay,” she whispers and then she’s leaving the bed to go get a start on the day. Emma follows behind her and they both make their way into the kitchen.

They make breakfast and Regina goes to check on Ermis as Emma goes to wake Henry and Cora. She’s more prepared to wake Cora this time. And by prepared it just comes down to her  screaming the old woman’s name and Cora flailing from her bed and crashing to the floor, groaning. It’s funny but she’s practically unharmed and unaffected by it as she just slowly grumbles awake and gets up. Emma informs her breakfast is ready and she waves the woman off. Henry is a pain to wake up because he’d been up late the night before, however when he wakes up he’s smiling at Emma and telling her he’s never seen his brunette mother that happy. 

They sit and have a small chat and Emma expresses her own disappointment in herself.

“I just don’t wanna be like my grandfather. He was horrible to her,” she says and Her son shows some sympathy.

“You won’t be, Ma. Trust yourself on that one. You care about mom too much to hurt her and we all know you won’t. You’re not capable of hurting her physically, maybe emotionally sometimes, but never physically,” he tells her and she rolls her eyes.

“You’re supposed to make me feel better, Hen,”

“No, I’m supposed to tell you the truth and hope that you understand it better,” he expresses and she bobs her head because of course the Kid is right.

“Fine, so, what am I supposed to do about my blatant need to just screw shit up with your mom,”

“Well first, don’t let her catch you swearing around me like that or she’ll have your ass,” he says and Emma thumps his head.

“I really hope that’s not me rubbing off on you already or she literally will have my ass,” Emma says a bit frightened until she notices she’s sworn once again. She shakes her head. “That’s going to be a hard one to kick,” she admits and Henry hums in response.”Kid,”

“Yeah, mom,”

“Can I be honest for a second.

“Well, you’re almost always honest with me so.. Yeah,” he says and she smirks but shakes her head again.  

“It’s just I’m starting to feel like part of the reason I did the first date was because of guilt even though I’d already had the thought to do that particular date that way-anyway.”

“ _ Was _ it does because of guilt,” he asks her honestly and she shakes her head.

“I don’t think so,” she says and that spurs him to ask her every living question he can think of. Henry asks her all kinds of questions ranging from how she felt during it, and if the thought of that even crossed her mind during the date. He also asked her if she was thinking of it when she asked Regina and so on. She says no and he tells her she has her answer. She hugs him and Regina comes upstairs in search of everyone. She sees them hugging and stands in the doorway with a shy smile on her face. Henry sees her first and greets her. 

“Morning, mom,” he grins and she tells him good morning before he’s waving her over to come sit. She does and he hugs her tightly. Regina is taken aback by this and as her eyes fall on Emma where she sees the blonde shyly smile at her and then she’s hugging her son tighter and tighter. Emma rubs his back and tells him they need to get going or they’ll be late and he nods before he gets up to go get himself showered and come back down for breakfast. The pair make their way downstairs and they find Cora already out in the backyard and holding on to her plushy but she’s kneeling and then she picks up her other Ermis and she brings him inside. Once they’re all settled at the table, little Ermis and plushy Ermis respectfully at the table as well, they all eat breakfast together and Cora asks about the date that Regina is blushing from memory. She watches her daughter gush about how lovely and perfect it was and then Cora says something that makes Regina shed tears. 

“ I know Daniel would be proud someone carried on the torch to make you feel like the princess you were born to be.”

When Regina starts crying Ermis squeaks and Regina laughs wetly as Cora finds it intriguing, Ermis seems to be yelling at her for making her daughter cry. 

“Baaahh, she’s fine. She’s happy. Those are happy tears,” Cora tells the duck and he squeaks again. Emma watches and makes a comment about Cora and her mother switching places where animals are involved. Cora informs the blonde that where her mother is about as nutty as a squirrel, she remains outside of the woods. Never would they ever be in the same group where Cora would find joy in singing to animals that could pull her hair out instead of cute fluffy little munchkins like ducks. Henry merely rolls his eyes at his family and mumbles. 

“I swear I need a little brother to help me through this.” He shakes his head and his grandmother mutters 

“doubt it. Your mother wants a little girl. If she wants it hard enough, she could get a little girl out of this.” 

“Well, I’ll hope for a brother and a sister, that way they can go through the torture of you guys, with me.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


At school the first thing Henry hears is ‘ Status report’ obviously from Grace, Nick and Ava who all say it at the exact same time. He jumps and swears, 

“Shit, guys, I haven’t even gotten through the gate properly, and you’re already on my ass. Let me get to class at least,” he laughs and his friends looks sheepish, but Nick is relentless. 

“Dude, do you know how long it took your moms to finally go on their first date! Years man!” he belts and Henry laughs. 

“ Yes Nick, I’m well aware how long it took them- and they hated each other for like the first two or three years-” he tries to say but Nick cuts him off. 

“-Still!” 

“ Nick, calm down,” his sister scolded and he huffed. She rolled her eyes and shook her head at her brother. “Please excuse him, he’s been up all night trying to answer questions in the forum about this and he hasn’t slept since you told him yesterday morning, plus he’s on coffee,” Ava said and Henry’s eyebrows rise. 

“ He even missed his fourth period nap time,” Grace tells Henry and his eyebrows shoot up even wider and higher. 

“ I have my reasons,” the boy defends and Grace nods with a laugh. 

“ Sure you do,” she says and he bites out- 

“ I do!” 

“ Calm down,” his sister scolds him again and he mocks her,

“ _ calm down!”  _  before he sticks out his tongue at her. He and his friends walk a little further until Nick just flat out can’t take the wait anymore. “ Soo,” he asks with a jitter “what happened?”  Henry shrugs with a flat face at first and Nick nearly loses his. “ NOOOOOOO!” he belts and Henry laughs. 

“Dude, calm down. The date was perfect. My mom couldn’t stop talking about it when my nana asked her-,” 

“-and then they banged right! Please tell me they banged after!” he belted and Henry’s face scrunched up in disgust. His sister patted his shoulder. 

“Dear brother, ever heard of the words ‘none of your business’ ‘stop sexualising women’ and timing,” Ava questioned and he answered back.

“Dear sister ever heard of the words I don’t care-sorry for talking about your hot moms like that, dude, and I have no patience,” 

“We don’t need to be told to know that, Nick,” Grace teased and he scowled.

“Up- Shut, Grace,” he smirked and she grinned. “Too- you, Nick,” Grace said to him and then the attention was back on Henry and Ava who stood there with their faces in their hands.  

“What?” the two of them asked. 

“You guys fight like a married couple,” Ava commented and Henry nodded. The pair stared at each other, looked back at Henry and Ava and shrugged

“Did they at least kiss,” Nick says as he steers the conversation back to what he originally wanted to be talking about and Henry smiled. 

“They did, but they stopped cus Ma caught me and Nana giving her the eye through the window by the door-,” 

“-Dude!” Nick complained and all his friends laughed. 

“They came back after curfew,” Henry explained through a laugh and Nick groaned. 

“Screw the curfew, you just stopped progress- we have to do something- like another date or just lock them in a room til they mack on each other,” Nick riddled off but no one made move to agree with him and he got upset. “GUYS! Come one, we have to do something,” he complained and his sister showed him some sympathy.  

“Nick, give it a rest. We can’t rush them. They have to do it by themselves. They’re adults, they’ll get there.” 

“Yeah, but not fast enough,” he complains and his sister rubs his shoulder. 

“Everyone’s different, Nicky. We just have to let them do it their way,” she informs him and though he huffs, he nods as well because his sister is right. 

“Fine, but if they don’t end up together, married and have a baby by Labour day, I’m boycotting and rioting,” 

“Pretty sure they’ll be together by then, married?? Maybe and a baby.. It’s possible,” Grace riddled off and Nick seemed to settled. 

“I’m more surprised you actually are allowing them that long,” his sister jokes and he shrugs. ‘

“’m a hopeless romantic- what can I say... but I know when someone and other people need time,” he explains and Henry laughs 

“We couldn’t tell about a minute ago with you yelling about my moms having sex. 

“You up shut, too,” Nick says in a joking manner and Henry shakes his head before he smiles. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

A change in scenery comes with Emma being surprised by Regina for lunch. The brunette had ‘lied’ and told Emma that lunch might be a no go for that day because she had an errand that was running late. The errand just turns out to be the secret lunch surprise she was planning on with the blonde. She thinks it’s a mighty good errand that requires to put her all into it and take her time with every single section that affects them both. Regina buys the greasiest burger Granny’s has on the menu and an extra serving of fries along with Emma’s favourite- Ginger ale. She’d taken a little interest in seeing what drink Emma consistently ordered for herself and soon realized the blonde was always in possession of ginger ale, which allowed her to make a mental checklist the next time they went shopping to get that exact thing. She ordered herself a salad with grilled chicken and all the fixings she usually would get and then asks Ruby to wrap them both in some special paper and the brunette grins and nods at her. They do converse for a bit and Regina finds that Ruby isn’t nearly as unbearable as she’d first thought. The woman is actually quite funny and she’s then hugging Regina and telling her thank you for which Regina is rightfully confused. Ruby explains that Regina’s giving Emma something the blonde had admitted no one has ever managed to before and it makes Regina smile sadly. Ruby then nudges her shoulder and jokes, 

“I guess you are her happy ending, huh?!” and Regina drifts into thought for a moment until she smiles a bit and nods. 

“I suppose I am.. in ways,” she thinks to herself. After the orders are done, Regina gets in her motion to continue walking to the police station. She takes her jacket off and fluffs her hair before she’s swaying into the station with a smile on her face and lunch in her hand. She knocks lightly as she tilts her head to get a view inside the bullpen. No one’s in there and she’s got a sneaking suspicion Emma went out to the range to go shoot out her anger. Sure enough, she finds Emma, Mulan, Little John and her father lined off in their respective stalls with earplugs in and guns firing. Regina watches in awe the way Emma stands with dominance and poise all at the same time. The way the blonde seems so focused and quite possibly angry about not having lunch with Regina. The brunette stays shy of all their sights as the round ends and they bring their targets forward. Emma empties the rest of her clip and sets the bullets on the table before her and takes her target from the clips. 

“Yikes. I’d hate to be anyone who pisses you off for missing lunch with Regina,” Mulan hisses and Emma’s face remains stoney and stoic. She’s managed to hit six focal points all about the body but the one in the head is one she’d clearly hit thrice when she reloaded. Little John peeps around his stall and winces before he cowers back between his guards. Her father walks over and he’s proud of course, which makes Regina smile, but Emma is still unnerved. 

“Good Shot! You keep one upping me like that and I may have to take lessons,”  

“Isn’t the point of me being sheriff dependent mostly on my aim,” 

“I’d hope not,” her father says and she smirks a bit. Everyone clears up their stalls and grabs their things before they’re disposing of casings and whatnot. 

“I’m keeping this. Probably show it to Henry and let him stick it up in his room. Kid’s been obsessed with getting one of these since I first became sheriff,” 

“Well, I guess he can celebrate early today,” her father comments as he takes his own and rolls it up before he’s tossing it in the trash. Emma nods and they all go to take a seat. “You’re really not happy about spending lunch without Regina are you?” he questions knowingly and she sighs. 

“Am I that obvious?” 

“Sadly,” he grins and she leans against his shoulder. She sighs again before she speaks.”What’s wrong pumpkin,” 

“I dunno, I guess I just had some hope that after she cut her Sundays in the office that everything would somehow fall into place a bit better, you know?” 

“She cut Sundays at the office?” 

“Yeah.. I didn’t tell you?” 

“No,” he shook his head. “How’s that going to work out, though? Her Sundays are always packed.. Did she hire another assistant or something?” 

“I don’t know. She just said she’d made that decision by the time she made it to work because she saw the way I was about it.. Had I just listened.. Had I just..” she pauses. “Dad, had I just managed to keep my anger tamped down, it would have never gotten that far and I wouldn’t have.. Nevermind,” she waves off. Her father shakes his head and sits up straighter.. 

“Emma, what happened?” he asks her and Mulan and Little John find themselves en route to leaving. Regina cloaks herself for that moment in order to prevent them from seeing her as she listens in and hopes to hell Emma really and truly isn’t so busted up over it still. Emma is shaking her head and then she speaks. 

“Dad, I almost hurt her.. And I don’t know how, but I almost hurt her. She was so scared- she was shaking and it just reminded her of - of..” 

“ Your grandfather, I know. Regina told me about it once and.. that had changed the way I saw him after that.. The way I saw her after that, too,” 

“But-,” she’s crying and she can’t stop. “D-dad. I..I can’t do this!” she belts and he’s confused. 

“Do what? Emma just talk to me,”  

“I can’t. I just.. No. I can’t. Daddy I made her afraid of me and she still.. she just forgave me like nothing happened. She just moved on like I didn’t do anything. She still lets me sleep in our bed even after that.She still kisses me goodnight and good morning and she just..dad, she wipes the slate clean every time I screw up and I don’t know what to do about it! I don’t know how to just stop fucking up every single little thing when it comes to her! And I care so much- I care so hard that I just make shit worse and worse, but she stays. She’s still here and I don’t know why! Why would someone stay with an idiot like me?” 

“Sweetheart, you’re not an idiot.. and Regina stays because she loves you. It may not seem like it sometimes, but she stays because she loves you and all she wants is for you to love yourself. All you’ve kept telling me is how she doesn’t make you feel like you’ve done anything wrong and that’s because Regina knows wrong. She’s done it, so what you think is harsh and insensitive.. is merely a drop in the bucket for her and what she’s put up with and what she herself has done… Emma, we aren’t perfect and we shouldn’t strive to be. The only things the people that love us want- is for us to love and accept ourselves, downfalls and all. Emma, she loves you,”he tells her and of course the warring question in her head is ‘ _ does she really’  _ and it becomes blatantly obvious to Regina in that moment that Emma’s concern isn’t just about hurting her, she remembers that Emma’s afraid Regina would give up on loving her..  _ She thinks she’s unlovable _ .. There’s silence because Emma doesn’t say anything and David knows there’s nothing more he can say. Whether Emma chooses to accept the good words or not, comes down to just solely her. 

Regina finally makes her presence known by knocking lightly at the door, hands crossed and feet crossed as well. She looks small, sheepish almost and she has a smile on her face, one of the many that makes Emma feel okay. The blonde and her father look up and over at the door and Regina takes the perfect moment to whisper, 

“Sorry I’m late… I brought lunch,” she tells Emma with the cutest little smile on her face and Emma smiles back at her before she gets up and walks over to Regina. 

“I thought you said you were gonna miss lunch because of an errand?” 

“Lunch was the errand,” Regina tells her as she holds up the bag and Emma can smell the goodness of the grease through the bag. Her face breaks out into a grin before she’s shaking her head and rolling her eyes at the beautiful brunette before her. 

“So you tricked me, huh,” 

“If you want to call it that, then yes,” Regina admitted. “I figured a change in scenery was something we both could use… besides that… I wanted to surprise you with lunch,”   
Regina admits and Emma’s now cracking a wide ass grin at her. She walks closer to the brunette before she’s pulling her in and hugging her tightly. 

“You’re so sweet,” Emma tells her in her ear and Regina smiles widely.

“I’m not, but hearing it from you.. seems to make that true more often than I’d like to admit.”  “Can’t you just say thank you?” 

“I can but I won’t, I’m difficult for exactly that reason,” 

“Don’t I know it,” Emma wisecracks and Regina mock pouts at her. David is over on the bench smiling at them like he’s never seen two people so grossly adorable together. He gets up and tells them, 

“I hate to interrupt, but I need to get through the door and it seems you two have a lunch date- sooo,” he trailed off and both women back aside to let him through. He leaves with a grin plastered on his face and both of them looks embarrassed. Emma jerks her neck into the room and then back at Regina. 

“I guess we should go have lunch,” she offers a suggestion and Regina nods. 

“We should, but.. I have a better option in mind,” 

“Oh yeah, what?”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


“Teach me how to shoot,” Regina smirks and Emma turns red. 

“Y-you want me to teach you how to shoot?” 

“Of course, I’ll be marrying you, it’s best I learn now, don’t you think- besides, doesn’t every Sheriff’s wife know how to handle a gun?” 

“ I mean- I guess, but why though?”  Regina shrugs 

“I suppose I thought bonding with you over something you’re clearly good at would make for a ‘cute’ lunch date as most obnoxiously girl women would put it.” 

“ ..soooo, you wanted a lunch date at the range,” 

“Yes, I suppose I did- is that a bad thing? Because I’m not very well versed in the rules of gun range dating,” 

“No Regina!” Emma laughs. “- it’s perfectly okay.. It’s actually… really attractive and thoughtful..and ‘cute’,” she teases and the brunette rolls her eyes before she’s making her way into the room and setting the lunch down. 

“Just sit down and eat,” 

“Yes ma’am,” Emma salutes and they do just that.

 

  
  


``````````````````````````````````````

  
  


“ I can’t believe I let you convince me to come here,” Cora grumbled as she walked into the nail parlour. 

“Would you stop being so anti-social. You have to get your nails done, have you seen them, they’re atrocious,” Mayim teases and Cora scowls and narrows her gaze. 

“I have a pet duck, my nails don’t matter and if they cause me to harm Ermis- so help me God-,”  

“- You won’t,” Mayim tells her as she puts a hand to Cora’s shoulder. Cora huffs and relents. 

“Fine, but nothing prissy and pink. That colour is disgusting and reminds me of that infernal flavour of candy people seemed to be so obsessed with,” 

“Please tell me you don’t mean bubble gum-,” 

“-Yes, that’s exactly what I’m referring to. Why you people can’t stick with the amber crickets on a stick or even just the jolly ranchers is beyond me- but nooooo, we’re gonna have bubblegum machines everywhere and let tiny little gremlins with dirty fingers and no concept of flavour chew on this ball of doom and spit it at old people or rub it in their hair,” she rambles off in a somewhat angry tone and Mayim just grins. 

“So passionate,” she teases and Cora scowls harder at her. “Come on, loosen up, getting your nails done can be fun,”

“Tell me how it’s fun to put fake claws on my fingers that could prevent me from wiping my own ass,” Cora sasses and Mayim looks horrified before she’s shaking her head. 

“If you don’t get nails about as long as dragon scales, you should be fine to ‘wipe your ass’.” So, Cora gets her nails done and Mayim then takes her for a late lunch with a smile. They talk and whatnot and even though they end up at Granny’s first, Mayim convinces Cora to let her take the older woman somewhere else that she knows Cora will like. Cora agrees and Mayim takes her outside of town to a little bakery that looks more like a literal hole in the wall.

 

~~~~~~~~

 

Back at school the teens are all doing what they gotta do and it turns out that Nick finally crashed in one of their classes which didn’t end well for him considering they also had P.E directly after lunch. Of course his history teacher and P.E teacher agreed that he’d be running laps for the duration of the first half of the double period. He’d groaned  in response and nearly collapsed again about three laps in which served to be a good thing because he was then taken to the infirmary and told to take a rest off. His friends and sister check in on him after P.E he’s so loopy from the lack of sleep that he admits to Grace that she’s ‘super pretty’ and that he’s jealous of Henry because the boy is ‘so fucking cute, I wish I was dating you.’ It also spills out from Nick’s lips that if he wasn’t so high, maybe  sober him would finally accept the fact that he’s bisexual which brings pause to everyone’s laughter. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

So Regina is being taught how to shoot and Emma has her set up with the ear plugs and the gun in one of the stalls. She’s stood behind her and her hands rest on Regina’s hips, she shifts them and cocks the woman’s hips, widening them a bit as she places her foot between Regina’s and slowly inches them apart. Her hands trail up Regina’s side and to her shoulder. She brings them down and tells her 

“Not so tight, you have to be loose but controlled. The gun has its own power, yours comes through holding it steady, not stiff. Hold it too tight and it misses or it ricochets off the target. Breathe and relax,” she instructs and Regina does it. “Good, you’re doing amazing. Okay, now because you have a semi with no scope, your eyes have to be your scope,” 

“A semi-what?”

“Sorry,” Emma blushes as she sees Regina’s confused eyes. “You have a semi automatic in your hands. Any gun that requires you to constantly hit the trigger-,” 

“-that would be this thing, right?” 

“Perfect, yes that. Any gun requiring you to hit the trigger to constantly release a bullet is semi automatic- it’s called semi because it reloads once you release the bullet before. Some you might have to fire manually before it kicks in, but for most, it’s auto loading so you shoot until the clip is empty.” 

“I understood absolutely nothing you just say but I will pretend as though I’m fully aware,”Regina comments and Emma laughs. 

“Just.. back to the scope. It’s basically one nocular that’s set on top of anything from a rifle to an AK-47.. But with this little one people use it too, however, it’s useless to put a scope on a nine mil.. Just line your sight up with the top of the gun when you bring it up and remember that if you’re aiming you wanna give yourself an extra inch or two above and below when you think you have a centre on your target. Shoulders up but relaxed,” 

“This is beginning to sound like my yoga practices all over again,” Regina comments and Emma tilts her head.  

“If it helps you aim properly and not accidentally shoot a light, I’m all for it,” Emma comments and Regina shakes her head. Once they are centred as best as Regina believes herself to be, Emma moves on. Her right arm coming to wrap around Regina’s middle as she settled her chin on the woman’s shoulder. “Since you’re so short, I need to come down and check your line of sight.. Okay, where are you aiming?” 

“The head,” Regina responds flatly and Emma swallows. 

“Alright, but when you shoot, you don’t shoot with anger, it’s a bad motive. It’ll literally put the term blind range in your lane. You shoot for precision, not anger. The minute you begin to shoot for anger, you lose sight of the exact point on the target you want to hit, got it?” 

“Yes,” Regina answers with a nod and Emma nods back. 

“Okay, put your hand on this bit, pull it back and go for it,” Emma instructs and Regina does as she’s told with precision. It’s almost awe inducing the way it reminds her of seeing Snow load her bow with an arrow and aim before she fired in rapid succession. Regina stood completely still and relaxed but the slow motion of the bullet being released from the cartridge was something that just rose in sexuality for the brunette. Every loud pound of the hammer against the cartridge carried out a miniature explosion of gunpowder lighting a trail that sent the bullet sailing through the air and smashing through the paper target. Once the clip was empty Regina slowly lowered her arms. She swallowed lightly and blinked a bit rapidly until she focused her eyes once more. Emma slipped the gun from her fingers and backed her away from the bench. 

“You okay?” She nods a bit distractedly before she inhales again.

“H-how did I do?” comes her question and Emma’s already over and flipping the switch to bring the target forward. When it nears them She looks back at Regina and her face cracks into a grin. 

“Come take a look,” she whispers and Regina finds her feet move on their own to bring her nearer and nearer. Once she’s there Emma’s finger makes a path around the target and she smiles at Regina.

“ I’d say you just nailed your test if you were trying to get into the academy,” 

“What?” “You.. Regina- just smashed the most impossible record for expectancy on consistency through your shots. You hit it in the head four times, both shoulders twice, both legs and in the heart. You have a few misses here and there but… you did pretty fucking amazing,” Emma congratulated and Regina smiled a bit shyly at her. She looked at Emma before she tiptoed a bit and kissed her on the cheek. 

“I did have pretty good teacher,” she admitted and Emma blushed.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


They eat their lunch together in the bullpen with everyone else who just either doesn’t bother commenting or is smiling at them. Since the chairs are all taken up, Regina takes the liberty of sitting in Emma’s lap and then she’s wiping excess sauce from the blonde’s face. 

“Thank you, baby,” she says with a mouthful of fries as she chews with a toothy grin. Regina rolls her eyes but smiles at Emma and strokes her thumb across the blonde’s lips before she kisses her. 

“You’re welcome, love,” she says to her and everyone around them goes ‘ awwwwww’. Emma groans and Regina just laughs at Emma.

“You guys are embarrassing,” Emma comments and Mulan walks over and pats her on the shoulder. 

“It’s not our fault you two are so cute it’s disgusting,” Mulan tells her and Regina comments with.

“That was a rather smooth backhanded compliment,” 

“I was trying not to be on your list of people to fry,” the warrior admits and Regina’s eyes widen. 

“I’m no longer in the business of frying people.. Too much work and I no longer have the senses to down the scent of a burning body,” Regina says in such morbid fashion that they all fall silent and then Little John whistles. 

“I see why you and Maleficent were a thing,” he whispers and Mulan looks intrigued. 

“What? That actually happened?” He squints oddly at her and nods as if she should have known that. 

“Yeah- you didn’t know that?”  

“No- I’m all the way the hell in China John-John when would I have found out,” 

“True,” he relents. Emma stiffens just slightly as the two go off into conversation and Regina leans against her before she’s kissing her lips. 

“Stop panicking. I’m with you. I love you and I’m having our daughter, remember,” she tells the blonde and it’s that precise statement that makes Emma’s nerves go away because the words are sounding truer and truer with each day and each new admission. 

“Sorry,” Emma blushes, “couldn’t help it,” 

“I know, but it’s okay. You have me here and hopefully soon, you’ll have me there,” she says as she points to Emma’s chest and Emma catches hold of the woman’s hand just before Regina makes move to let go. ‘

“Stay.. please,” is Emma’s whispered plea to the brunette and Regina kisses her forehead. “Always...just don’t run away and I’ll always be here, okay?” Emma’s eyes slide shut and she nods. 

“Okay.”

  
  


MM comes over for a while and sees both women. She manages to smile a bit at them and they give her the same smiles back. She looks over at David and sees him grinning at the pair as she takes a seat in his lap. 

“They’re happy,” she says. 

“They are,” David agrees and Mary Margaret says nothing after that.

  
  


Emma finds out Regina walked from Town Hall to Granny’s and then to the station. “You walked!” 

“Yes, I walked, is that an issue,” 

“ No-no, not an issue, it’s just.. Why?” 

“Like I said earlier, change in scenery… besides, it was a pretty good walk. Fresh air, laughter from small children. Freedom to let thoughts go to the wind,” 

“Sounds nostalgic,” Emma comments with a grin and Regina smiles fondly. 

“It can be,” she says and Emma tilts her head. 

“Let me walk you back to work,” she tells the brunette and Regina doesn’t deny her that.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


“I swear your brother is the luckiest idiot on the planet. How he manages to get the rest of the day off whilst we suffer through is beyond me,” Grace say with a laugh and Ava shakes her head. 

“I’ve been asking myself the exact same thing lately where he does the most jacked up things and they work out in the end for him. Guess he’s just lucky,” she says and Grace shrugs. 

“I might be in need of some of his luck because lately, I’ve been walking into things and face planting when I’m trying to do homework,” 

“Just sounds like narcolepsy and clumsiness,” Henry teases and Grace’s mouth falls open. 

“Rude much,” she scowls at him before laughing. 

“Just saying. The life of a teenager induces narcolepsy and extreme clumsiness. Night owls come to life and our constant need for reassurance becomes a thing,” 

“Sounds more like gaming nerds staying up way later than they should and popular girls constantly crying-tell me I’m pretty!” she mocks and her friends lose it giggling. “Seriously though, we’re not mentioning anything he told us whilst high on school grade morphine, are we?”

“No, I don’t think we should,” Henry agrees and Ava nods. 

“Yeah, he’s been.. acting a bit strange lately and his obsession with what your moms do has become more of a priority than a social life and our homework,” 

“You think he’s struggling with telling us that?” Ava sighs and nods. 

“ Yeah, I think Nick believes that it’s all okay for the adults and your moms because he’s living through them in a sense but for him personally, I don’t think he even accepted himself yet to be honest.” 

“So what do we do?” Grace questions as they all look down at Nick’s passed out form. 

“Nothing.. we let Nick come to terms with it first before he decides to tell us.. If we approach him about it, he might shut down on us. We let him live through my moms and he’s okay. It’s his safe haven.. It’s his representation and I guess that’s why he’s so adamant about seeing the happy ending. He wants to know that he can have ,that too even if he is what society calls ‘different’. For Nick, my moms are his life, a representation, a fight, a happy ending and for him that means more than anything because it all starts from acceptance and he wants to see how it is with them before he can even find the courage to do it and want it for himself. He wants it for them because right now, my moms are the closest thing to his reality. So… we say nothing. We let him live through my moms and we let him have what he wants through them and that’s just a moment of acceptance and peace of mind.” 

“I guess your moms being True Love and Happy ending babies really didn’t do anything to protect them from having to fight like hell to this day,” Grace says. 

“No,” Henry says with a shake of his head. “..it really didn’t. Doesn’t even seem to matter in this case because Doctor Keaton said my moms are incompatible and that they could kill my little sister if they did manage to have her… my moms have never won and if I even tell Nick that, he’ll lose all hope for himself, but if I don’t tell him, he’ll hate me because then he’ll know I knew...but I’d rather not tell him and have him hate me late than to take away his hope for happiness so quickly. For what it’s worth, he deserves to have as much of that for as long as cloud nine affords it.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Emma walks Regina back and the kiss goodbye is nothing short of electric. For some reason the kiss goodbye is filled with so much emotion and pride and happiness that neither woman is aware of where it comes from. She kisses Regina and it starts out soft, but then the kiss turns a bit more needy in a second and it’s as if their lips won’t come apart because when they kiss and their lips collide, a spark travels across their tongues that are shy to meet. Emma ends up accidentally backing Regina into her office door and pressing herself up against the brunette who gasps lightly into Emma’s ear. 

“E-mm-a,” it comes out airily and Emma pants against her ear. 

“Sorry- sorry,” she says blinking rapidly and shaking her head. She sighs and exhales all in the same moment and finds herself swallowing a lot. “I don’t..,” she pauses to swallow again. Regina shakes her head. 

“Don’t, it was….something,” Regina says as she looks away from the blonde and removes herself from the door. By the time she sits at her desk, Emma speaks again. 

“Maybe we..shouldn’t-you know.. Kiss so often……. or at all,” comes the suggestion and Regina’s head snaps up and there’s clear confusion on her face. 

“Is that what you want?” she queries and the pain is clear in her eyes that she feels unattractive or something in relation to Emma. Regina’s not one for wearing emotions so bluntly and openly. She’s also not one to feel insignificant or unattractive after some form of sexual act. 

“ I just think.. Maybe we should cut back on it- you know. So we don’t mess it up or rush or- do something we might regret,” Emma expresses and it probably sounded way fucking better in her head because Regina’s face falls so quickly and then turns almost stoic right after. The brunette swallows, still clearly affected by it but not affected enough for it to appear obvious. ‘

“ see. Well,” she flashes a fake smile. “whatever will make you happy, Miss Swan,” she says to the blonde and Emma immediately shakes her head in panic. 

“Regina no. Come on, please don’t.. Not Miss Swan,’\” she pleads but Regina seems confused. 

“I’m sorry?”

“You just called me Miss Swan, you only do that if you’re going to shut down on me. Please don’t shut down on me,”

“I’m not shutting down on you, I’m merely adhering to your suggestion that we don’t interact that way anymore for a while or apparently- ever,” the brunette comments and it borders on sarcasm. 

“I didn’t mean it like that,’’ 

“Well, you could’ve fooled me considering you said it exactly like that,” Regina says and Emma falls silent. She sighs.. 

“Okay, you’re right-,” 

“-I know I’m right. I usually am right, it doesn’t mean that anything changes, now does it?” 

“You’re upset,” Emma comments and Regina bites back, 

“I’m hurt. There’s a difference between being pissy over something and genuinely hurt because you thought you might have been somewhere with someone and then they just throw a wrench into the cement or a u-turn right in the road. There’s a difference over being angry because of a simple situation and feeling insignificant in an important one.” 

“Okay,” Emma relents and Regina bites her bottom lip before she pulls out a file she knew damn well she’d already finished from days back. She flipped it open and just stared blankly at it because she just wanted Emma to leave her alone at that point. She didn’t get that, what she got was Emma walking over to her desk and flipping the file shut before she was pulling Regina’s chair out and then pulling the woman towards her. Emma got down on her knees and tugged Regina forward before she kissed her. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispers across the woman’s lips but Regina holds a straight face even though she lets the blonde kiss her. 

“Do you know why?” 

“I think I do,” Emma says and  Regina folds her arms. Emma unfolds them and holds on to them. “I wasn’t saying it for any of the reasons you were thinking. You were and are attractive and trust me if given the opportunity to take advantage of kissing you every second of the day- I would, but that spark.. Something happened and I’m positive you felt that too. I don’t know what it is but it scared me for a second there because I’m not sure that anything we get into will be all good or all bad- and what if that was one of the bad things-,”

“-then it’s one of the bad things, Emma… You have to understand that the minute something comes up we can’t just run away from it or write it off along with everything else. We have to deal with it and as much as you and I are known for butting heads on things, we’re known to be cowards just the same, but we can’t do that anymore. I  _ won’t _ do that anymore, Emma. It’s not fair to either of us and it’s not fair to our daughter if everything we do is half-assed and fear driven. I  _ want _ to have this little girl and I want to do that with you and I’ve never been more determined for anything in my life even if it is driven by the fact that I don’t want her to suffer because of us. But I also find it driven simply by the thought of rocking a golden haired little girl to sleep with you next to me-cooing at her or realizing that she is both of our second chances after Henry. Regardless of what Doctor Keaton say and regardless of what we were born as, I want to have a little girl- the little girl I didn’t get with Daniel. Emma I want to have  _ our _ daughter. I want to have a little girl that is half you and half me. I want to have a little girl who is both of us in so many ways that all we can do is smile that we managed to make such a beautiful little human. What I want is for you not to back and shy away the minute we end up steps forward because we’ll never know which ones were correct or not if the second they happen we just run away from them or shut everything down.” Silence Silence Silence. 

“Okay,” Emma agrees. “I’m sorry I was running away again. I’m trying hard not to, but it’s not easy,” she admits and Regina takes the blonde’s face in her hands before she’s kissing her forehead. 

“That’s why we do things together, Emma. Never apart, and you’ll have to learn that soon enough considering we’ll be married eventually,” Regina reminded and Emma nodded. 

“I know,I’m just struggling to accept that this could be a thing- you know. Like this could just be our thing without problems and complications and that it could actually just be that simple if I let myself fall, but I’ve let myself fall so many times and I’ve either lost some really important people or been hurt by them just the same that I’ve ended up just bringing those exact actions over into this situation,” 

“I’m glad you said it. It means you’re aware,”  Regina comments and Emma looks confused. “Emma,” she begins before taking Emma’s hands in hers. “We’re all guilty of carrying over the past hurt of our old relationships into the new ones we wish to create. I learned that a long time ago that the relationships we have with anyone on any level affects our behaviour in new relationships we create with someone else. The same way Neal has hurt you and that one handed buffoon did the same, is the same way you will hold all of us at arm’s length, especially me because I- like I mentioned the other day, am now in that group with both of them because I’m now considered a love interest. The same way I had to live through the loss of Daniel is the same way I have to live with the fear of losing you in any way that may be. Emma, over the years of us knowing each other we are two sides of the same coin and we are like yin and yang. Your past seems to manifest through me the same way mines decides to manifest through you, but I’m willing to fight to change that. I’m willing to fight fate just to have something good for me- for once. I know that me doing good only gets me more heartache in the end, but something continues to push me to fight for it. Something in my head and in my heart pushes me to continue to be good because I have this voice in my head that’s telling me that just one day I won’t have to fight like hell anymore just to have happiness. It keeps chanting how I won’t have to cry anymore just to feel safe- to feel loved- to feel like I won’t be abandoned or abused or forgotten. Emma.. That voice tells me that I can have everything I was denied if I just hold out hope a little longer and that starts with my daughter. That starts with me and it starts with you saying yes to continue doing just that-with me. I need you, Emma. I need all of you to say yes and to promise me that you won’t run. I need to know that you will stand by me through all of this and walk through hell with me just to have a little angel that will make the devil himself say ‘ Oh crap! She’s up.’ ” she says tearily and Emma laughs with glassy orbs of emerald. Her thumbs stroke Regina’s thighs as she nods and pushes herself up on her knees. Her answer comes in the form of a kiss where she captures Regina’s lips and holds her face tenderly, allowing fingers to drift through tresses of brown locks. Her tongue swipes across the bottom of Regina’s lip before she nips lightly and pulls back. The air is charged with a newness and a new agreement, sealed with a kiss no less.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


It’s night time and night time also indicates family dinnertime. Cora is busy in her room getting dressed-for what? No one knows, but once she’s done, she’s dawning a rather twenty first century style. Dark wash skinny jeans and booties along with a mauve collared button up that allows her to cuff the sleeves and her hair in those heavy curls makes everyone in the house take serious pause. Cora then walks by the stairs and into the kitchen where Emma and Regina are cooking a simple dinner of Rice and pork chops just to tell them she’s eating out with Mayim and then simply asks Regina to take care of Ermis.

“You’re eating out tonight?” her daughter questions and she winks with a nod. “With Mayim?” she questions again and Cora rolls her eyes but smirks.

“Yes, I’m having dinner with Mayim and few of her friends,” Cora says cockily and Regina’s eyebrows hit her hairline with an impressive stance. “Please don’t forget to feed Ermis,” she reminds her and Regina nods. Regina of course says yes because Ermis is cuter than cute. She then has to tell her mother to obviously have fun but not to drink herself into a stupor. Cora scoffs in response to that and tells her she’s pretty sure she’ll drink enough for a taxi union, but okay. Regina groans and kisses her mother goodbye and when Mayim reaches, the eight-teen year old is dressed to the nine in high heels and tight dress and dark makeup that really make her look older than she is. Her usual baby face is long gone in the place of that makeup.

“Please watch her,” Regina finds herself requesting because if given the chance, Cora would literally drink more than enough for multiple taxi unions.Mayim gives the Mayor a look and smiles.

“I will, last time.. She shocked even me with how much she inhaled,” the teen joked and Regina groans. However, Mayim gives a look that Regina her know she’ll cut off Cora’s tab if she drinks too much. Regina gives her an appreciative thank you that is mouthed and a verbal apology for nearly roasting her the other night. Mayim grins and says,

“I’ve learned never to imply that I’d become someone’s mother by dating their mother and ..yeah.” she grins again before she shakes her head and waves to Regina before she’s walking down the pathway a sway in her hips and Regina freaks for a moment. 

“You know, she kind of walks like you,” Emma says taking the words right out of her mouth and that sets her panic in overdrive.. 

“ Dear Gooood, My mother is dating a younger version of me-of herself!” She gags at the thought and Emma along with Henry bust a gut laughing at her. “ You do realize the incestuous  nature of this implies that if my mother and the water bender get together and … do things in our home- _ you _ and  _ you  _ mister are prone to hearing those exact sounds as a result-”

“- Aww Christ, moooom,” Henry whined and Regina was now the one laughing. Emma’s stomach turned over as she tried not to think too hard about it. 

“Well, there goes my appetite for dinner,” the blonde commented. 

“Surrreee, Ma, I doubt your titanium stomach will ever get tired of food,” Henry jokes and Emma leans over to thump him in the head.

“Just, get back inside and let’s eat please,” she says and Regina nods.

“Let’s.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


They have dinner and it’s amazing because Henry helped his mothers finish cook said meal and once the table was set and they sat, he’d said,

“I missed these,” with such an innocence that both his mothers had to agree with him.

“Me too, Kid,” Emma had said.

“As have I,” Regina had responded. “ Hopefully we can find a system that works for us all, maybe shorter hours for me in the office entirely, but that would garner me bringing my work home,” Regina had admitted, but Henry shook his head.

“But see, mom, that’s just the thing. That would work so much better than you and Ma being out all night working that you being home. At least that way if we all have something to do, we can still eat dinner whilst we do it,” he’d said and it was logically sound as well. His suggestions was actually pretty good when they thought about it. Part of the reason Regina never brought work home was because she feared it would just make Henry feel even less of a priority in her life, but with his obvious need for her to just be home no matter the state, she supposes it would still work out well.

“Alright then,” she agrees. “However, if I work too much, stop me. My cut off point is 9:30,” she says and he nods eagerly.

“Got it,” he says happily and she reaches over to run her fingers through his hair. “Ma, what about you?” he questions and Emma shrugs.

“I can always leave my work til tomorrow, because Little John and Mulan are being trained right now, it’s helping take the load off and they’re not dealing with any of the serious files, basically just the usual traditional cats up a tree or the neighbourhood drunk-,”

“-You mean Leroy,” Henry laughed and Emma smirked.

“Yeah, Leroy,” she nodded. “ But I’m more free now than I was a couple of days back. It’s just getting into the system like your mom said, but if I can help her with her work, then that should cut her cut off point down to maybe 7:30-7:45,” the blonde estimated and Henry smiled even wider.

 

Throughout dinner Henry brings up a ‘hypothetical’  and said hypothetical has to do with Nick, however he doesn’t identify that it’s nick. This is the same hypothetical which leads to his mothers thinking it’s him. He’s okay with that. He lets them assume it’s him and that’s that, however, he pushes through the entire scenario and finds that the advice they give him is not only sound, but something he’d been thinking of as well. He smiles at the things they tell him because it’s also things that he and his friends had covered throughout the day as it related to Nick. Whatever else his mothers end up telling him are just making him feel forever loved even though it’s not actually about it. Because hearing the words ‘No matter who you are, what you become or what you choose to be, we will always love you,’ and damn it if that didn’t sound like the conclusion he and his friends came to earlier, he wasn’t named Henry Daniel Mills. Still, he doesn’t want anyone to know about Nick until Nick is aware of Nick, and in all honesty, Nick doesn’t even seem remotely aware of Nick, more like he’s trying to forget Nick and create a new Nick.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


The night is finished off with a movie for the small family. It’s once again Henry’s choice and none of them really pay attention, they talk more than anything throughout the whole movie. Henry doesn’t mind because any time he can get to just have both his mothers together was time he was willing to spend.He’d found himself asking his mothers about baby names and both seemed utterly surprised by that question, but Emma answered him.

“Yeah, we kind of talked about them,” she’d told him and he nodded.

“Anything cool?” he’d asked and she shrugged with no commitment whatsoever. “Maaaa, come on, tell me!” he pleads but she shakes her head and laughs.

“No way, Kid. I want it to be a surprise when you hear it,”

“When I hear it? Wait, that means mom already knows!” he belts and Regina smirks at her son’s outburst.

“I do,” she admits and he pouts.

“You guys are so unfair,” he tells them, but Regina has reason.

“Like your mother said, she wants it to be a surprise. Who am I to ruin that for you?” she queries and Henry pouts even more.

“Still unfair,” he combats and she laughs before she’s leaning over to kiss the top of his head. “ Your loving kisses won’t win me back, traitor,” he jokes and she rolls her eyes before smothering his face with more and Emma just smiles at the exchange.

Of course he falls asleep, and he’s winded because of his school day. It’s understandable that he’s tired, however, it proves to be very difficult when it’s time to get the young man up and in bed. Between them, they’d agreed that neither of them were quite possibly strong enough to lift him all the way up the stairs and into his room, and that was simply because the boy was lanky and had seemed to be putting on the kind of weight that they couldn’t pinpoint its location on his body. So they settled for waking him the old fashioned way and he groaned a few times here and there and nearly collapsed on the staircase and muttered something along the lines of them just leaving him there with a blanket so that he could sleep. Once they’d cleared the first level of the stairs, the second one became easier and once Henry was down and in bed, both his mothers had kissed him good night and he could barely fight them off at that point, or create some sort of witty remark about his goodnight kisses. They made sure he was tucked in properly before shutting out his larger light but leaving on the nightlight he usually kept running for times when he wanted to read comics.His room door was also left cracked in case something happened which hasn’t been a thing in a couple of months now.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


The pair of women seem very adamant about getting settled into bed after they both go through the usual shower and brushing of their teeth and deal with their respective rituals. Once they’re comfortably dressed, Regina dawning another one of Emma’s giant tees and undies with socks and the blonde in some boxers and a sports bra, they climb into bed together.

“I swear, you’re going to run through my clothes quicker than I am,” Emma jokes and Regina tugs the blonde’s shirt up to her nose and inhales.

“It’s not my fault that even after they wash they still smell like you,”

“Yes and I’m still surprised you’re one who finds comfort in wearing other people’s clothes,” Emma sasses.

“It’s not other people’s,” Regina scowls but because half of her face is covered by the shirt, Emma just snickers. “It’s yours and they’re.. Comfortable.. And they smell nice, something I wasn’t very well used to for years of my life,” she admits and Emma seems intrigued.

“You didn’t have like a safety blanket or anything?” she questions the brunette who shook her head. 

“I wasn’t even aware that having such things was okay until Henry turned four and cried when his dinosaur had finally ripped and I’d told him we’d throw it away and get him a new one. I learned what someone’s ‘safety blanket’ was because of him and I realized it wasn’t necessarily a blanket but anything that brought comfort to a child or an adult when they felt uneasy, which is why mother’s obsessions with ducks and Ermis is something I keep telling her I won’t make fun of her for because I never understood the logic of it long enough to garner any negative thoughts about it.” There’s silence in the room as Regina’s eyes dip shut until there’s another galaxy splayed across the ceiling. It’s bright, aqua almost and it’s hue is a lavender and gold tint. Emma smiles and then looks over at the brunette who seemed to be staring very intently into the sky. “You okay?” she queries as her neck twists to get a better view of Regina. Regina doesn’t answer just then, instead she turns over and then with a tentative finger, she traces over the frame of Emma’s nose before she nods. 

“You shot with anger,” she whispers and Emma looks confused. 

“Huh?”

“Today, when I came to bring you lunch, you were shooting with anger… you told me it’s a bad motive but it seemed to work perfectly fine for you,” she commented and Emma looks frightened.

“How-di-,” 

“-I saw you when I came in the station. I went to look for you and you seemed rather focused on dislocating that target’s head from its body…” Regina admitted and Emma nods a bit weirdly. 

“ So that means you heard the talk I had with my dad, too?” Regina nods. 

“ I did,” she admits and Emma seems uncomfortable until Regina shimmies over and they’re much closer together, almost until their noses meet. “ You are lovable,” she whispers to Emma before she kisses her nose and then she whispers a good night to the blonde who finds herself smiling. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Emma has gotten down on her knees once more after she’s done her usual night time ritual of water and whatnot. She’d opted to check on Henry and Cora as well because something in her told her to. Cora was finally back, but that wasn’t too surprising. Give the old woman free reign over curfew and she’d probably walk in at five in the morning or something. They were okay, they were always okay. Passed out from just watching tv this time, but they were okay. How he’d managed to get back downstairs was beyond her, but there he was and he was passed out in a peaceful slumber amongst the fluffiest blankets he could find and those pillows that never seemed to deflate over time. She’d laughed to herself and cleaned up whatever dishes the pair had left on the coffee table that Regina was usually adamant about them not putting wet things on without a coaster. His milk glass and hers of juice if the lipstick stain was anything to go by.  Cora had just seemed to fall asleep in whatever the hell she could find because she had on a t-shirt and some pants Emma was sure would be uncomfortable to sleep in until she realized the woman was wearing cotton sweats. She shook her head and ascended the staircase once more before she was back in the master bedroom and still being med by the beauty of the stars that cascaded across the ceiling in their room.

With 22 kisses placed to Regina’s stomach, Emma smiles at the woman’s soft skin before she opens her mouth to speak.

“Egg, today is another day. It was.. Eventful. A catch 22 kind of eventful though Your mommy surprised me with lunch and I taught her how to shoot today...she’s pretty good, let’s just leave it at that because I don’t know where her control and poise come from, but that was some amazing shooting today,” she whispers to Regina’s stomach as she rubs it lightly. “ If I’m being honest, I thought it was sweet of her to surprise me with lunch and she treated me today...usually she’s not for me clogging my arteries but then again, she always seems to know when I need certain things… I’m embarrassed to say that in most cases it’s food, but I’m not embarrassed to say that your mommy knows which is best for me to eat when I’m in one of my moods. You know, you’ve got yourself the most amazing woman I think I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. As much as some of the things I do annoy her, she still finds it in herself to love my stupid,” Emma laughs lightly into the night. “But I guess that’s what happens when you finds someone who reminds you that even when they’re broken, they can still see the beauty in another person and I hope that I can do that for her one day, you know? Hell, I hope I can do that for you one day too. But I’m dead set on naming you Rayna. It’s hawaiian and it means queen. Kalani was cool but it sounds like rum.. So Rayna and it’ll start with an R like your mommy’s and you’ll be another little queen. What do you say to that?” she questions and even though she doesn’t get a response, she’s still smiling as she rubs Regina’s stomach. Emma smirks before she rises from her spot. “Sleep good in there Egg,” she says before she makes her way around the large bed and when she climbs back in, she moulds herself to Regina’s frame and kisses the back of the brunette’s neck. It all feels so comforting and easy that Emma lets the words fall from her lips.

“You make me feel loveable,” she admits and Regina’s eyes flit open. Her hand finds Emma’s and she holds onto it tightly. 

“Good,” Regina says in an airy tone that it doesn’t make it into the atmosphere of the room. She feels a small bit of pressure against the wall of her tummy and chalks it up to it being Emma’s hand or something.


	15. Just a tiny hole. Wedgie? Eventful. 23 kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's late and I'm uploading right before I leave for work. Enjoy it, guys!

It’s…-God, what day is it today??Thursday? Sunday? A holiday? Whatever, fuck it. 

Point is, Cora’s the first to be up out of everyone and that came with its own surprise- if the indication of her pretty much burning the kitchen down was that surprising something to go by. The elder Mills had woken up all sprawled out over her grandson, hair in her mouth and a crap ton of back pain.

_ Getting too old for this shit _ , she groaned internally at herself and pretty much smacked her lips as she stirred awake fully. 

“Me and drinking can  _ not _ keep this shit up,” Cora had said to herself once she’d finally gained enough energy to sit up properly and then stand, a bit wobbly, on her two feet. She’d rubbed the back of her neck and then her eyes before she made the decision that she wanted food- and hot food at that. Long story short, it did not end well. The first mistake came when Cora decided that she was going to cook. She knew she never really cooked much- or at all when Regina was a little girl and the little experience she had when she was a teen and had to feed her drunken father bordered on simply baked bread and ale for the man who looked more malnourished the more he drank and vomited. They’d never had enough money to afford meats, so Cora and the art of meat cooking was never something that went hand in hand. Of course once she began dating Zelena’s father, the food was set before her, but it wasn’t food she found herself wanting to consume until she learned that royalty ate all of the things she couldn’t even begin to name. By the time she was with Henry, she’d decided to give it a try. She puked the first time to say the least and was sick beyond measure for days. Cora and some gamey bird she didn’t even know existed, came toe to toe and the damn bird won. Henry had assumed it was just that particular bird, little did he know, his wife had never tried meat until that night.. He’d then been able to put the pieces together that allowed him to understand why she was so frail looking. Well, that and the fact that Cora only ate baked bread was something to go by. He’d noticed her refusing to eat fruits or vegetable amongst other things that were of delicacy in the time of old. Still, once she’d gotten over the initial sickness it afforded her, she was fine and slowly began to expand her appetite on certain food groups. By the time Regina was born, Cora was okay enough to say that she could consistently consume meat and not feel as though someone was there trying to force it back out of her stomach.

The second mistake came when she decided to cook food in the microwave, something Regina had reluctantly bought because of the woman in the first place. Cora had rummaged through the freezer and found a pack of thick cut bacon that was about as solid as a rock and thicker than her spinal cord. She stared at the pack that was staring back at her and then flipped it over. It told her she could cook it three ways. Frying pan, broil, or microwave- two methods which she was obviously not familiar with in the slightest. She found herself a plate, not even sure if it was microwave safe or not and completely unsure as to how she should cook the bacon. She ripped the pack open and then laid them out onto the plate and then she just stared at the bacon for about five minutes straight. 

“What do I do now?” she questioned herself and sighed. Cora flipped the box over again and searched for the directions. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t just follow the pictures and went from there. She had in fact followed the instructions labelled on the box, but that’s about as far as her perfection to cook bacon went. She saw numbers and those numbers told her to basically nuke the damn strips… seemed logical enough, she figured. Except of course she didn’t relate the wattage the box indicated she should have and what the microwave actually had to the heat output  it created. Long story short on the horror that occurred, Cora cinched the poor strips of meat and was met with the scent of melted plastic and a microwave that stank of dead pig. It smoked and sparked and Cora coughed and fanned.

“Never doing that shit again,” she commented aloud and shook her head in disappointment. Cora then reached into the microwave barehanded as she attempted to pick it up and hissed at the offending object as she let it drop to the floor with a weird and heavy clatter that sounded nothing like its ceramic counterpart. The hot oil splattered up and onto her leg and she hissed even sharper at the offending liquid. “Seriously?!” she queries with disbelief as she grabs a damp towel, the trash can and an assload of paper towels. Cora cleans that up and throws away her bacon that pretty much looks like regurgitated chili. She looked around the kitchen and was now confused. She’d no clue what it was or why she was confused, but she just was and it irked her. The woman washed her hands and moved on to something else.

It was after that where she tried her hand at the baker because she wanted a fresh loaf of bread and the confusion of her using an electric oven versus the firewood powered ones just made shit completely confusing for her. She’d figured that the broiler pan- where you can pretty much just store all the extra pans you had, was someplace to put the wooden logs. After lighting them with some age old amber liquid that they used in the Enchanted Forest and flicking her wrist to set it on fire, she shut the drawer and slowly realized that by the smoking and charring of metal that she did not do that well at all. The sparking and flat out puffs of black smoke and soot kept bellowing out the base of the oven which soon led to it coming out from the stove top coils. If she wasn’t aware that the metal was warping, she’d have probably thought it was just some fancy effect. “Shit,” she’d managed to hiss once the alarm went off and that also frightened her which in turn made her spike the heat on the wooden logs. Cora hauled ass from the kitchen and attempted to grab a chair and scrambled to get onto it, then tried her hand at swatting the dreaded fire alarm. She hopped and hopped but it proved useless because she was too short. “Why the fuck does she have such high ceilings,” she muttered before she slipped and then fell off the chair, nearly cracking her spine. “Fuck this!” she cursed the alarm before she flicked her wrist again and it disappeared. Wherever it went was someplace she wasn’t necessarily thinking about. She probably should have still thought about that because it managed to do the thing she’d hoped it didn’t. It woke someone up. That someone, was Henry. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Henry ended up waking after that due to the fact that the smoke seemed to seep right into the living room and make him cough himself awake. He didn’t need to be told to know that there was quite literally something off going on in his mother’s home… and it didn’t do him any better considering he was barely awake to decipher who could have quite possibly fucked up that bad and char whatever the hell that was he was smelling, still, he rose from his slumber as best he could and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Once he was awake and following the scent of burning metal and disintegrated hopes and dreams, he found Cora-sat and staring at the thing like it was a movie. She was sat Indian Style in the centre of the kitchen that still afforded her the perfect view of the oven. It was clear she’d quit and was just watching her efforts burn in a literal hell. The boy’s eyes blasted wide open before he nearly shrieked. 

“Nana!” he somewhat squeaked over the sounds of clattering- that clattering being wood somehow springing around in the oven. Cora turned around and looked at him, a very stoic appearance on her face. 

“I fucked up, boy,” she muttered before turning back to just stare at the still burning box of steel. For some odd reason, Henry just started to stare at it as well. He walked closer to her and was then side by side with her.

“It might explode,” he said slowly and his grandmother nodded. “We should probably get out of the kitchen,” he then said and she nodded again. Cora then got up from her folded legs position and sucked in a breath before she sighed and walked pass her grandson. She then turned and put an arm on his shoulder.

“Let’s go,” she whispers and he nods before they exited the kitchen. They walked back into the living room and turned on the television and sat. 

“How long before it blows?” he questions her and she shrugs as she continues to stare at the tv. “Maybe five minutes,” she offers a response and Henry nods. 

“The alarm didn’t go off?”

“No, it did, I just got rid of it.. I should probably stay away from the mechanics of this world,” she’d then admitted and Henry hummed in response. 

“Probably,” he half assed an agreement. Silence passed for about a moment and then Henry spoke again. “I think we’re gonna need to tell mom about this,” 

“We do,” Cora agreed and they both stood up before ascending the staircase and knocking lightly at the bedroom door. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma groaned as she buried her face deeper and deeper into Regina’s chest.

”go-away,” she muttered angrily into the brunette’s bust and Regina shifted before she inhaled deeply and let out a slight sound of relief. She too hears the knocking and puts her hand to her forehead before she questions. 

“Who in the high heavens is that?” but then she remembers, she has her son and mother and it’s either one or the other. The knocking continues and Emma groans loudly at the sound of it. It annoys her so much that she just continues to groan against Regina. 

“Go. Away,” she says a bit more strongly and Regina finds herself smiling at the blonde woman’s anger. It’s funny to her, in all honesty. 

“I don’t think they will,” Regina whispers before she feels the numbness in her right arm. Emma has somehow managed to lay on both that and stay firmly rooted between the woman’s bust. 

“Well...they need to,” she responds grumpily and Regina laughs lightly at that. The knock comes again and Emma groans even louder. She then sighs against Regina and opens her eyes wide enough before she chances a glance up at the brunette’s face. Regina’s looking down at her and she’s smiling still. 

“Good morning,” Regina says and Emma pouts. 

“It would be if no one was knocking at our door,” she says petulantly before sticking her tongue out at their bedroom door and Regina narrows her gaze. 

“Stop that,” she scolds but it’s not nearly close to the anger she would usually portray. Emma grunts. 

“Ugggh, fine. Come in!” she says louder and both Henry and Cora quickly walk in and shut the door. Regina’s taken the liberty of sitting up but still allows the blonde to just lay on her stomach. A whiff of something akin to charcoal seeps into the room and has Regina curious. She looks at both her son and her mother and their faces are.. Stoic almost. 

“Sweetheart is everything alright?” she queries and the boy shrugs as he makes his way over to his mothers’ bed and climbs in. Emma’s just watching him and she can tell much like Regina did, that something seemed off. Cora finds herself a seat on the bed as well and Emma jokes, “slumber party,” much to some people’s amusement. Her hands idly play with the blanket that’s still covering both her and Regina as the brunette mother speaks. “What was that smell just a minute ago?” 

“...burntness-,” Cora mumbles and because of that, Regina’s attention span spikes. She’s just shy of questioning when Henry talks directly after his grandmother speaks. 

“-Burnt toast,” he lies and his grandmother looks at him in appreciation. He smiles at her and Regina’s not really believing it. 

“Burnt toast?” Regina questions hesitantly but curiously and he nods. 

“Yup,” he says popping his p. Technically, it’s not a lie at all.. It actually is burnt toast.. Well, it’s more so unidentifiable toast, but what’s the difference? Regina allows her head to fall back as she gives away a short imperceptible nod. She’s then commenting, 

“If you don’t get dressed soon, you’ll be late for school, sweetheart,” and Henry nods. 

“I know, but you and Ma look like you’re not trying to get up anytime soon,”he’d commented and she tilted her head. 

“Your mother isn’t prone to leaving the bed right now, no,” Regina says to their son and Henry smirks. 

“We can tell, she’s all comfortable on you and the baby, just don’t squish her head-yeah?” he responds in a smart ass like tone and Emma scowls at the teen before she’s reaching around to throw a pillow at him. Regina sees that her mother fidgets where she sits and she’s insanely concerned for her. 

“Mama, are you okay,” she turns her eyes to the woman as she reaches out to touch her but Cora shakes her head quickly and flinches away when Regina reaches for her. 

“I’m fine, sweetheart, just.. concerned,” she admits and Regina’s so lost over that statement that she has no idea what her mother means. 

“Concerned about what, mama?” 

“The kitchen,” Cora says and Henry’s eyes widen slightly as he looks at his grandmother. 

“She must mean the burnt toast scent,” Emma says as she rolls over and buries her face further into Regina’s stomach and Regina shakes her head. 

“Mother if it’s about the burnt toast, don’t be so concerned. It’s fine. Open the blinds and windows and the scent will drift right out,” she tells her but the woman shakes her head. 

“That’s not it,” she corrects and now everyone except Henry is confused. 

“Then what is it?”she’d managed to question because, soon directly after that, there was a loud, explosive sound that rattled the entire house from its foundation go up and then it trickled down to nearly half the block. Everyone vibrated with the rumble and as Emma tried to sit up, her body rattled and she fell from the bed. Regina just grounded herself in the mattress and let her body jiggle with the shocks. Henry fell back and onto his head and Cora merely sat there, almost as if she was waiting on the ground to open up and swallow her whole. Then it stopped. When it stopped, Emma was groaning and Henry was mumbling obscenities. They couldn’t very well tell him not to considering what just happened and the likelihood that he truly did injure himself. Regina looked around the bed and then leaned over the edge before she got up and helped their son up first. She looked him over and rubbed at the sore spot on his head where he kept groaning and trying to reach for. “Keep still sweetheart, this may hurt a little,” Regina warned her teenager and waited for him to sit still. Once he did, she waved her hand over his head and then looked him over once more to make sure he was okay.

“I’m good, mom” Henry told her and after those words, she relaxed significantly. The woman then moved to help Emma up. 

“Are you okay?” she asked with worry and Emma nodded though she groaned deeply. 

“For the most part. It’s better than your temperamental magic moments, though,” she tried joking and found herself on the receiving end of a not so scolding look from Regina. After she gets the blonde settled in the bed once more, she speaks. 

“Please tell me that was an earthquake?” 

“It wasn’t,” Cora mumbles and Regina’s eyebrow rises. 

“I’m sorry?” 

“ I said, it wasn’t an earthquake,” Cora clarified and Regina looked confused. 

“Then-,”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


“-It was the oven,” she cut off and Regina’s face shrunk in horror almost. 

“M-mother.. What do you mean?” she queries and both her son and her mother sigh. Her son answers for his grandmother. 

“It was the oven.. Nana was trying to cook this morning and ..” he didn’t actually know what the hell it was Cora was trying to do, so the woman finished, 

“I assumed your oven was like those in the Enchanted Forest and went about lighting it like one normally would...” She paused after trailing off and Regina looked beyond shocked.. 

“You mean with firewood and amber liquid?” 

“Yes,” her mother answers and Regina swallows. 

“Alright,” she agrees?? and Cora continues. 

“I then lit it and shut the drawer at the bottom-,” 

“-the broiler pan,” Regina answers instantly and Cora looks confused. 

“That’s what that was?” 

“Yes mother, it holds all of the pans and everything else I’d decide to put in there should I want more space in the cupboards,” 

“That explains why I had to take all of them out to put the firewood in,” Cora mutters and the conversation just continues. 

“So… you tossed in firewood and set it on fire?” Emma queries and Cora shakes her head. 

“No, I put it in, soaked it in amber liquid and then I set it on fire. I shut the drawer because I assumed it was where the wood was supposed to go,” she explained and Emma bobbed her head. 

“I guess I can see why you thought that,” she responded and Cora began to fiddle with her fingers. “Sooooo, that explosive bomb wasn’t an earthquake?” 

“No.. it was the oven itself. It probably had finally blown after what I did,” Cora admitted. 

“So, there’s a possibility that half of my house is missing,” Regina then questions.

“There is,” Cora comments and Regina nods but sighs. She then rubs her forehead and says,

“Well, let’s go see the damage,” and Cora seems surprised. 

“You’re not angry?” comes her question and Regina just seems to shrug it off. 

“I’ll know once we’re downstairs,” Regina comments and Cora sighs heavily. 

“Okay,” she answers dejectedly and when they all rise from the bed, Regina places a hand to her mother’s spine and rubs lightly. Cora looks up at Regina and her daughter just pulls her in at her side and smiles wider at her mother. Cora then slings an arm over Henry’s shoulder and whispers to him that she knows he’s just tried covering for her. He blushes but holds his head high and says, 

“Never leave another soldier to die, right?” 

“That’s right kid,” Emma grins at her son because she overhears his conversation with his grandmother. Though Cora still looks like a defeated kitten, she thugs it out..well, almost. When they reach the base of the staircase, Cora freezes and Regina has to practically push her mother into the kitchen with a crap ton of force she never expected to need. What they see-or don’t see, has Cora trying to run back out. 

“Mother, stop,” Regina tells her and she’s still trying to escape when Emma grabs a hold of her and tightens her grip around the woman. 

“Cora, calm down,” Emma whispers and she stops her fidgeting and writhing. She huffs and pauses before she feels another pair of hands on her back. 

“Mama-,” she hears Regina call and she does look back. Regina smiles sadly at her and tells her, “-it’s not that bad,” because in actuality it really is that bad but if she scolded her mother for trying to do something for herself without actual knowledge of certain things then yeah.. It kind of does fall on Regina considering she should have been the one teaching her how to use the basics to begin with. 

“You’re just saying that so I don’t feel bad,” her mother picks up and she laughs lightly.

“I am, but I’m also aware that this is in part my fault for not teaching you how to use it to begin with,” Regina admitted and Cora still looked distraught. “Mama.. It’s  _ fine _ ,” she enunciated and Cora sighed even deeper. 

“Why are you trying to make me feel better?” Cora questions almost petulantly and her daughter merely smiles.

“Because, you were trying to do something and use something I clearly didn’t bother teaching you how to use. I guess I never assumed you’d cook..even though you cooked Spaghetti the other night.” 

“Henry did most of the work. I just instructed.. And I wanted bread so I figured the oven would work with wood,” she admitted and Regina nodded before she turned back and looked at the damage… 

“I need to call the contractor,” she muttered and Cora looked like she wanted to argue, “-not Mister Crafter. Lord knows I wouldn’t trust that man to put together a popsicle home let alone my own. I’ll get Marco and the dwarves and just pray Leroy isn’t a drunken mess when they come to do the quote,” she commented and Emma snickered. 

“That’s a given with Leroy,” Emma said and Regina shrugged. 

“Henry, got get ready for school, sweetheart and I’ll take you in,” she finally says as she turns to her son and he nods before he exits the kitchen and heads upstairs without another word. Regina turns back to the mess and can quite clearly see the falling dust and pieces of concrete that drift from the foundation of the walls that fall to the floor. The stove is completely gone and a good chunk of the upstairs is as well. It gets Henry hovering over it and looking through the hole for them to realize it is genuinely blown out of place. 

“NANA! You blew a hole in my room!” he shrieked and everyone looked up, finally taking full notice that she did in fact blow a chunk out of his room. 

“Just go get dressed for school, Kid. We’ll figure out your room later,” Emma said to him and he groaned a little. 

“But…. my dresser was there.. I’m out of underwear,” 

“Then go commando, Henry,” Emma told him and he looked uneasy and slightly disgusted. Regina slipped a slender hand across her lips and smothered a laugh. She of all people knew that as much as Henry groaned at the little things she told him, he appreciated his little butt being covered by extra fabric that wasn’t his pants.”Mom!” he whined loudly. “This isn’t funny! I need my underwear,” he told Regina who just busted a gut laughing at him. She held her hands up in surrender but continued to snicker.

“Listen, either you let your nuts hang low for the day or you’ll be in tighty whities if I have to magic anything on you,” Emma informed as she’d given him the option and he groaned. 

“Ugggh, fine. Nana, you owe me new underwear,” he said to the old woman who nodded and then looked back at the mess before her.  Guess he wasn’t much of her partner in crime anymore.

“Mother, where’s Ermis?” Regina then questions and Cora shrugs. It just looks like she’s completely accepted her demise as she responds.

“He was in the pond before I came upstairs,” 

“Well, let’s just hope he’s not roasted duck right now,” Emma commented before she sighed and walked around the pair. “I’m gonna check to see if he’s still out there. If not, we know he got blown away from the blast… or eaten,” Emma tells them before she walks through the giant hole in the kitchen and into the backyard. Regina turns to Cora who seems to be so lost on what to do next. 

“Did you have plans today, mother?” comes her question and Cora’s out of it. 

“Hmm?” 

“Plans..did you have any for the day?” Cora shakes her head. 

“Not really, no,” she admits and Regina nods before she thinks. 

“Why don’t you take Mayim out for the day,” she suggests and Cora shakes her head. 

“I don’t feel like it,” she admits. 

“Is it because you blew up half the kitchen?” 

“Yup,” she says with a light pop of her p and her daughter sighs.

“Mama, I’ve told you before. It’s fine. You didn’t know how to use it and I can’t blame you for that. We’ll just get some repairs done and a replacement,” Regina informs her and now she sighs. 

“Okay,” she says dejectedly and Regina shakes her head. 

“You really need to stop feeling like you ended the world when all you did was put a hole in my wall,” 

“The same way you shouldn’t be telling me it’s okay to cause a miniature earthquake that put the damn thing there to begin with and acting like you don’t  _ want _ to half kill me over it.” 

“That’s because I don’t,” Regina answers the woman scoffs.

“That’s a lie,” Cora accuses and Regina rolls her eyes. 

“You let me decide that, but think what you want. I’m not upset. I’m surprised... but not upset,” Regina admitted and Cora looked contemplative about that. “I need to go and call Marco, I’ll be right back,” she announces and Cora nods before she walks closer to the mess. She steps on some fallen cement just as Emma is coming back over with a smile. 

“Good news. He isn’t roasted duck, just squeaking up a storm over there,” she commented and Cora let her see a ghost of a smile. “Did you feed him?” 

“I did, he’s just greedy as hell,” Cora comments and Emma smirks. 

“You’re still broken up over this, huh?” 

“Shouldn’t I be?” 

“No, not if Regina’s not mad. She already said it herself, she didn’t teach you how to use it and she can see why you did that- hell, even I can see why you did that. I probably would have done the exact same thing, but she’d have kicked my ass for it because I grew up in this world. You didn’t. After you charred her Keurig, I think she realized you  _ needed _ to be taught how to use these things. So you get a pass, take it because they’re few and far between.” Cora is silent for a moment until Regina comes back into the room, still clearly on the phone. 

“As soon as you possibly can, Marco,” Regina says and her face seems hopeful. “Yes it’s an issue.. Not necessarily. You would do better to just come and take a look for yourself...yes-yes a quote is exactly what I need before construction… no, it was an accident...mother did. Yes, she’s fine, everyone’s perfectly fine,”she smiles before looking up at the pair. She mouths the name ‘Ermis?’ and Emma smiles and mouths back-’He’s fine.’ She nods and continues her conversation. “I’ll just be taking Henry into school and I’ll be right back.. I’m not sure if Emma will be here, she has work as well,” she informs the man but Emma shakes her head. “No, she won’t be in.. my mother should be here, if she’s not, there’s a key under the wooden rail you installed the last time,” she informs him and then she’s smiling. “Thank you,” she says before hanging up. 

“So, that was Marco?!” Emma questioned knowingly and Regina nodded. 

“Yes, he said he’ll be over as quickly as he can,” 

“Okay, he sounded concerned too,” 

“That’s because he was, but like you heard, I told him everyone is fine which means we should expect him over in a little while, but until then, I need to take our son to school and you have to get to work.. However, you both need to eat.. I’ll figure that part out in a minute.. You need to get ready and I’ll just take you both in since I’m unable to go to work today.. I’ll call Clara later and let her know I won’t be in,” she rambles on and both Cora and Emma are looking at her with matching confused faces. “What?” 

“Nothing, you just.. You talk really fast when you’re doing damage control, that’s all,” Emma comments and Regina looks confused now. 

“I will pretend I understand what you’re referencing and just simply nod,” the brunette said. “Come now, let’s deal with this quickly,” Regina says before she’s walking out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Emma looks at Cora and then back in Regina’s direction before she shakes her head and smiles. She makes her way upstairs and sees that Regina is pulling out something very simple to wear. A button up, dark wash jeans and some sandals. She then sees the brunette pick out her things as well. Her freshly washed police shirt, amongst the many others Regina had surprised her with a good few days back, all mimicking one another. 

“You okay?” Emma queries and Regina pauses before she turns around. 

“I am, why would you ask that?” 

“I dunno, you just seem to be taking this better than I expected,” Emma said and Regina merely shrugged. 

“I suppose I am, but I’ve no reason to honestly be upset with her when she clearly didn’t know how to handle the oven,” 

“And you’re sure you’re okay?” Emma asked again and Regina laughed lightly with a smile. 

“Yes, Emma I’m sure I’m okay,” she told her and Emma shrugged and nodded. 

“Okay,” she said before walking over to the brunette and kissing her on the lips. 

“What was that for?” Regina asked with clear confusion. 

“I didn’t get to do it earlier and I don’t wanna miss doing it at very random points in time because you can’t tell me not to,” the blonde responded with a cheeky wink and Regina scowled at her but grinned. 

“Smart,” she said with a roll of her eyes. 

“Very,” the blonde commented and then she felt the brunette push her in the direction of the bathroom. 

“Go. Shower and I’ll shower after you,” she announces and Emma complies. 

“You know, we could just make this go faster if you showered with me,” she jokes and Regina freezes before she swallows. Emma notices and flails. “Okay- never joking about that again.. Sorry,” she muttered and Regina is shaking her head. 

“Don’t apologise.. It was just a surprising thing, that’s all,” she admitted and Emma seemed to visibly relax. 

  
  


“You’re not uncomfortable now, are you?” 

“No, I’m not. There’s no need to worry I’ll run, Emma. Like I said, it was just surprising..many things are becoming surprises to me as of late,” she admits and Emma laughs uneasily. 

“I guess you’re right,” she amends before she makes a sheepish smile visible and then motions awkwardly at the bathroom before following that awkward motion and going in. She leaves the door cracked wide enough and then she starts the shower before stepping in and immediately letting out a shrill sound. Regina walked towards the bathroom  door with enough speed to garner a small tornado where she was so concerned the blonde had either fallen and cracked her head or come face to face with something unnatural.. 

“Emma..Emma are you okay?” 

“Yep! Totally, just- you know, shouldn’t have climbed in when it was still cold,” she admitted and Regina smiled. 

“Always ahead of the curve, aren’t you,” the brunette commented and Emma let out a bark of laughter. 

“I guess you could say that… you can come in now,” she’d informed the woman and Regina walked in before she set about brushing her teeth and washing her face. She left on her mask a little bit longer before she looked at her hair and brushed through it. Given enough humidity, her hair would curl up to it’s natural state of insanity where her Puerto Rican side was concerned. It was funny because her Italian heritage deemed her curls loose but thick and heavenly and her Puerto Rican side deemed her worthy of smaller ringlets that fell in their own style that ranged from mane to straight back, so her hair always fell between unruly and Unruly is as unruly does. It was constantly battling itself to make her not look like she was quite possibly still a preteen. 

  
  
  


After Emma was done she stepped out and Regina got in and quickly showered as the blonde brushed her teeth and blow dried her hair. It was a mess of frizz and took Regina forcing her to sit, adding frizz control and braiding the woman’s hair off for her for Emma to finally get dressed. She didn’t count on Regina doing her braid in her towel and pretty much have the blonde there and sat, shirtless. Once she was done, she pushed the blonde to get dressed as she stripped in the walk in and got herself dressed as well. Emma did walk in when Regina had just nearly finished pulling on her jeans and she tried covering her eyes and walking the other way, only to crack her face on the post. 

“Emma!” Regina shrieks her name and catches her before she either falls or she does it again. She hisses when she sees a very red forehead that was probably pulsing as well and the slight knick on the blonde’s nose. “What were you thinking?” she scolded and Emma huffed like a child. 

“I didn’t wanna walk in and see you all.. Compromised…” 

“Compromised-compromised how? Emma I was putting on a pair of jeans-,” 

“-Yeah, but your butt was showing and I didn’t want you to think I was sexualizing you if I ended up staring, which would literally imply I was if I am staring,” she said of her own realization that made Regina roll her eyes and shake her head. 

“You could have also just been admiring me, you know,” Regina said but Emma shook her head. “Trust me when I say, it would have been more than admiring.. I’ve seen you before in the simplest of things, but it’s just something about seeing you in an intimate setting that makes the euphoria of it that much heavier,” she admits and Regina merely smiles before she nods. 

“I understand, but you now have a rather large mark on your forehead and a cut on your nose.. Come,” she commands and Emma follows. 

“What are you gonna do?” 

“Disinfect your wound and patch it up,” she says simply and Emma allows her to. She cleans it with alcohol first and then peroxide before she puts a little band-aid over it. It has little fish on it and Emma scrunches up her face at it. “I’ve had these for years and by years I mean since Henry was four.. He’d slowly stopped wanting band-aids on his cuts because he claimed they made him look cooler….” she trailed off with a laugh and a shake of her head. 

“Sounds like our kid,” Emma laughs. She looks in the mirror at her new band-aid and supposes she could work with it. What woman didn’t like a clumsy blonde with fishy band-aids?! 

“It does,” Regina agrees before she runs a finger over Emma’s nose and exits the bathroom.  Emma watches her leave and stares at the expanse of Regina’s exposed back. She realizes that Regina’s skin is beyond smooth just by the way her back doesn’t wrinkle when her body sways.She sighs to herself, shakes her head and smirks. She’s then standing up and walks into the room to see Regina putting on her shirt. She walks towards the woman and kisses the back of her neck.

“You know, when these start feeling really real, I’m going to run the hell out with kissing you at every point of the day,”

“You mean like you’re doing right now,” Regina grins and Emma bites her lightly just at the shoulder. Regina shivers and giggles beside her better control and Emma snickers in rejoice.

“Gotcha,” the blonde teases and Regina pouts. “Damn, don’t do that..it’s too cute, don’t do that,” she pleads with the brunette who just pouts harder. “Fuck,” Emma hisses as she caves. She kisses Regina in succession, one right after the other. Her arms are wrapped around the woman’s body and her lips come to just behind Regina’s ear as she chants. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she apologises to the brunette with a precious face she’d managed to create when she was younger and needed to get out of trouble. Regina scrunches up her nose at Emma and wiggles it at the blonde.

“Fiiiiine,” Regina says in playfulness.

“Yesss,” Emma wiggles with Regina in her hold and Regina laughs.

“Get. Dressed,” she repeats to the blonde who huffs into her hair and reluctantly lets go.

“Fine, but I’m going to be difficult about it,” she informs and Regina raises a brow with a smile.

“I don’t expect you to be anything less,” she tells her and Emma scowls.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina finishes getting herself dressed and tousles her hair once more before she turns to fix Emma’s shirt for her.

“Is it okay if I don’t wear my tie today? It’s kind of warm and ties are a pain in the ass most days, especially since I don’t know how to tie it, if I manage to undo it,” she admits and Regina’s head is inclined in interest.

“You really don’t know how to tie your tie?” she questions and Emma shakes her head. “Then who’s been tying it for you all those other times?”

“Henry, or my mom, or my dad, or I just left it tied and washed it in that exact same position and then threw it back on,” she tells Regina who looks mortified at the thought of already throwing a knotted tie into the washer and having it know more, only to go in the dryer and knot even more. She shakes her head of the possibility that Emma practiced that often.

“Sit down,” Regina says suddenly and Emma obliges without question. Regina walks towards the drawers and opens her own. Because Emma is ‘careless’ as parents usually describe children, or just flat out forgetful, Regina has been keeping her ties in her drawers. She pulls out another and walks back to the bed before she sits.

“You’re seriously about to teach me how to tie a tie?”

“I am, because if there is ever a day that I’m either not home or you wake too early for me to want to get out of bed and tie it for you, you’ll know how to do it yourself,” Regina explains and Emma shakes her head with a laugh.

“Alright then,” she gives in. “Teach me,” she tells the brunette, and taught she was. Regina is very careful, calm and sweet during the explanation time where Emma and her ties were concerned. She never once got frustrated with the blonde and even congratulated her when she managed to remember the few tricks Regina showed her and when she’d tied it correctly. Regina watched the way Emma’s eyes lit up at the praise she received and wondered just how deeply rooted in need for it the blonde was. Still, she tried not to think of it too hard because Emma was the type, much like Regina was and still is the one who shuts down if they feel you’re getting too deep into their mind or too close to their tender emotions. So, she willed herself to not delve too deep too soon and instead finished off the miniature lesson. Once they were done and Regina had put both ties away the pair head downstairs after fixing the bed.

“Monotonous as it may be.. It’s very domesticated and comforting,” Emma commented and Regina looked confused. Emma rolled her eyes and smiled. “I meant us. Regardless of what we do and how many times we have to do it, it never ceases to amaze me how comforting the acts can be,” she says more clearly and Regina gets it. She smiles at the blonde and loops their arms. 

“Well then, let’s go have breakfast and then I’ll take you both in, another monotonous activity I’m positive we both enjoy wholeheartedly now,” she tells the blonde who grins and leads her down the staircase. They see that Cora is holding Ermis and looking at the damage. 

“And this, right here, is where I fucked up,” she tells the duck and he squeaks. “I thought it was one from the Enchanted Forest, cut me some slack,” she tells him and he squeaks again, seemingly more softer than before. She sighs. “Yes, I know I should have asked, but I was hungry, people were sleeping and I wanted to do something nice for everyone. I’ve been mooching off of them for long enough, the least I could do was make some fresh bread.. I used to do that you know, I was a Miller’s daughter… that’s how you got your name, whatever profession you were in was tied to your last name.. Still unsure why Regina’s father let me give her my last name, but okay… and then there’s David.. He was a farmer’s boy, but his last name’s Nolan, which literally means noble… I don’t know, anyway, Your name is Ermis, it’s greek and I named you that because you are just as your name suggest. Restless, independent and basically ready for a fight and outspoken….” He squeaked again, seeming to be arguing with her. “You are restless, you squeak all damn night and you’re always arguing with me, like now, and though I might sound really fucking insane at this point in time, you are the cause you little yellow bundle of muff,” she teases and he flutters in her hand before peeping his way up her shoulder,. He catches sight of Regina and Emma and Regina puts a finger to her lips. He stays quiet. She and Emma walk further and further into the kitchen and nearly frighten Cora into Cardiac arrest.

“Still convinced my mom’s the only crazy one talking to woodland creatures?” Emma questions and Cora yelps. She snickers and Cora growls. 

“ _ Why? _ ” she questions in exasperation and Emma holds up a hand, 

“Sorry, it’s just really fun to scare you,” 

“Yes well, one of these days you might actually frighten me to death, then what?” 

“Pretty positive Regina will kill me, can’t have another Charming idiot kill you,” Emma said with a shake of her head. 

“This is true,” the brunette agrees and Cora looks over, obviously now aware her daughter was there as well. Ermis finally squeaks as he sees Regina walking over and then he’s squeaking louder, peeping his way off Cora’s shoulder. The duck miscalculates and goes tumbling, only to be caught mid drop by Regina who covers him quickly. She holds him in her hands in the darkness for a bit too slowly his possible fear and then she’s holding him against her chest. 

“You Mister, are too adventurous,” she tells him and he squeaks weakly. Regina rubs his little belly and then sets him on the counter so that he can run wild. Before they can get into another conversation, Regina takes notice of her mother’s hand.

“Mother, you’re bleeding,” she comments and it seems flat but Regina’s just concerned at this point and wondering how she didn’t catch it before. Cora looks down and back up before she looks over at the counter where she was working and then she’s shrugging.

“It stopped a while ago. I was kneading the loaf and something popped off and then it just started bleeding- and no, I didn’t get it in the bread.. not that we can have bread now, anyway,”

“I’m still trying to figure out what ‘popped’,” Emma commented and Regina leaned over before she whispered.

“It must be the acrylic nails Mayim convinced her to get. More than likely it got caught in the dough and was torn off in the process,” Regina expresses and Emma hisses.

“Yikes, don’t those things hurt like hell to take on anyway,”

“I wouldn’t know, I’ve never been a fan of adding onto the nails I could quite literally grow myself,” she tells the blonde and Emma bobs her head in understanding. “Mother,” Regina calls as she’s now turning her attention back to Cora who’s watching Ermis with intense protection.

“Yes darling,” she answers, not looking away from the bird.

“You need to clean that, mother,” Regina tells her and she watches her mother nod, but still possibly not register what she was nodding at. “Mother, are you listening?”

“Not really,” the woman admits and still, she’s watching Ermis. Regina shakes her head and ushers the bird over, who follows instructions and peeps his way all the way to the brunette. Cora looks like she’s been stabbed in the back and Ermis looks like he doesn’t give a fuck. Once Regina picks him up again and rubs his head, Cora’s finally looking at her. Regina then looks at Emma who nods and the brunette says to her Cora, “Follow me, mother. We need to clean it,” and somehow, that works for her. Cora follows Regina up the stairs and into the master bath where she motions that the woman sit before she puts Ermis in her not so bloodied hand. Regina then bends down after she finds alcohol and peroxide and some cotton balls and those fishy band-aids. Once she starts to clean her mother’s wound, Cora hisses because the alcohol burns.

“It burrrrnnnnns!” she tells her in petulance and Regina flashes a sympathetic smile. 

“I know, but that’s because there’s germs and pieces of nail still in there somewhere,” she tells Cora and the woman whimpers. “It’s okay, just a little longer and I’ll put the band-aid on,” Regina coos and Cora whimpers and pouts this time as she watches Regina dab a cotton ball in peroxide. Cora shakes her head rapidly and yanks her hand away and Regina looks up at her for a moment, utterly lost until she realizes that Cora believes that’s going to burn as well.… “It’s not going to burn, mother, I promise,”

“But it looks like it will, why is it making that sound?”

“Because it’s an active liquid. It’ll fizz like soda does, but you won’t feel it, I can promise you that,” Regina repeats and Cora looks like she might give in. Regina bows her head forward slightly as she reaches for her mother’s hand with a gentleness she vaguely remembers Cora doing when she was a little girl. Granted, they never ended well for her, but she’d make it end well for her mother. Cora gives Regina her hand and Regina lightly dabs over the wound.

“See, it’s not so bad right?” she queries and Cora shakes her head.

“No, I suppose it isn’t,” she admits and Regina smiles before she finds the perfect fishy band-aid for her mother. She puts it on Cora’s finger and wrapps it tightly before she looks up at her mother who is smiling at the band-aid. 

“You like those ones?” she queries and Cora nods almost child-like. “Well, I’ll be sure to buy more of these ones then,” Regina tells her and Cora’s smiling wider. They then fall silent and so does Ermis who is quite possibly taking the first of his many naps for the day. “Mother?”

“Yes, darling?”

“Would you like to stay here a little bit longer?” Regina questions because she’s been aware that Cora never brings clothes over, and she’ll usually just wear what’s been washed for her and put back in her room. That was pure indication that she’d only be there until she’s either worn everything in the closet or until she feels, like she’s stated ‘like a mooch.’

“I thought I’d already overstayed my welcome the first time around,” Cora admits and Regina shakes her head.

“No, you haven’t… Henry enjoys your company when Emma and I can’t be here and I’ll even go as far in saying that I enjoy it more when you’re here too. Besides, it’s easier to watch you and ensure nothing gets blown up or shoved up someone’s behind,” she tells the woman and raises a critical brow that has Cora blushing because of guilt. “Stay,” Regina tells her and she goes on, “I like having my mother living with me because I’ll be honest, I want you to have a better relationship with your grandchildren than you and I ever had and in some odd way, Emma’s taken to you being a large mother figure in her life even though there’s Snow.”

“She does?”

“She does,” Regina nods. “She may not say it and you may not see it, but I do. She enjoys the banter with you, but she also enjoys the way you are when you’ve calmed down and are just around… maybe you should go out with her on patrol. She’d probably enjoy the moment,” Regina suggested.

“You think?”

“Think what?” comes Emma’s question from the doorway Cora and Regina turn around to see the blonde with a grin on her face. “Of course I’d enjoy having a partner in crime out with me on patrol, maybe that’ll give your mom something recklessly good to do if she’s got anger to expel from her system,” Emma says and Regina nods her head.

“Wait… I can be reckless but it still does good?” Cora asks rather surprised and Emma grins and nods.

“Yeah, there is a lot you can do… but we kinda have to talk about that later- Henry is ready, so Regina, we gotta go,” Emma says as she’s pointing to the other door with her thumb. Regina nods quickly and ushers the two people out the door and tells her mother to be safe and that she’ll bring her breakfast when she gets back, or quite possibly an early lunch. Cora nods, kisses all of their heads and sends them off. Ermis is still conked out and Cora decides to go shower and change into a hoodie that Ermis can just hang out in and some sweatpants because her actual pants no longer fit… fucking potatoe chips.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  
  


Regina, Henry and Emma go to the Muffin Man’s bakery because it’s the closest thing to their home. It was either that or Granny’s and Regina was not for smelling anymore smoke and grease and possible burning for that morning. Once they reach, she laughs as she watches both blonde mother and son run from the car and into the bakery… mind you, Henry’s stomach was growling on the five minute drive, but he proved truly barbaric when both her and Emma got there and both he and his blonde mother swallowed the food faster than they can order it. She gets inside and inhales with appreciation that the only thing the place smells like is freshly baked everything. Regina heads over to the counter and greets Timothy-he’s the muffin man and he’s the muffin man that’s always smiling, kind of like Marco.

“Timothy,” she greets him with a soft smile and his eyes brighten at the sight of Regina. Timothy was another one of those characters who were somehow very closely involved in Regina’s life, and in essence, even when she created the curse, she made it a point that those who were good to her were still able to thrive beyond what they could in the Enchanted Forest. 

“Reginaaaaa,” he says in an airy whisper that makes the young woman blush. Even though Timothy is well in age, quite possibly still on par with her now deceased father, he doesn’t appear to be that age. “How are you, darling girl?” he questions as he comes from around the counter to hug her. He was also rather tall, so she was usually engulfed in the scent of some serious goodness where baked goods were concerned. Timothy never smelt of anything but his freshly baked grains and pastries.

“I’m well,” she admits after he releases her from the hug and he rubs her shoulder.

“Excellent, and I see you’ve brought by the sheriff and your son… care to tell me why I’m amongst the final few to find out about your engagement.. Let alone the pregnancy and coming wedding,” he scolds jokingly before he places his hands to her stomach. “You have a little bun in the oven and didn’t think to tell me I would be expecting another little helper in my kitchen?” he questions and Regina smiles.

“I’m sorry, Timothy, but we didn’t necessarily have it planned; but trust me when I say you’re still amongst some of the firsts to know… Emma had randomly told her parents because she was upset and it wasn’t really how we wanted to tell everyone.. Well, how I wanted to tell anyone-,”

“-hmmmm,” he hums with a laugh because he remembers little perfectionist Regina always trying to make sure she did everything right so as to not upset him. He remembers telling her,

 

_ “Slow down, little darling, never panic or overwork yourself when you make bread. It can feel the tension, yes?”  _

_ “Yes sir, Timothy,” she’d nodded.  _

_ “Good, little darling..come, let’s start over and this time, we’ll do what?” _

_ “Be gentle?”  _

_ “Exactly.” _

 

“Yes-but it’s out and I’m positive if her mother hasn’t talked about it by now to at least fourty people, then her subordinates would have…” she finds herself trailing off and he turns slightly before he nods at her.

“So, have you found out what your having?” he questions as he makes his way back around the counter, she shakes her head before she follows him. He always lets her go behind the counter because when she picks things- he wants her to pick it from comfort. He’d always allowed her to as a little girl and that was due in part to the fact that she was consistently in the kitchen and always wanting to help. She was always up early and dashing through the halls to see him and show her mother and father how she learned to bake something new each day. That’s where Regina’s love for baking came from. Her love for many things came from the people- good or bad, that surrounded her. Her love of Apples came from a little boy she had met before her mother had found out that she’d managed to stray from the castle walls one day. 

Johnny Appleseed was his name.

Conveniently named because his father owned a small orchard that did rather well for itself and was keeping both father and son and an entire small community from facing exile. He’d given her her first red apple one day and Regina fell in love in an instant. It was crisp and sweet and it was fresh in a sense that every bite was cool on contact, but smooth going down. Johnny had then given her her first appleseed right before Cora and her father finally found her. That was the first time she really saw worry on her mother’s face and not just because she wanted her to be queen either. Johnny had told her if she planted it in soil that was good and with love that knew no bounds, it would flourish even in the worst of time and bear fruit even in the worst seasons and the boy was right- oh how he was right. She wished she could thank him but she’d later found out that he’d died of an age old disease they had no cure for in the EF at the time. She could never forget his cheeky smile when they first met though.. that and his laugh when he’d dared her to climb the tree with him so he could show her a better view of the orchard. She’d ripped her dress but thankfully one of the women had managed to stitch it back because even though she knew it was no huge thing, to her mother, it was everything. Johnny had later learned who Regina was, but he never treated her any different even after that. He was himself just the same as he was before finding out. Truth be told, he liked her even more because Regina was never a pompous little brat like most royalty tend to be. She was mild and tenderhearted and adventurous and a giggle monster at the best and worst of times. She was a sweetheart without claim, but she was determined and protective much the same.. He’d kissed her cheek after they climbed the tree and told her that she was the best person he’d met in a long time and she’d laughed and asked him how when they were both only about ten….that was a memory Regina kept with her because had she never met Johnny appleseed, she never would have had any motive to devote time to something as she did with her tree.

Her love for horses came from both her father and Daniel. Being the stable boy proved to be both good luck for both of them. Daniel now had a friend, a lover and the best assistant ad student he’d ever seen. He’d trained many from the time he was a young boy up until he was hired by Regina’s mother to tend horses. Her father was the one who took her out to purchase Rocinante and the handler seemed rather impressed with Regina’s excitement to get her own horse. 

And then there’s her love for magic. Dark or light, that came from her mother’s destructive influence, from the Genie’s underlying influence, from Rumple’s demeaning influence, and from Maleficent’s emotional influence. Even though that was a toxic love, she never could give it up, much like other loves, it remained with her.

 

“We’re hoping for a little girl,” she admits quietly as she goes down the line of what she should pick out for both her son and Emma.

“Ahhhh, well, that would do well to have another gorgeous little girl now wouldn’t it,” he compliments and she blushes.

“I’m nearly positive all of it might come from Emma,”

“Nonsense,” he tells her. “Emma may be the sheriff, but you’re the mayor. She may be beautiful, but so are you, little darling- and there’s also a little something about you little darling that no one else has.. And that’s drive,” he says to her and it almost scares her because Regina’s thought that no one ever notices that. People usually confused her drive with perfectionism,and jealousy which is what she never wanted to be seen as.. Still, even those that weren’t her biggest fans, threw her on a pedestal and pretty much went- Dance monkey dance!. Timothy takes notice that she’s lost in her thoughts and snaps his fingers. That was also another thing he was known for doing with her since she was little and usually felt very insecure or was too deep in her mind too early in the mornings. “Little darling,” he whispers to her with a smirk and Regina comes to and smiles back at him.

“Sorry,” she apologises with a sheepish look on her face.

“Nonsense.. Have you picked out any names?” comes the question as he moves around behind the counter. He notices Regina’s picked whatever she deems perfect for Henry and Emma to eat and helps her to put them into little paper bags that doubled as Napkins somehow. She shakes her head a bit.

“Somewhat,” she admits and he tilts his head.

“Emma and I only talked about one name so far.. She’d asked if I ever had other names in mind and realized that I wanted something Hawaiian even though there’s absolutely no relation in either of our families to the Samoan tribe, or the Filipino heritage.” He’s silent for a minute and then he speaks.

“So.. you do have names.. Or rather, a name, care to tell me?” he grins and she grins back but shakes her head.

“We wanted it to be a surprise, so we haven’t told Henry, or my mother,or hers for that matter-,”

“-And that means I’m in the same boat, gotcha,” he nods but remains smiling and she blushes.

“Sorry, Tim,” she tells him and he smirks.

“Go and feed them, little darling, but the minute that little girl is born, I want front row pictures to come give my blessing,” he tells her and she feels guilty for the lies she’s been telling this man. She feels guilty that she smiles and accepts the hug he gives her that is so warm and tight. She feels the guilt where he’s concerned because she wishes with all of her that the little girl she continuously talks about with everyone, she wishes it were true.. Granted most of the things she and Emma tell them are true, she just wish the pregnancy was as well. Regina sighs into the hug before she pulls away and then gets both Henry and Emma a hot chocolate with their usual fixings of whipped cream and cinnamon. Two large blueberry muffins and some salty thing that looks like candied bacon later and she set everything before them. They’re already in their seats as she settles herself on the other side of the table. 

“Eat,” she says to both of them who don’t need to be told twice but are looking at her trying to figure out where her food is. 

“You need to eat too, mom,” Henry tells her and she shakes her head. 

“I’m not hungry, sweetheart,” 

“But mom… please,” he begs and though she would relent on a normal day, today, she just didn’t feel like giving in. 

“I can’t, sweetheart. I have too much on my mind to deal with and part of that is getting both of you where you need to be,” she explains to him and he sags in his chair. Emma gives her a pleading look but she still doesn’t give in.

“Little darling, are you not hungry?” Timothy questions and she shakes her head.

“No sir,” she answers and it mimics her childhood voice. He knows too well that she’s once again thinking, but he leaves her be. He just allows his lips to pinch into a small form and nods before he heads to the back. The breakfast is eaten in a weird silence due to that and once they’re mostly done, Regina puts in an order for something else, whatever the hell it is, it’s for Cora. Her phone rings and she looks confused. 

“Something wrong?” comes Emma’s question and Regina’s face scrunches 

“It’s Clara,” she says and Emma kind of has a feeling she knows why the woman is calling. 

“You gonna answer it?” 

“Seems I have to,” she says before doing just that. “Hello,” 

“Regina, we have a situation,” Clara says immediately. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“We have news reporters outside of Town Hall trying to knock the doors in over what happened earlier this morning,” 

“Something happened this morning?” Regina questions, confused. 

“Yeah, the earthquake, didn’t you feel it? Someone called it in and then it spread like wildfire that the earthquake has something to do with the lack of Magic in StoryBrooke… Word got out and now the reporters are here, demanding an interview,” she clarified and Regina sighed. 

“It wasn’t an earthquake this morning and this town has gone nearly thirty five years without an earthquake or any natural disaster due to the lack of magic in StoryBrooke. If anything it seems StoryBrooke is full of it considering the unwanted visitors we continuously get… Just go out and make a public statement that we were merely testing the new breaking ground theory near the mines and found one of the main pipes to be overwhelmed and rather old. It needs replacing.. Better still, get David on the phone and tell him I need him to do me a favour,” 

“Okay,” Clara said before dialling the man’s number, “He’s on,” she said and Regina spoke. 

“I need you to tell him to go out to the mines along with Mulan and Little John and whoever else he’s recruited.. If that’s anyone else, and to tape off the mines. Caution tape, no crossing tape-whatever damn tape they have. I need them to tape off the area and stay there because the media is going to have a frenzy the second that statement is released…” she trailed off and Clara repeated the words verbatim. “Shit,” she hisses upon remembrance,” 

“What is it?” “The dwarves. They were supposed to accompany Marco to my home to assess the damage,” Regina said and Clara deviated from the topic, 

“Wait, what damage? Are you okay, is Henry.. Are.. is everyone okay?” 

“Yes-yes, do calm down. We’re perfectly fine and I suppose now would be a good time to tell you that mother was the cause of that miniature quake this morning…” 

“Howwwwww?” 

“She attempted to use the stove and hadn’t realized it was electric, not log wood powered. Long story short- she blew away half my kitchen and part of the upstairs in Henry’s room,” 

“You know.. I’m not even surprised by this at all,” Clara said and Regina smirked. 

“That makes.. Four of us I suppose,” she clarifies and Clara snickers before she coughs to get the seriousness back. 

“Okay, I’ll go deal with the news reporters but you know they’re going to demand you come and speak with them,” she says and Regina sighs. 

“I know, I’ll be there shortly, but after that, Town Hall is closed for the day. I have to deal with my house missing a piece of itself and everything else on top of that,” she tells her and Clara hums. “Alright, well, I’ll go deal with them, and I’ll see if I can get the dwarves to come out there before they head over to yours,” she tells the brunette who hums in response. They hang up and Emma just looks at Regina. 

“Seriously.. The news is covering it now?” she queries and Regina nods. 

“It must have affected more than I’d originally assumed, then again, I hadn’t looked around long enough to take note of whether or not anyone else’s yard was disheveled.” Silence for a moment and then Emma was snickering lightly. 

“I can’t believe your mother caused a town-wide panic over her blowing up the oven,” she said and Regina shook her head but couldn’t hide her own smile. 

“That’s because no one knew she blew up the oven except us. Everyone’s assumption was an earthquake that a few of our over the top townspeople had immediately called in,” 

“You’d think they’d realized they lived through worse in the Enchanted Forest than they did in this day and age,” Emma commented and Regina smirked. 

“That’s because for twenty eight years they got used to the simple fact that nothing ever went wrong… now that the curse is lifted and anything goes, so does their common sense on natural disasters.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

  
  
  
  


Henry’s at school, and that comes with the discomfort of him continuously shifting in his seat during classes, walking and wiggling his but when they’re changing classes and basically rubbing up against anything that would give his little bum some form of relief. He’s seriously thinking about learning magic just to sting his nana because of his lack of underwear. His friends have taken notice about his weird behaviour and of course Nick is the one to address it in their  physics class when it becomes too much. He was not for Henry doing the jitterbug and blowing the class up, so, he needed to figure out what the hell was happening.

“Dude, why are are you walking like someone stuck a pole up your butt,” he’d questioned his best friend and Henry groaned loudly before he pulled Nick aside. Some eyes were on them but other than that, none of the students really bothered.

“Because-,” he began as he shimmied out yet another wedgie. “-Ma made me come to school with no underwear on,” he complained as he shimmied in his pants once again and his friends snickered at him. He’d forgotten that Grace and Ava were like right there, but he was so uncomfortable that his butt was beginning to chafe. Henry then scowled at them and they laughed harder. 

“Sorry dude, but you look too funny for us not to laugh at you,” 

“And this is why I hate you,” Henry joked and Nick snickered before he pat his friend’s shoulder. “Love you too, man.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Regina finally reaches reaches Town Hall after she drops Emma off to the mines instead of the station. She’s breathing a bit heavily as she’s managed to sneak into the back and then she’s apologising to Clara for being late and Clara brushes it off.

“You’re good, Regina,” she tells her but Regina still feels a bit uneasy right then and there. She knows how the small town’s media team can be because she was the one who created them to begin with and they were vipers on a good day.. This was no good day though.. At least, based on the exaggerations of the town, it wasn’t a good day. She asks how Regina’s doing and the brunette shrugs but tells her, 

“I’m fine.” It’s a natural response for the brunette by these days even when she isn’t actually fine. To be honest, they’re all very wired to giving this response in a sense to say they aren’t but they don’t want to vocalize it. 

Clara makes a suggestion that they steer the media away from Town Hall and Regina tells her not to bother. Clara asks 

“Why?” and Regina tells her, 

“Because, they’ll find something else to report the second they can’t get enough information on the ‘earthquake’,” she puts in quotations.Clara bobs her head and then says to the brunette

“You know, Regina you might actually be right,” she smirks which the brunette nods at. 

“I’m well aware, I tend to be that sometimes,” she jokes as well and Clara rolls her eyes. She tells Clara to go home because she certainly isn’t staying. Clara laughs and says that Regina’s,

“ Just gotten more lazy over the course of five minutes than you have been in twenty eight years,” and that’s true if the response by Regina is anything to go by.. It’s a scowl and a petulant answer and Regina says,

“How would you know, you barely knew who you were for twenty eight years,” 

“Touche,” Clara answers.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  
  


Regina gets home and Marco is already there and in the kitchen. Shecan hear him talking calmily and she can hear her mother responding in kind. Cora had let him in the second she heard the doorbell ring and he’s pretty much been there since and that’s why by the time Regina’s in her home she realizes he’ almost done in damage assessment. 

“Ahh, Mayor Mills,” he says politely as Cora’s sat at the kitchen island, pretty much whispering to Ermis. 

“Marco,” Regina nods with a soft smile before she walks further and further into the kitchen. He dusts his hands and sticks the pencil between his ear and his hair before he looks at the miniature pad in his hand. She looks at it as well and then he’s gesturing for her to take a look. Once she’s sees the monetary quote for the house she’s not sure if she’s surprised about the number or the way he deduced that the supplies she needed seemed almost nonexistent… she shakes her head slightly at herself as she offers the man a drink and something to eat. He politely declines and tells her that Cora’s already done all of that. Regina looks impressed and nods with a smile. Marco tells her he can see if there’s any way that he can reduce the pricing on the paper by calling in a few favours, but Regina tells him not to and that she’ll actually be paying him more for this job considering the job calls for so much work. He tries to tell her not to, but she pulls the “Are you truly going to argue with the mayor?” He’s sheepish and apologetic in the sweetest way that she can’t even be mad at him. He acquiesces and Regina smirks in triumph. Marco stays a while longer and talks with Cora about Ermis and the duck pond and she has him out back and looking over plans to make it a better sanctuary in case she wanted to add more ducks. Regina leaves them be and goes upstairs to properly get undressed from her already annoying attire. After she does so, she does the next most unceremonious thing. She flopped down on the bed, clad in a hoodie and some shorts because who didn’t like that sort of comfort? A lot of people were prone to dressing like that and she wasn’t above it. 

 

Somehow though, Regina had managed to drift off to sleep and had ended up taking a short nap that she later found herself being happy she’d succumbed to because when she woke, she felt refreshed but she also took note that she needed to go shopping, and go for lunch with Emma, but Henry would be getting out of school less than an hour later after that and Regina wanted to spend time with the two of them considering she was off now. She gets up, washes her face and brushes her teeth before she descends the staircase only to find that her mother and Marco as well as Ermis are all asleep on the patio deck. The kiss of the warm sun kept them from shivering and kept them comfortable as they continued to sleep. Regina sighed out a smile before she got closer to the trio and Ermis stirred awake. The little yellow ball of fluff pattered his way off of Cora’s stomach and over to Regina’s foot. She bent down and picked him up before scratching the top of his head and walking through the gaping hole that was now her kitchen. She sighed once more. It was clear that a cleanup crew had come to clear out the debris from the explosive moment. Her kitchen looked noticeably…. blank.

“I’m afraid to find out what woodland army makes themselves a home in my house, now,” she comments and he squeaks. He was more than likely laughing at her and she finds herself laughing lightly as well. “You think that’s funny, don’t you?” she questions Ermis and he squeaks again. Regina rolls her eyes. “You wouldn’t be laughing if an eagle or a crow decided to try and eat you, now would you?” she questions him again and he flutters angrily in her hold. She sees his little face pinch and shakes her head. “Alright-alright… I’m sorry. No one’s going to eat you, I’ll make sure of that, Ermis,” she says to the duck who seems to visibly relax at that. She sets him down on the counter for a moment before she pulls open the fridge and stares at it for a moment. She then shuts it and opens the cupboards before she stares momentarily and then shuts those as well. She turns to see Ermis has his head tilted at her and she smirks. “Mental picture for when I go shopping,” she tells him and he shakes his head, almost as if he understands. Regina picks him back up after she writes a note to her mother and for Marco and then she’s grabbing her necessities and taking the little birdy with her. It’s funny when she sets him down in the passenger seat in her car because Ermis is about as big as her fist… if that. So she conjures up the tiniest little safety seat she can and he hops in without another word. Regina buckles his little straps and is laughing to herself because,

“This is absurd,” and of course Ermis tilts his head at her. She looks over at him and says, “I’ve never had to conjure a seat for such a small animal, this might be a reoccurring moment.” He just squeaks at her.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Post taped off and catatonic mine dealings, Emma, Mulan, Little John and her father pretty much had the longest and most boring day they’ve seen so far for the year. David gets called away because Mary Margaret panics over Neal since the little boy started to run up with a fever. Of course Emma tells him to go and deal with it because it sounded serious. So, David leaves. Little John and Mulan are still on file duty which literally means that they’re stuck in the cabinet room. It was  _ the _ room. The room where no one wanted to be and yet still everyone ended up there at some point in time on that job. This was their time and given how much both of them either struggled in one area or another whether it be chronological or geographical filing to just simply sorting the papers in the files by date, both would be in there longer than Emma had been for sure and still possibly longer than David was as well. They get swallowed up in the cabinet room and nearly by lunch, they’re both so out of it that Little John practically cries and Mulan is groaning in a corner where the files are just all over her. Of course Emma feels bad for them, so she decides she should do something nice for the pair and she picks up her cell phone. She dials out and Regina picks it up instantly.

“Hello,” she hears the woman answer and it’s a slight echo which means the bluetooth in the car was being used.

“Hey,” she smiles. “How was today so far?”

“Long,” Regina answers her and she laughs.

“That bad?”

“Aside from the media on my ass about the ‘explosion’,” Emma can hear the emphasis that indicates quotations. “it was fine I suppose,”

“Then I guess you’re okay,”

“I didn’t say that, but I’ll manage… why did you call?”

“Because I need a favour.. And to check on you,”

“How cute, you call for a favour and a favour only and I’m the afterthought,” Regina teases her and she groans.

“Yes, I’m terrible-I know.. But could you, please?” she begs and Regina sighs.

“And this favour would be?”

“Could you stop off to get Mulan and Little John some lunch- please-please-please! I’ll pay you back when you get here, and I don’t think they’ll last any longer than they have… they were in the room,”

“The room?”

“Yeah, the cabinet room,” Emma says with a shiver and Regina barks out a laugh.

“Consider the favour done. I’m highly aware of the effects this particular room can have on the weakest of the bunch,” Regina snickers and Emma growls a bit.

“They’re not weak,” she defends and Regina laughs.

“Okkkaaaay,” she singsongs and Emma grunts.

“Fine, they’re weak, but could you please just bring them lunch.. And come see me,” she adds and Regina smirks on the other end of the line.

“Of course, Emma.. but after this, you all need to go home because you and I have a lunch date with our son. I need to go shopping and it would make more sense if we just had lunch with him considering we always take it around this time,”

“Agreed, I miss the kid anyway, and maybe we can start taking our lunch times when he gets out of school just to make it easier, that way I can either bring him back to the station or you could take him to the office,”

“That does make it easier, and it would give us both more time with him…. I suppose if we both go day for day with him, those extra few hours here and there will give us some much needed bonding time,”

“I think it would,” Emma hums in agreement. “So it’s settled then..we have lunch with Henry,”

“We have lunch with Henry,” Regina repeats with a nod. “And maybe with Ermis-but just for today,” she quickly says and Emma grins.

“He’s in the car with you?”

“Well… yes.. I couldn’t very well leave him by himself,”

“Isn’t your mother there?”

“She’s asleep, and so is Marco,” Regina tells her.

“Marco?” Emma queries with a drooped brow.

“Yes, he fell asleep somewhere after the quote for the damage and conversations with my mother if the two of them falling asleep on the back porch was any indication… Ermis will be joining us. He could use the fresh air,” she explained and Emma started to snicker.

“Alright, but if he’s in one of those little safety seats, i’m teasing you about it,” Emma says and the silence Regina gives makes her lose it laughing.

“Oh My God! He’s in one, isn’t he!” Emma teases and Regina groans.

“So what if he is?” she asks petulantly and Emma laughs.

“Nothing, it’s just cute, that’s all,”

“He could get injured, I had to make sure he wouldn’t fly through my windshield and crack it,”

“Regina he weighs about as much as a pencil, he couldn’t crack it if he tried,” Emma answered with a shake of her head. “Besides, aren’t ducks flightless birds?”

“They are but I’m led to believe that this little monster would surprise us all and put a hole in my window,”

“Ermis isn’t that bad, Gi,” she defends and Regina smiles, but she’s smiling because of the use of the nickname, which, if given the chance to admit, she does truly like it.

“I hate that I’m growing rather fond of this nickname you’ve given me,”

“I love the fact that you are growing fond of it, means I’m doing something right,” the blonde admits and Regina’s face falls into a sad smile.

“You always are doing the right thing, Emma, that’s just it. No matter what it means for anyone else, you are forever known to do the right thing and I commend you for it,”

“You’re making me sound like some warrior,”

“Technically you are.. The-,”

“-don’t say it. That title grates on my nerves,” she growls and Regina lifts her eyebrows and makes a sound Emma can’t quite place.

“Very well..what exactly am I bringing them for lunch?”

“I’m not sure, just surprise me. They can’t be that picky right?”

“You’d be surprised, considering Mulan was raised in Old century China.. I’ll figure it out. You, just be ready to leave a while after. If we’re going to have lunch with Henry and get shopping done, we’ll need to leave on time and I would need to get you back to the station… but I do have one question,” she says, but she trails off soon after. Emma sits up a bit.

“Hmm, what is it?” Emma questions but Regina shakes her head before rolling her eyes at herself and answering,

“Nothing, nevermind,”she answers and Emma in that moment knows it’s better for her not to push the brunette to speak.

“Okay.. be safe, okay?”

“I will,” Regina finally answers and the blonde nods to herself.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Regina finds herself ordering food for Little John and Mulan, but she’s also ordering a bear claw and a cup of coffee for Emma. Knowing the blonde, she probably hadn’t eaten since morning.. And they were much the same like that. One would forget, the other would force them to eat. Or more often than not, Emma would forget to eat and Regina would just choose not to… She had so many thoughts running through her mind that she didn’t even notice when Ruby brought over the order she’d put in. Ruby had asked why Regina was dressed so damn casual right then and there, and the brunette had gotten so used to just shrugging at people that she’d shrugged at Ruby and told her she was off form the office and had errands to run.. It was surprising to see her baring more than just her cleavage on a good day, but now, Regina’s thin legs and toned calves were showing and the appreciation for her skin did not go in vain. Ruby had made a joke that she didn’t think Emma would be too okay with the way everyone was gawking at her and Regina had tilted her head and said. ‘Maybe.’

  
  


“Regina… earth to Regina!” Ruby snapped her fingers and Regina jumped.

“Hmm,” she said but it wasn’t a question, it sounded like a groan.

“Hey, Regina are you okay?” Ruby questioned and the brunette merely tilted her head and squinted her eyes before shutting them and sighing.

“I apologise, Ruby, I’m just feeling very.. Thoughtful I suppose you could say,”

“And I get the feeling you don’t mean it in the nice sort of way.. Kinda stuck in your mind there?”

“Exactly,” Regina answers and the other woman nods.

“Maybe sit down for a minute and shut your eyes. Give it a minute and let it settle in before you keep going like the energizer bunny you always end up being,” Ruby tells her and she is about half a second to complaining but Ruby finds excuse. “Do you really want Emma to have my ass if you don’t get there safe… you know she still isn’t all that okay over how you ended up in the hospital the first time… plus, Granny isn’t done with the bear claws,”

“Fiiiiiiine,” Regina whines and Ruby grins in triumph. She turns and gets Regina some tea and sets it before her.

“Here, it’ll help with your head and your stomach.. Because that’s what it looks like you need,”

“My stomach’s fine.. My head, not so much,” Regina clarifies and Ruby shrugs.

“Still works on both,” she combats and Regina grabs a hold of the cup before she looks down at it.. It doesn’t look threatening...so she sips it and spits it out with a hack.

“What in the-,” she begins very shrill.

“-Mug warts and mint… and a steeped frog leg,” Ruby tells her and Regina just about vomits on that one.

“Why?” she queries and spits out something she really hope wasn’t the fucking toe.

“I don’t know, it’s supposed to help pregnant women like you who get nausea and morning sickness and light-headedness and.. Basically it was supposed to stop you from doing whatever the hell you were doing so you could just be happy.” Regina’s silent for a moment until she shakes her head.

“Well, I’m nearly positive that will make many of us sick, just the same…. Thank you, though,” she finally says and Ruby nods with a grin.

“I’m just waiting on the little human that’s going to come out of you… Boy or girl?”

“We’re hoping for a little girl,”

“You both are or.. Just you?” Ruby questions, because she’s one of them who knows and knew about Regina’s history and her and Daniel’s story.

“I was the only one at first until Emma found out and she’s said since that she can only really see me having our daughter…. I suppose she’s just hoping for the same so that I don’t feel so alone in it,” Regina admits and for some odd reason, she’s becoming emotional over the moment. “Henry says that he wants a little sister and Emma’s joked that he’ll feel threatened if we have another little boy because he won’t be my little prince anymore,” she recalls and Ruby smiles at that.

“That does sound like Henry,” she sang and Regina smiles.

“It does...We agreed to keep the name a secret, considering neither of us have really figure out what it is we want to name her, but Emma seems adamant about something in particular,”

“I get the feeling I know exactly what she’s planning to do,”

“I suppose you would, you have become like family to her,” Regina acknowledges and Ruby nods.

“It’s not just that.. Em’s a bit, predictable when she wants to be and knowing her.. It’s an original idea, that’s not an original idea- like-,” Ruby said before leaning in. She whispers the next half. “-her naming your little girl after you.. Yeah, predictable and original but not original in the same token.” Regina’s silent for a moment until she sighs, almost in relief.

“Yes but-,”

“-don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, besides I just wanna see the little nugget… how far along are you anyway?” Ruby questions and Regina’s really not sure how far along she ‘should’ be and how far along she would have loved to have been.

“I’m not sure, if I’m being honest.” Yes, that part was, but everything else was as well. “Mother cloaked her and we haven’t been counting anything..besides that, magical pregnancies are… unpredictable. One minute it may read a month, the next minute it may read eight.. It all depends on the baby’s control inside the womb and how they develop on their own.”

 

“Claws are out!” Granny shouts from the back and Ruby excuses herself before she reappears with claws in a paper bag and hands them off to Regina. The scent of it, though is good on a regular day, for some reason, doesn’t make her feel so hot in that moment.She winces at the scent and still gathers everything before she’s at the door, but Ruby stops her.

“Guess that’s why I couldn’t smell her when it happened....”

“Hmm?”

“The baby, I guess it’s why I couldn’t sense her when you got pregnant.. May I?” Ruby questions and Regina’s so confused but she nods. Ruby nods back and bends down at Regina’s stomach before she runs her fingers across it. She kisses it and something runs through Regina’s body, almost akin to a response to shock. She doesn’t jerk, but it’s as if for a moment her body had a mind of its own.

“When you’re done baking in there little bun, announce your arrival with the biggest scream you can and I’ll come claim you as my little wolf apprentice,” she grins and Regina rolls her eyes with a smile.

“That’s if Emma lets her go anytime soon,” Regina smirks and Ruby stands up straight.

“I didn’t think about that part,”

“Well, you didn’t think she’d want to be the one swaddling her daughter until she’s eighteen and not even letting me get near her.. The child I carried?” They share a laugh.

“She’s not that bad,” Ruby defends and Regina laughs.

“You apparently don’t know Emma,” Regina combats and Ruby laughs even more.

“Go.. you have a lunch date, I don’t wanna be the cause of you missing it,” the leggy woman tells her and Regina’s just shy of only nodding and leaving when she turns back and hugs Ruby tightly. She pats her back and leaves the woman stunned to say the least. Regina sticks her hands into the pocket of her hoodie and pulls Ermis out.

“Good boy,” she smiled at him and he squeaked lightly before she set him down, watched him waddle to his seat and then she strapped him in. He seemed to be watching her and trying to figure out how to do it for himself.

  
  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


“Hey,” Emma smiles brightly once she hears the distinct sound of shoes hit the weird patch on the police station floor.

“Hey,” Regina smiles back as she walks into the bullpen with a large bag, Ermis on her shoulder and a cup of coffee along with some other cold drinks in a carry container. She sets everything down and comes around the desk before she bends her head and kisses Emma on the lips. Ermis of course squeaks up a storm and they both grin as they pull apart.

“You’ll get used to it,” Emma tells him and he squeaks again. Regina is sat in the blonde’s lap now and looking at her with a smile. “Why do I feel like you’re thinking about really good things,”

“Hmmm, because I am,” Regina admits and Emma looks intrigued.

“Care to tell me?”

“Not really, but they’re all good and they all have to do with you in one way or another,”

“I feel special,” the blonde says cheekily and Regina rolls her eyes.

“That’s because you are special,”

“Thank you,” she tells her before kissing her cheek and Regina’s ready to question but she lets it go. “How’s this little guy been?”

“Very well behaved, I’m afraid to find out if mother did that or if he’s truly just a happy duck,”

“Probably a bit of both,” Emma says with a grin and Regina grabs hold of the bag and coffee and hands it to her.

“Knowing you, you haven’t eaten even a snack today, so, have this and then we’ll go get lunch with Henry,”

“Yes ma’am,” Emma grins with a nod and Regina kisses her again. “Looks like someone’s going to get used to running out with the kisses as well,” Emma says when their lips have just barely parted.

“I might… and your friend, the wolf-,”

“-Ruby,” she corrects and Regina laughs.

“I’m joking… she says once our daughter is born, she’s going to recruit her the minute she starts screaming.. Well, she told her to scream really loud the second she’s out so that Ruby can come and steal her and then recruit her,” Regina recalls and Emma rolls her eyes.

“We’ll see. My daughter isn’t going to be out of my sight until she’s married and even still… I need to get a shotgun,” Emma says darkly and Regina coughs up a laugh.

“No, you will not be getting a gun,”

“Like hell I won’t.. Have you seen you.. And our baby won’t look like she’s just this normal kid.. Regina.. I need a shotgun,”

“For what?”

“Because, no cute kid of mine is going to end up … she’s going to be glued to her bed.”

“Emma-,”

“-No! Like hell I’m gonna let her out the house if she comes out looking like you. Not gonna happen,” Emma says petulantly and Regina sighs before she removes Emma’s coffee and bear claw.She pulls the blonde’s face to her lips and kisses her deeply. She wants her to shut up and listen and that’s the only way to do it. Emma does shut up but she whimpers just the same.

“We cannot glue her, tie her, magic her to her bed, she has to grow up and meet people and date,”

“Not until she’s married,” Emma growls..

“Jesus, Emma, our daughter is going to be beautiful but it’s not just because of me. She’ll probably end up with your eyes, my hair and a mix of our skin colour,”

“Then I am definitely getting three shotguns,” Emma announces and Regina laughs. “She can’t be all the cute, because then I’ll end up spoiling her to no end… hell, I’m spoiling her now and she isn’t even here yet,” Emma says and Regina’s wondering just what the blonde means but thinks better of it.

“I’m rather positive I’d do the same thing, but that’s normal,”

“Yeah, but she’ll know she can get away with murder if she’s cute.. Hell, Henry still can and he’s looking more and more manly everyday,”

“This is true,”

“We’re gonna lose to her just because we made a cute baby,”

“That’s not all she’ll be, if she’s anything like the two of us combined, she’ll be hardheaded but smart, a survivor and very much still, noble like her mother,”

“Dat me?”

“Yes, ‘dat’ you,” Regina laughs and so does Emma. The blonde pulls her in close and kisses her neck.

“Sorry I’m such a dad,”

“Well.. somehow one of us would’ve been, better you than me,” Regina said.

“Why?”

“Because I’ve only ever been a mother-,”

“-That’s not true, you raised Henry by yourself, you had to be both mother and father, Regina, don’t ever count yourself short on that one,” Emma argues and Regina falls silent. Emma does the same until Ermis squeaks and pulls them back to reality.  “ Come on, let’s go feed my colleagues, get our kid and have lunch,” Emma says and Regina nods.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They find Little John and Mulan in the cabinet room and Emma drops something heavy on the floor, which wakes Mulan and frightens little John. All Emma says is.

“Food’s here. When you’re done, go home, we’re closed for the rest of the day.” and she leaves them. The pair reach to Henry’s school a little bit after three and when he gets in the car, his first words are pertaining to Ermis and the little safety seat he’s in. Regina explains it to him and Emma tells Henry she thinks it’s cute considering how small it had to be. The boy shakes his head but finds himself talking to the bird whilst Regina drives them out of city limits to a different place for food.

Once they’re settled, they both talk to Henry about their hours and the new things they have set in place in order for them to spend more time with him and he loves it, he really does, but he asks his mothers if it’s okay for him to just join the Rugby team and at first Regina nearly panics because Henry.. Tall and lanky Henry who looks like a twig anyone can snap,wants to join the Rugby team that;s filled with stocky dude that literally triple the boy’s muscle mass. Emma can see the worry on Regina’s face and she’d have told their son yes, but then she also takes one look at Henry and panics slightly… she then says.

“Maybe a safer sport, Kid,” but then Regina swallows hard and shakes her head and comes in with, 

“No-no.. I think we should let him,” 

“Really?” 

“Really,” she nods at whoever the hell asked her the question. 

“Mom are you serious? I can join?”

“As long as Emma agrees to it,” Regina finds the strength to say and the boy looks at her with puppy dog eyes.

“Pleeeeeease, Ma!” Emma cracks.

“Alright, sure Kid,” she says and neither of them could have prepared for the massive tackle. “But you do know this means you’ll be on a strict diet, right?”

“Yeah, I talked to the coach and some of the guys already. They said they’ll help me through training and everything.. I can’t believe I can do this! You guys are awesome!” he cheers and that is what makes both women smile, seeing something that makes their son’s eyes light up like he’s seen a new day

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They get home after the lunch and the not so impromptu shopping trip and someone had managed to put tarp over the hole in the wall. There’s also a distinct smell of food that smells.. grilled and everyone’s confused until they see Marco and Cora appear with trays of potatoes and steaks.

“They cooked,” Emma commented but she wasn’t sure if she was asking or acknowledging.

“They cooked,” Regina repeated and Henry merely shrugged and hugged the woman before hugging Marco and going off into conversation with the man. Emma and Regina walk over with hesitance and both say,

“You cooked?”

“Marco and I cooked, yes,” Cora nods and that seems to be a good enough answer for them both. Regina can tell he’d gone home and changed and come back dressed a little bit more formal for the dinner that he and her mother put together. She also took notice of the way Marco seemed to be.. flirting with Cora. She lets it go because, why not let the woman have some fun.So they set the table, they eat, talk and laugh,recap the events of the day and everyone gives Henry all their attention so he can tell his wedgie story and talk more about Rugby, considering his mothers didn’t hound him over it. Regina extends a welcome for Marco to stay, but he politely declines and the dishes are washed, she and Emma run through their rituals and settle into bed. It’s not even a guess who’s day it is to set the stars and when eyes shut and open, Regina comments.

“You always make the most beautiful skies,”

“I don’t… I used to look up the galaxies when I was younger and that’s why they look as alive as they do.. That one the other night when I freaked out and you saw all of those explosions.. That was Andromeda.. I don’t just want the ordinary night sky, because that’s not the sky for me. The sky is further out in galaxies we can’t see with the naked eye… so,I imagine them and hope they come out as well as I remember seeing them,” she admits and Regina smiles just before she turns over and hugs the blonde. She inhales Emma’s fresh body scent and snuggles in closer.

“Well, I’m glad you do these… Emma?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you really want a little girl?” Regina questions and Emma sits up quickly.

“Of course I do, why do you ask?”

“Because, it’s just that you seem to be going with whatever I want and not what you want,”

“Regina, hold on..” Emma shakes her head and sits up straighter before she looks at the woman in the lightly lit room. “I want our daughter.. Yes I want a little girl and I want her with you. I want her, don’t think that I don’t just because I agreed with you one the gender of our baby.. Truth be told I want more than just a little girl with you because.. I don’t know, i’ve just always wanted to have a large family and even though I couldn’t be a mother to Henry then, I want us both to have more than just two kids and say we did something. Henry brought us together almost by mistake and our little girl is produced because I lied, but I want reality and I want more than just her and Henry, I want to fall in love with a child we have every year from now until I die and I. I want us to have a softball team if we can make one and I don’t know why, but I just feel like I can have that with you and only you.. Neal didn’t really want a family, Graham.. Well, you know and Walsh seemed so… distracted by everything else that he barely noticed Henry the first few times….”

“Okay,” is what Regina says and Emma knows it’s more than just a simple okay, it’s a.. I understand and I heard everything you said but I don’t want to be an emotional wreck when I talk to you kind of okay. So she sighs happily, lies back down and turns on the tv. “Wanna watch a movie?” she questions and feels the nod against her chest. “Okay.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Post movie, Regina’s conked out and by this time, Emma doesn’t really have much to say to Egg other than it’s day twenty three, she’s getting very scared about when they reach like day ninety.. If they reach day ninety and then she recaps how the little girl’s grandmother blew up her mother’s kitchen. She laughs at her own recaps because she recalls Henry’s frontal wedgie and Emma finds herself drifting to sleep across Regina’s stomach, so she gets up and climbs back into bed. She wraps Regina in her embrace and kisses the woman until she herself drifts asleep. Regina, obviously not asleep, pulls her body tighter and tighter around her frame before she’s smiling to herself and thinking… Soccer team of little Emma’s.. And then she laughs internally at the thought but smiles yet again because, maybe.. Just maybe.


	16. One month. I'm on patrol-I'm on patrol-on Patrooooooo-oh! Second date.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> weeeee, I know it took me forever to upload this one but I just had to switch things up a bit with this chapter. Hope you guys like it, now.. On to the next two

Friday, April 10th- the day that docked at one month that Emma had lied and deceived not just her parents, but many others into thinking that she and Regina were together, having a little baby and getting married. April 10th also marked yet another day that Regina had been warming up to all the possibilities of all of these things even remotely happening. And yet again, it was another clocked in time at a week of Henry officially joining the rugby team at his school and thoroughly feeling his body’s rejection at the new and intense workout. He’d said about three days prior to, when his mothers had picked him up from school at around 6 one evening after a late practice that-

_”This is kicking my ass, ma,” and Emma had laughed at him because,_

_“I told you it would be a hard first beginning and that the diets are strict,” she reminded._

_“Yeah, but this is seriously kicking my-,”_

_“-don’t you dare finish that, young man,” Regina scolded him as she walked over to their table with yet another protein shake in hand for their son and a ginger ale for Emma. Henry rolled his eyes and Emma cheekily grinned at him before she stood up and exited the booth, allowing Regina to slide in and get comfortable. The brunette leaned in and kissed Emma’s cheek after she got back in the booth herself._

_“Thank you,” she said to the blonde and Emma hummed in contentment._

_“So,” the blonde begins as she turns back to their son. They’d watched him scarf down at least two servings of Chicken and potatoes along with at least three protein shakes and his adrenaline was still going. Henry looked away from his food almost long enough for Emma to see his eyes properly. “What’s next on the agenda?” she questioned and Henry’s fingers fiddled for a second before he chewed his food some more and then swallowed._

_“Well,” he started before taking a huge sip. “Training’s gonna be longer because the guys said I’m still way too small and if they really are playing as rough as they should, I’d be in a cast...so, I have to start training over the weekends now too and put in a little bit extra on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” he informs his mothers and Emma nods before Regina’s eyes lower._

_“Minus the possibility of you being injured.. How much extra time are we looking at and will you be needing a gym membership?”_

_“More than likely, and maybe another hour,” he shrugs at the brunette and she nods before turning to Emma. He looks at them for a moment before his mother is speaking again and taking his attention away from whatever observing he was doing._

_“And I look forward to seeing your schoolwork_ **_not_ ** _suffer, sweetheart,” Regina continued and he rolled his eyes and sighed a bit._

_“More importantly though..” he begins to change the topic and Regina smirks because she isn’t expecting his grades to stay skyhigh with Rugby taking all of his time up. “..this Friday’s gonna be one month,” he told them and Lord knows which assumption Regina went with on that one._

_“One month?” Emma questions confused._

_“Yeah, you know, you living with me and mom.. We’re gonna throw like some small party or something right- you know, to celebrate the first leg…”_

_“Well, kid I don’t think this can necessarily count as a leg-”_

_“-It should, considering mom hasn’t attempted to kill you yet,” he says and Emma shuts her eyes and tries to hold back a laugh as Regina’s eyes opened wide._

_“Why is it that he always deems_ **_me_ ** _the murderer?” she asks incredulously and Henry snickers._

_“Mom, no offense, but you used to be a mass murderer,” he reminds her and she huffs at him._

_“I’m really regretting letting you keep that book even after I knew what it was capable of showing,” she says and he shrugs._

_“I still love you, but let’s be real, you’d have tried to kill ma in a heartbeat if this happened less than three years ago,” he reminds her and she has to give it to him. He was completely right._

_“I probably would have killed her without second thought, but even still….” she trails off because she would never be one to admit to it._

_“Even still, what?” Emma questions and Regina shakes her head a bit dazed. “No, I wanna know,” Emma pushes and she sighs and that’s because she’s about to cave rather quickly._

_“Even still… I’d have had to have really hated you and even back then, I found myself respecting you more than hating you..that’s why I pushed you so much.. And why I pushed you away. It was the easiest way to get you to fight back and fight for something.. Or someone,” she trailed off and Emma looked at her for a moment before smiling, leaning in and kissing her on the lips. Henry just smiled as he watched his mothers exchange intimate actions._

_“I don’t know who I fought to be accepted by more.. You, or Henry,” she admitted._

_“I think you fought to love me more and prove to mom you could and did more than what you were giving away, but I think you fought to remind yourself never to repeat history with Lily and that’s why you fought for and with mom so hard… that and the immense amount of sexual tension you two won’t just give into,” he tells them and Emma growls at him but he just laughs after she tosses a tea towel at his head. She kisses Regina on the cheek once more and holds onto the woman’s hand for just a moment and they watch Henry finish off the rest of his chicken and potatoes. They hadn’t really looked at Henry until recently and in all honesty, none were sure when he started to get so hairy. His usual porcelain face was now sporting stubble and his arms were getting hairier, as were his legs and God was his laundry was beginning to smell disgustingly funky._

_“Gotta go to the bathroom, I’ll be right back,” Emma announced before rising and excusing herself. Once she was out of earshot, Henry looked at his brunette mother who seemed to just be watching Emma’s disappearance._

_“We are going to throw some sort of party for you and ma, right?” he questioned and Regina blinked a few times before looking at him._

_“I’m sorry, sweetheart, what?”_

_“You and ma...we’re going to throw a party right?”_

_“I’m not exactly sure, Henry.. If she would like one then we can plan it, however-,”_

_“-you don’t think she does, do you?”_

_“No… I don’t. I’m not exactly sure why, but, Emma seems more like the type to be very.. private- and I’m saying that because she rarely opens up to anyone, no matter how much she trusts them,”_

_“But she opens up to you, though,”_

_“And that’s because I push her in ways that she has to, or I threaten her or create an environment where she actually can just tell me that….”_

_“Mom,” Henry begins and she shakes her head. “Mom, don’t you get it..that’s how ma works...she says more to you than she does with anyone else because she trusts you and knows you won’t judge her. She thinks I’m too young and grandma just won’t ease up. Gramps can’t really bother either because if Grams thinks he knows something then she’ll get on him about it and everyone else is out of the loop, except nana.. Maybe she can talk to nana, but then, I dunno, nana’s way too sexual on a good day and lately, she’s been needing more help than ma does… you’re all she has left, mom,” Henry concludes and Regina looks thoroughly surprised._

 

_She supposes he is right..because he usually is always right when it comes to them being together for anything. Regina nods and they hear the distinct clack of Emma’s boots against the linoleum flooring at Granny’s._

_“Ready to go?” she questions and Henry chugs the rest of protein shake before nodding quickly and shooting up from his seat. Regina nods solemnly behind him and stands as well, gathering both her things as well as Emma’s. Emma’s arm snakes around her waist and then they’re exiting the diner with smiles on their faces._

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

That’s how the idea had fully settled itself into Regina’s head and she was beginning to think that maybe she should plan a little party or something, and by the next day when she’s asked Emma about it being a thing, the blonde had flat out told her,

“No,” and all she’d wondered was,

“Why?” because she wasn’t getting why Emma was being so blunt and short about it.

“Just..because… I really don’t wanna have to deal with people and questions and prying and reminding me that our daughter doesn’t even exist yet and we have to make believe that she’s somewhere in there and developing when she isn’t!” _Well, that was a thing, but Regina figured they’d gotten past that considering how diverse they’d gotten on lying to everyone since day one even if it was a confuddled mess of heaven knows what._

 

“Emma- Emma!” Regina had called after her but she’d already pitched up from their bed and stormed out the room and down the stairs. Regina went after her, neglecting her robe as her revealing night dress fluttered against the gust of wind she created. “Emma-,”

“-No, Regina, okay..just..no. Please, leave me alone,” she begged but Regina shook her head. They were now both outside in the light wind that blew and the star speckled night sky. It was eerily quiet, but in that moment, Emma wishes it wasn’t. She wishes she didn’t just snap like that because part of her believes she may have overreacted about that… but then illogical Emma was telling now sad Emma that she was perfectly within her bounds of reaction.

She loses herself in her thoughts for a good while until there are arms around her and those are the thin arms that remind her, it’s okay not to be okay and it’s okay, not to feel like anything is okay, because… that’s how life was sometimes. Regina’s face stays buried between her shoulder blades as she speaks to her.

“I’m not leaving you..ever. I told you I wasn’t running from you. I’m running to you and I’m running with you. Forever and always… but you can’t just write off the possibility of celebrating us reaching this far this easily even though we know, further down the line will be so much harder to deal with,”

“But it’s already hard now, Regina,” she expresses and she feels the woman hum against her.

“I know that, but we can’t just lie down and take it. We have to find ways around it and through it because if we don’t, it’ll run over us and what do you think will happen in the end?”

“We’ll lose,” Emma answers in a whisper and Regina hums again.

“We will lose again,” the brunette repeats and Emma sighs.

“Everything just keeps reminding me that for the next eight months and some, we have to go through this and the only way it will all ever be true is if and it’s a big ass one on that note.. If we create her because we actually become true loves.. And I’m not saying we can’t because I really think we can, but what if we just don’t love each other enough to create her and will we have to..you know- do _it_ to conceive her or what?” Regina’s laughing lightly at this point in time and Emma’s a bit annoyed by it. “What?”

“Nothing, it’s just.. Magic is unpredictable, we know that, but I also know that with or without it, we can conceive a child. As simple as a kiss that sparks euphoria, a child can be created _if_ we’re true loves, but if sex is on your mind.. then just say that and we’ll talk about the possibility of ‘creating’ our daughter that way just to tell her she wasn’t simply born of a kiss.. That way, you can scar her and Henry with our sexual escapades,” she jokes and Emma manages to laugh just a little at that because if push came to shove and they had to tell their kids those stories, she’s sure that Cora would be up close and personal with them on that and eating popcorn just waiting for Emma to divulge.... Emma sighs a genuine sigh before turning in Regina’s hold and wrapping her arms around the woman. They begin rocking side to side, the nighttime breeze giving them a quiet song to move to. “Let me plan it and let me show you how much happier you still can be even if our daughter doesn’t exist. The simple fact that you’ll get to experience how much joy and happiness people feel for you and your happiness should outweigh the fact that I’m not pregnant..yet. You didn’t have that the first time around...let it count for this time… and just think of it that way and I promise you, you will enjoy it. No one will ever badger you past your point of anger or silence. If you don’t want to talk about it, we can just say it’s a small party we felt like having, but only you, Henry and I will know it’s really because of you living here for about a month now. We can throw this party and no one will ever have to know that we’re celebrating you being here. You can lurk in the shadows like you wanted, though, I’m positive Santa Claus might be a little annoyed you’re stealing his schtick,”

“Pfft, his ‘schtick’ isn’t original considering you had the easter bunny and everyone else doing it too. So that old fluffy bastard can suck it,” she said and Regina began to laugh.

“Come to bed, please… I don’t think this weather is good for you, or me, or our baby to be out in,”

“It’s actually the most perfect weather for her considering she’ll be born just shy of it all, and stop saying it like she’s already in there,”

“First of all.. I can’t help it and- Correction.. She’ll be born directly in it.. We’ll be lucky if we aren’t snowed in the second I go into labour,”

“Geez, don’t remind me that it’s a possibility.. and then Whale’s delivering her-,”

“-He sure as hell is not delivering her! Given his history with trying to morph past lives to new bodies, I do not need our daughter being sewn to my head the second she comes out. He’s not getting within ninety days of her,”

“Don’t you mean ninety feet?” Emma queried and Regina looked up at her with a raised brow.

“Did I stutter?”

“Nope,” Emma answered before laughing. “So, who is delivering her?”

“Doctor Keaton,”

“The DNA specialist?”

“Mhmmm,”

“Does she know how?”

“She does.. She delivered me which is why she remained unharmed and very wealthy in both lives… she was my doctor from the moment I was born and through every magical mishap or damage my mother managed to inflict on my frail body, she helped soothe them away and in some ways I think my mother may have hated her for coddling me, but I could never shake the feeling she felt that since she couldn’t.. because she chose not to have her heart, that Doctor Keaton was the next best thing. I needed to trust my doctor anyway and if my mother ever needed someone to convince me to bare seed for your grandfather, all she had to do was threaten her… but then, my mother isn’t even that vindictive, or was at least…”

“..no, I don’t think she was or is either,” Emma agreed before they stopped rocking from side to side. “Inside, little lady,” she says and Regina doesn’t even bother fighting her on this nickname because all the damn nicknames she’s been getting have been ones she finds herself enjoying. They climb into bed and wrap themselves around one another and talk on and on until Regina’s asleep.. or at least, in Emma’s observation she was. She gets down on her knees and goes through the ritual of kissing Regina’s stomach before talking to Egg’s nonexistent self. Just before she was set to stand and climb back in bed, she felt a vibration and it didn’t feel like a general vibration that one would feel. This particular one ran through her body and made her think twice on what the hell just happened.

“What the hell was that,” she hissed a whisper at herself and in turn, Regina stirred in her spot. “Em-ma,” she called her in the raspiest tone she could manage at that point. She had to make it seem like she’d been sleeping that entire time and it was clear Emma believed it.

“Shh-shh, go back to sleep, Gi. It’s okay,” she coos and Regina nods ‘sleepily’ before settling back against her pillow and actually attempting to sleep. Emma sighed in relief and stood. She had then shrugged the vibration off after a second of thought because all she hoped was that her body was having one of those weird little spasms. She settled into the bed and felt when Regina rolled over and wrapped her arms around the blonde. She buried her face into Emma’s chest and snuggled almost impossibly closer. Emma would never truly admit it aloud, but this was the only time she felt safe...truth be told on both accounts, it was the same for Regina who only felt safe when she had the blonde to latch onto and use as her anchor..not that she wanted to use Emma in any way.. It just felt better when the blonde was near, and as much as she would’ve blushed to admit it years ago..she could quite possibly admit it without turning as red as a tomatoe now. So, they settle very closely together, and it’s comfortable. It’s safe and it’s calming.

  
  


The pair wake up the next morning and Regina begins the list of plans for the day in her head because she has a handful of hours to get everything in motion for this party that was the exact same day. Plus it was a working day for all of them, she couldn’t very well take it off just to plan a party- actually, she could, but what kind of example would she be setting for Henry.. or better yet, their little girl. So, she begins plans from morning and after taking a jog with her son to the gym, kissing his cheek and reminding him to be ready for school when she comes back around and jogging back, she’s going through her electronic planner, setting coffee and cooking a breakfast for Henry to go right before school. Then she’s making Emma something and snacking on granola. She puts her Ipod on the dock and puts it on shuffle and is pleasantly surprised she finds a song from earlier that same year. Dangerous by Televisor begins to blast it’s keyboard notes through the kitchen along with the drums and the synthesizer in motion. Danyka Nadeau’s voice is just giving it even more life and the brunette allows her hips to sway in motion to the song. She belts out the chorus of everything and its dangerous nature until she feels hands snake around her and sway with her in beautifully active motion. She spins in Emma’s hold, planner still in hand and they belt out the chorus, much to Regina’s surprise that the blonde knows it.

“FOR YOUUUUUUUUU, I’LL LET YOU BREAK MY HEART IN TWO! THERE’S NOTHING THAT I WOULDN’T DO, YOU’RE SO DANGEROUS-DANGEROUS!” they sing and Emma grabs a hold of the spatula and they continue to belt the song out happily as Regina walks around the kitchen on the planner and continues on in party planning. She’s corresponding with someone and grinning and that gets Emma’s attention.  The blonde walks over, now humming the song and settles beside Regina.

“What are you doing?” she asks with her smile still in place. Regina turns slightly and tilts the tablet for Emma’s view. Emma’s face quite clearly pinches into thought and question and worry. It’s when the question,

“Do we really have to do this?” comes, that Regina is prepared for it by kissing Emma soundly and scooting away to go cleanup the breakfast the blonde hasn’t even began eating yet.

“Yes, sweetie. We have to and if you let us do this.. I’ll give you a surprise a bit later.” Emma’s eyes widen and her eyebrows lift.

“Surprise?” she questions as Regina sets her plate before her. She pulls her down for a quick kiss and the brunette hums.

“Mhhmm,”

“Later tonight?” she asks hopefully and Regina shakes her head before walking back to the sink and starting water for the dishes and picking her tablet back up.

“No.. about a month from now,” she grins playfully and Emma doesn’t take her seriously.

“You’re joking!” she says incredulously.

“Far from it,” Regina shakes her head and Emma grunts.

“Whhhhyyy!” she whines.

“Because I said so,” the brunette tells her, eyes not leaving the tablet. She blindly plucks her Ipod from the dock and switches the formatting so that her files planning transfers over.

“ _Because I said so._ You only say that to people you love..”  Emma explained and when Regina shrugged the blonde’s curiosity got the better of her. She grins stupidly. “You love me?!”

“No more than I love your mother,” Regina says flippantly, waving it off with her delicate hand and eyeing the tablet with a sculpted brow. Emma’s face contorts.

“Awww, seriously, that’s just fucking mean, Regina!” she belted and the brunette laughed.

“You asked,”

“And I’m starting to regret the fact that I did,” Emma grumbles and Regina smothers a laugh.. She walks over to the pouting blonde and hugs her.

“I love you more than your mother… not as much as I love apples and Henry, but you come a close third,”

“Third?!” she asks incredulous and Regina rolls her eyes.

“Eat your breakfast, please. We’ll be late,”

“Fine.. we’re still having lunch together today, right?” she questions and Regina sucks in a breath and sighs. “We’re not,” Emma concludes and Regina looks hurt for her.

“Lo siento, cariño,” she says to the blonde who nods but doesn’t look at her. Emma finishes her breakfast without another word and when she goes to get dressed and Regina comes to fix her tie for her.. she shakes her head and pulls away.

“I can do it myself now, you don’t have to pretend to care anymore,”

“If you think I tie your tie because I pretend to care instead of actually caring and enjoy doing it for you, then Miss Swan you are sorely mistaken,”

“Don’t ...call me that,” Emma says weakly.

“Seems I need to because you’re grumpy over us not being able to have lunch, now come here,” she commands and Emma obeys because she really doesn’t want to fight with Regina.. Hell, she didn’t want to get all sappy on the woman, but here she was, once again, proving she was much more of a mess than she led on. “Stop being such an emotional wreck and just enjoy your life for what it is.. You being this disgustingly sad is really ruining the little happiness I have left.. happiness that you and our son have managed to make mind you,” she tells the blonde and somehow that hits a chord with Emma. She actually looks at Regina, who’s clearly focused on fixing the young woman’s tie. She places her hands over Regina’s and the brunette takes pause for a second. Regina, for some reason, isn’t looking up at her, her eyes are still trained on the tie and Emma thinks she knows why. She lifts the woman’s wrists to her lips and kisses them both at the same time.

“I..make you happy?” Emma questions in the lowest tone she’s used in a good bit. Regina looks away but nods and Emma smiles almost sadly. “I make you happy,” she repeats confidently and it’s clear it isn’t a question this time around.

“You do,” Regina says just shy of the blonde’s words and Emma smiles a bit wider. She doesn’t speak because the next thing she does, is action enough to make Regina understand.

Emma places her fingers below Regina’s chin and tilts it upward. The brunette is still looking away from her at this point, but the moment Emma whispers something so inaudible that it’ll take a microphone to magnify the sound, Regina’s looking at her. It’s the slowest action they’ve gotten themselves involved in and it’s due to Emma’s very calculated moves. She leans in, deathly slow and brushes her lips against Regina’s before kissing her softly, pulling the woman’s chin forward as she does. Regina’s eyes instantly flutter as Emma deepens the kiss, her fingers staying to Regina’s chin until she feels the brunette’s body dip with weakness and she quickly holds her around the waist. Regina’s hands grip and tug on the lapels of Emma’s shirt and in succession, she somehow gets the top few buttons undone even though she didn’t actually intend to. She tries to steady herself as Emma’s tongue slips past full lips that are soft and taste like coconut on an everyday basis- and they don’t battle for dominance. Instead, they meld together and it’s this dance of unison where every part of them moulds to the other as they kiss and kiss in a fervent need to just.. Be. There’s a moan and no one knows who the hell it came from, but the kissing continues and Emma is then blindly walking Regina back towards the bed. When their legs buckle at the base, Regina breaks the kiss. Her eyes are glossy and darker in contrast to their usual hazel colour. Her lips are slightly red from where Emma bit her and she probably didn’t even know that had happened. Her head was swinging, but the air smelt different. It smelt like a mix of both their body scents and it made her even more high than she already was.

“Y-you’ll be.. late,” she says raspily and with a swallow. Emma’s nodding a bit roundabout and her eyes show a bit of a different glow.. A lot more green in them. She’s panting lightly. Her mouth opens and it’s hoarse and cracking, but she still speaks.

“I know,” she responds before leaning back in and kissing Regina’s neck, allowing the brunette’s head to dip back without control. Emma sucks and she sucks hard and Regina lets out a guttural moan that causes her body to jerk and shiver all at the same time. Emma takes pride and does it again and this time the moan is even more needy, much louder than the first time and much more innocent. It’s almost a cry when she listens and she stops only for a second until she feels Regina’s hands snake through the strands of her hair and whisper,

“yes,” very softly. Emma continues to bite and suck and trails her way all along Regina’s neck, successfully bringing the woman closer to the edge every single time she does. It’s never just Emma.. it’s Emma’s touch. Poised and calculated but dirty and vile in force. It’s that chaotic control that is further bringing Regina’s body to shuddering moans and silent pleas for her to keep going. Boy, does Emma obey when the woman’s moans hit a high note and they sound so strangled that Regina has to inhaled deeply every time.

 

They’ve fallen onto the bed with a graceful thud, and their foreheads clash. They laugh it off and all Emma wants to do is kiss her until her mouth goes dry, which could be a very long time from then.

“So, beautiful,” she comments and the brunette shyly looks away. She brings Regina’s eyes back to hers and looks at her even more seriously than before. “You,” she begins with a kiss. “Are,” and another kiss, this time right on her pulse point and Regina’s hips buck lightly. “So,” she says with yet another one and this one is just shy of the shell of her ear. “Beautiful,” she husks before dipping and kissing down the expanse of Regina’s chest, causing her to heave a breath. “To me,” she sings the last bit and smirks as Regina giggles with the easiness that Emma just partially mind fucked her but serenaded her as well. Regina’s well aware that both their clothing is being messed up, but she can’t quite bring herself to care.. Then again.. Henry… but he can be late just this once.. Right? So, the brunette gives in to whatever it is that’s about to happen. She lets Emma pin her hands above her head and push her leg between her thighs and that just about makes her soak through her underwear. Who’s to say she wasn’t already and Emma just sealed it for her.

“Uhh-fuck!” she husks out as Emma’s leg shifts as an unceremonious thrust against the woman’s thigh happens. Regina grabs onto Emma’s shirt and her back arches as she tries to squirm away. Emma smirks darkly and pushes her thigh higher, quite clearly recognizing the heat change up there. Regina shudders on contact and digs her nails into the woman’s back.

“Em-ma,” she begs breathlessly and the blonde pauses.

“Yessss,” she hisses into Regina’s ear and Regina turns into putty.

“please!” she begs in a quietly high pitched tone. Emma nods with a breathless smile and slowly eases Regina from her shirt. She’s not sure if that’s the please that Regina was meaning, but she goes with it and when she gets no rejection, she smiles to herself. Emma looks down and stares with so much admiration that Regina turns red all over and the blonde sees it. She has no words, but the slight drool gives away that she’s clearly more than impressed by Regina’s body. Little freckles on her skin and the easy tautness of her flesh, especially where her stomach is.

She’s on top, but not for long because she rolls over and holds Regina tightly against her, now kissing below the woman’s collarbone and across the top of her bra.

“Nnnng,”comes from Regina’s lips and Emma’s almost positive she hasn’t heard that before.

They are adorably awkward but it works out rather well considering Regina gives in without a fight and Emma is very controlled and respectful of her tender skin. She’s just shy of ripping away the woman’s A-line skirt just to get more of her but is pleasantly surprised that Regina’s already undoing the zipper-

 

“EMMA!” Regina shouts and the blonde snaps from her daze…

_Shit. It really never is that easy, huh?!_

“Huh?”

“Are you okay?” Regina questions as her hands are still placed on the blonde’s tie, doing the last bit of it.

“Umm.. yeah? Yeah I think so,”

“Are you sure?” Regina queries and the blonde nods swiftly.

“Uhuh-yeah. Totally,” she answers quickly but a sculpted brow from Regina has her deflating. “I can’t tell you,” she says and Regina looks her in the eyes, her own shifting from left to right in order to read the blonde woman before her.

“Why?”

“Because I’m surprised I even drifted away and let myself think about it,”

“It honestly cannot be as bad as you make it,”

“You’d be surprised,”

“Try me-”

“-You were naked.. Well, practically naked.. We..,”Emma blurts and finds herself stopping short.

“...oh,” Regina swallowed before she saw the blonde blush deeply. She smiled and removed her hands from Emma’s tie and stood before her. “Sounds fun,” Regina comments and Emma sputters at the words.

“What?”

“I said it sounds fun.. Because it does,” Regina tells her and Emma just blushes again. “Would you stop being so innocent. We’re grown women, at some point in time our conversations will be much less innocent than they originally began as,”

“They definitely were never innocent in the beginning.. We were threatening to kill one another. You more than me and we turned on each other with every spell that came- granted because I kinda made it that way, but still. Do you honestly believe _that_ was our version of innocent?”

“Considering what we could have said to one another.. That’s rather tame, Emma,” Regina tells her and Emma shakes her head with a laugh. Regina walks over to their now shared closet and slips her feet into her heels as she listens to the blonde’s words.

“Fine, if you say so,” she responds before walking to the nightstand table and picking up her wallet and phone. She looks at her keys for half a second and then groans.

“Can you drive me to work, please. I really don’t want to deal with my bug today,” she pleads and Regina seems confused. She steps out of the closet with her jacket in hand and a tilted head.

“Is something wrong with it?” she questions as she begins slipping it on and Emma helps her the rest of the way by fixing the back of the collar for her.

“Something’s always wrong with it,” Emma comments gruffly and Regina snickers, flipping her hair.

“What exactly is wrong with your precious bug, now?” She turns to face the blonde and Emma shrugs.

“Radiator head is cracking, which means I can’t use the air conditioning and if I can’t use that I’m basically a lobster by the time I reach the station and then the oil is grotty, but I’ve changed it three times like two months ago and then there’s the fan belt…”

“So, seal the radiator, change the pipe for the oil and get a new belt,”

“It’s not that simple,” Emma eyes her from the side and she rolls her eyes.

“It truly is,” Regina argues but Emma shakes her head.

“No it isn’t. They don’t make parts for these older model cars anymore.. So in essence, unless I can find a specialty store that won’t charge me an arm and a leg just to go look up the parts, order and bring it in then ship it here, my bug is dry docking the second that radiator cracks, the oil seizes up in the pipe or the fan just conks out on it...can you just take me to work, I’m losing hope that it’ll last by the end of the year,” she mutters and Regina nods.

“Of course..come on then,” she tells the blonde and Emma follows behind her and they head out with breakfast for their son amongst other things.

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Jesus kid, you stink already!” Emma tells their son who rolls his eyes at her.

“Well aware, mother,” he says to her and Emma feels strangely about the reference. “What took you guys?”

“Your mom was prancing around the kitchen singing and planning-,” Emma jokes and Henry looks at Regina who squints at the road when in reality it was for Emma.

“-no more than you were doing the exact same prancing and zoning out, might I add,” Regina shot back and Henry was now rolling his eyes.

“Here kid,” she says before handing him a covered plate and he greedily took it.

“Thanks ma,”

“Thank your mom, she cooked it. I just sang with the spatula and took it up,”

“Thanks mom,” he says in correction and Regina smiles.

“Of course, my prince.. How was your workout?”

“Don’t remember.. Once I have music I zone out,”

“I can see where he gets that trait from,” Regina begins before she hears the messy sounds of Henry in the back. “That and the eating habits,” she says with a shake of her head.

“That’s my kid, through and through,” Emma grins.

“You’re proud you passed on a lack of silence when eating.. To our son?!”

“Well, yeah.. Kinda. It was either that or him have nothing of mine at all and everything from Neal.. and let me tell you.. Neal had worse habits than me,”

“I’m sure he would have been on par,”

“No, he was worse, I’m telling you. What person you know keep jars of their own fallen nails, clipped nails or bitten nails?” she questioned and Regina shuddered. Henry just kept eating.

“That’s disgusting,”

“Yeah and if it wasn’t that he kept all the tissues he used to wipe his-,”

“-don’t finish that!” Regina belts, partially jerking the car and Emma laughs loudly. Henry looks up momentarily but loses himself again in his food.

“I was gonna say nose. He had worse habits than me and there’s some I can’t even say because they’ll make me even more nauseous. So, be happy Henry got these ones from me because he can always change them if push comes to shove… and so will our little girl,” she adds and Regina finds herself smiling.

“I already told you she’ll be beautiful like you. What else are you trying to give her?”

“My stupidly noble genes?”

“That’s an automatic passing-”

“-guys, not to cut the whole what’s our baby gonna get from us talk, but, did you bring my shake?”

“Yeah kid, it’s..” Emma trails off. She throws her head back and groans. “I left it on the counter,” she concludes and Henry’s just shy of groaning when it appears in his hand. They both look at the driver and she shrugs, feeling the eyes on her.

“Well, we very well can’t go home, Henry will be late and I’d assume by him not showering at the gym, he will at school, which gives him just over twenty minutes to do so,” Regina explains and Henry just drinks his shake as Emma thinks.

“Speaking of.. Kid, why _didn’t_ you shower at the gym. You’re killing me with the scent,”

“Because, you do not want to see that gym in the morning.. The amount of men who.. “ he shivers violently. “It’s just not what I’m used to, ma. Grown men can’t keep it clean and there’s water everywhere because there’s drains everywhere so it’s like this big open room with stall walls that only come up to the waist and it’s always steamy and my locker just happens to be conveniently placed where I can see butt cheeks...I don’t need to see butt cheeks,” he expresses and Emma has to give him that one.

“Well, now you won’t have to,” Regina says. “At least.. Hopefully you won’t,”

“I’m positive I won’t.. No one goes into the locker rooms in the morning except coach and he’s just checking to make sure nothing’s been running all night or something,”

“Pretty positive he should be checking that the same day so that it doesn’t, that way our schools won’t have so many high water bills,” Emma says and Regina shakes her head.

“He can’t though… the school offers its fields and the locker rooms to other clubs who don’t have their own or can’t afford the gym membership. I don’t expect him to stay there until ten at night just to make sure all the taps are off. That’s why with this month’s coming budget reports I’ve been trying to see the best way to go about building the public lockers and allowing access to that.. Taxes will just have to pay for it,”

“That way homeless people can bathe there too,” Henry comments and Regina hums.

“They could.. If we had any. If it’s one thing I made sure, it was that everyone had a house or something akin to what they were used to back in the forest and steady enough jobs that they are definitely above water… anyone homeless would be those from the outside coming in and seeing as someone broke my curse.. We are very much likely to get a few of them. That’s if it’s not too quiet for them,”

“This place is too quiet, even for the birds but I think the reason everyone stays is because they either get to stare at the pretty mayor or they realize this place is so damn clean and jobs pop up out of nowhere, that the quiet is pretty much overruled,” Emma comments and as Regina pulls into Henry’s school, the boys grins and says.

“I agree with, ma… the mayor’s pretty good looking..then again, she’s my mom so, she’s always pretty looking,”

“You two are ganging up on me,” Regina comments and Emma laughs.

“But we’re doing it nicely and commenting on how adorable our sassy but rather short mayor is,” she teases and it’s a hiss from Regina that has Henry leaning forward and kissing both their cheeks and lunging himself from the car.

“See you guys later,”

“Hen- wait!” Emma shouts to him and he stops.

“Yeah, ma?”

“Here’s an extra ten, kid. You’ve been eating a crap ton and I don’t know if you’ve got enough, but this should help cover it, right?”

“Yeah.. it’s enough. Thanks, ma,”

“No problem kid, now, go shower.. You smell...assy,” she tells him and he busts a gut as he walks away. When she turns back, Regina is looking at her with a bit of venom in her eyes. “What?!”

“You just told our fifteen year old he smells like…”

“...ass? Well, yeah, because he does.. Listen, I used to stink like that too when I was his age and it’s because I did actually play sports. It was probably the only consistent thing I kept up with throughout all the schools I’ve been to. Besides, I had a foster father who made a joke about that one time and it just stuck. He said that at some point we all smell a bit assy and me being me.. I just soaked up whatever it was and repeated it,” she admits and Regina shakes her head.

“Your stories are strange, Swan,”

“Well aware, Madame Mayor.. Now, I’ve gotta head into work and you have to as well,”

“I’ll be planning for most of the day and then I have errands to run with Clara. Then I have to go home and get Henry’s things and take his other bags because he’s running through at least three pairs of clothing in one day-,”

“-about that.. Can we please wash his things separately.. Or you know.. Burn em?”

“Emma!”

“Wh-what!?” she asks with a laugh. “It’s either one or the other.. Kid’s socks alone could create a headache,”

“Emma, he’s not that bad,” Regina tries to defend with a scrunched up face and Emma scowls

“You think so? Have you walked past his room recently? Our kid is so tired, he doesn’t even keep in there clean anymore. If it’s not because of all the homework it’s because of how many other things he’s doing.. It smells like the fart bomb went off it there,” she complains and Regina starts to laugh. Emma groans and Regina laughs more. “You’re laughing and I’m serious. Henry’s feet make his room smell like year old sweaty cheese and then his gym bag’s been taking a beating because he ends up leaving his things in there if you don’t get a hold of it. I picked it up the other day and I almost died. God I swear I’m glad I said little girl and not little boy,”

“Little girls.. Or girls in general can smell as well, you’re aware of this, right?”

“Yeah, but they smell less,”

“Not all,” Regina comments.

“The only way our little girl is going to end up smelling assy is if she does sports.. Or worst.. Gets a yeast infection,”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Regina scrunches up her face even more.

“Which one. The yeasty or the sports funk?”

“The ‘yeasty’ as you put it,” Regina answers and Emma nods.

 

They arrive at the station about a moment later and Emma sighs deeply. She leans her head back on the chair and groans.

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing, just tired.. I’ve been working all these mornings and I’m not complaining because it lets me be home to have dinner with you and the kid, but I haven’t actually had a day off because I’m now working every morning and part of some of the nights and I’m so lost as to why that is considering my dad comes in but… you know,” she says but Regina doesn’t know and she says that.

“No.. I don’t, really. Remember that it’s just Clara and I in Town Hall and because of that.. I’m accustomed to working both shifts.. I never saw reason to hire another person, when I could quite literally do their work. That and I like my space..and the quiet….maybe you should talk to your father and the others and see if there’s something you can work out with them,”

“Yeah, maybe. But it’s like Neal blinks and he’s off the morning shift without a word,”

“He is his son and he is still technically an infant,” she tells the woman who rolls her eyes.

“I know that, but… nothing, nevermind,”

“Emma?” Regina calls and is surprised when Emma doesn’t answer with her usual no thing.

“Mm?”

“Do you have some residual anger towards your little brother?” she queries and the blonde sighs deeply before shifting.

“In all honesty, I probably do, but that’s not the reason I’m so off,”

“Okay, then what is it?”

“I really don’t know. When I get like this, it’s best to just let me be. I don’t wanna create more problems than what we already have,” she says and Regina nods.

“Okay.. I’ll try to come and see you for a bit when I carry Henry’s things to him, how does that sound?”

“Sounds good.. Have a good day at work, yeah?”

“I’ll try,” Regina says before leaning over and kissing Emma, tenderly. “Go, I’ll call you when I have downtime,” she tells her and Emma smiles a bit before grabbing her jacket and exiting the car. She goes around the driver’s side that’s conveniently on the strip to the station and leans down onto the car’s window framing.

“How many people do you think will show up to such a short notice party?”

“Everyone invited. You as well as I both know that any invitation that indicates free food and drinks, causes the masses and minorities to flock there, regardless of who is disliked in that moment,”

“Okay, true… Who’s catering?”

“Me.. I have to go back home and cook directly after I drop Henry’s things,”

“Ohhhhh, that’s a lot,”

“Well, you can’t necessarily get the best of catering when it’s same day ordering,”

“Yeah, but.. You’re doing too much.. That’s going to put stress on your body.. It’s not good for the baby, or your womb, you know?”

“I’d take that into consideration if she were there-,”

“-she could be. You don’t know that,”

“And you don’t know that she is, either.. Emma- I’ll be fine. If anything happens, I’ve got help,” she says before reaching a hand out and tucking Emma’s long hair behind her ear. Emma sighs but leans in and kisses Regina’s lips.

“Alright, but if anything and I mean, anything happens, get help,”

“I will, now go. I’ll be fine. I promise,”

“Keep it,” Emma tells her and Regina nods.

“I will. Go. I love you,”

“Love you too, Gi.”

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Lazy-lazy,” Clara teases and Regina squints at her. She’s arrived about twenty plus minutes later than usual today and Clara takes pride in calling her boss out on it.

“Yes, well. I’m the mayor and today is a day that you and I will barely do any work related to this town at all…”

“Ohhhh, yes!” Clara claps because she knows where this is going. She’s the person Regina’s been corresponding with all morning and the woman quickly grabs her own planner as well as a notepad and pencil to jot down notes that are also bulleted key points. “Okay, first thing so I know exactly where we are. Venue?”

“My house,” Regina says and Clara nods.

“Drinks?”

“Apple cider. Alcoholic and non alcoholic,”

“Okaaay. Food?”

“Me, I have to go shopping when I go to carry Henry his things,”

“List,” Clara says.

“Lasagne, ground beef, tomatoes- a lot of tomatoes. Jalapeños, tortillas, masa….” and as Regina goes on and on about the list, Clara jots down and hums.

“Time?”

“Eight,”

“List of attendees.

“Emma’s family of course.. Which means the dwarves and the Lucas’. Archie because he was Henry’s therapist.. Henry’s cluster of friends. My mother- clearly. You and Casey, obviously. Maleficent and Lily.. the bookworm, because she needs to get out the house. Mulan and Little John I suppose. Timothy- definitely Timothy and Mayim,”

“You’re forgetting a good bit, but I’ll iron that out in a minute..decorations?”

“No, we’re going for a minimalistic approach. Emma isn’t one for that and neither am I,” Regina says and Clara looks at her with a raised brow. Regina scoffs and rolls her eyes.

“I was the evil queen. _She_ was into showing off.. I’m not,”

“You say that as if you both have literally split up,”

“No, I’m saying that who I was is not who I naturally was born to be,”

“Fair enough… I’ll get to that in a bit. Is there a dress code?”

“Casual formal,”

“Need anything sent to the cleaners?”

“No, but I do need to go to a clothing store and get us all something to wear,”

“Specific Colour?”

“White,” Regina says distracted and Clara nods.

“Okay, who’s going to help you cook?”

“No one, I’m on my own there,”

”How about if I help?”

“If you’d like to, that’s fine but wouldn’t it do you better to spend that extra time with Casey?”

“I’ll bring her over and you can help teach her, besides, five hours should be enough time, right?”

“Four, but yes, it should be...thank you, for helping me,”

“Well, it is apart of my job and even though you don’t say this very loudly.. You are my friend and you did help me have my little girl.. I owe you my life,” Clara told her with a radiant smile and Regina smiled back.

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


Emma and the Police station are at a stalemate. And by that, literally everything in that damn station is currently at a standstill. There’s no crime, there’s no files, no calls..nothing. The only thing Emma even remotely remembers happening is Little John saying he was going into ‘the room’ to see if he left some of his pride in there and basically ran right back out screaming because of the simple fact that there was a mouse in there. Mulan had pretty much played with her rubber band ball until it drove her mad and she left for a walk. Her father was basically taking a nap and Little John was still recovering from the mouse incident. She was starting to get more of a Tiny Tim reference from him than a Little John one. They all waited by the phones and waited by the phones and waited by the phones.. But nothing

It isn’t until she’s just shy of leaving to go for a drive when the phone does in fact ring and she picks up.

“StoryBrooke Police, what’s your emergency?”

“You and I need to have lunch with our son and I have to go right back to cooking and in all honesty I really don’t want to but I have to take you both for a fitting as well and we only have an hour to do that,” Regina says quickly and Emma rolls her eyes but smiles.

“A fitting?”

“Out of everything, all you heard was fitting?”

“Well, yeah. Shit attention-who dis?” Emma joked and Regina groaned.

“Emma.. you’re an adult, not a teenager anymore. Please focus,”

“Alright-alright.. What do you need me to do?”

“Can you get Henry and come meet me at the clothing store you got my riding gear and everything else from?”

“Yeah, sure.. I won’t even ask how you knew which one it was, but yeah,”

“Good, I’ll get lunch and bring his bag and I’ll be waiting.. Just tell the school he’s needed for a family emergency and they’ll let him out,”

“Regina! Lying is not becoming of a young queen,” Emma wisecracks as she rises from the seat and grabs whatever she can that’s in arm’s reach. Turns out it’s everything she needs.

“Yes, well, I had to do a lot of that prior to so I’m well versed,”

“Jack of all trades-”

“-master of none.. Yes, I know..are you coming dear, or?”

“I’m coming, talk to you when I get there,”

“As you wish,” Regina said with a laugh and they hung up.

 

“Guys, going out for lunch, if nothing happens in the next hour.. Go home, lock this place up and take the rest of the evening off. I’ll just come back at eleven to answer the one and only call we tend to get about Leroy and his drunken behaviour.” Someone groaned in response but at that time, Emma didn’t care who it was. Hell, they could have not answered at all and she still would have just left.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Ma!” Henry shouted as he quickly jogged over to the car.

“Hey kid,” she greeted him with a smile and he looked confused.

“The school told me I had to leave for a family emergency? What’s wrong? Is it mom? Is she like in labour or something? Is it nana? Did she blow something up again or fry her hair off? What’s happening?!” he asked quickly and worriedly and that only served to make Emma laugh.

“Kis, chill.. Nothing’s wrong.. Your mom just sent me to come get you because she says we’re going to have lunch with you and we have a fitting to go to. She told me to say emergency so they would let you out,”

“Mom told you to lie?”

“Shocking- I know.. Anyway, we gotta get going. We only have an hour to get the fitting done, have lunch and get you back to school,”

“Okay.. I just hope she has my bag and a protein shake for me,” he says and Emma snorts.

“This is your mom we’re talking about.. Of course she has those things.”

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

“Hey mom,” Henry grins as he walks through the doors of the clothing store and Emma smiles as she walks in as well. He hugs his mother and takes the food she passes him. Emma walks up to her and kisses her cheek.

“You look tired already,” she comments and the brunette sighs.

“I’ve already started on prep work and Clara is supposed to meet me at two along with Casey to help cook,”

“Wonder how much work you’ll get done with a five year old in your midst”

“You’d be surprised,”

“Okay ladies and gent.. Fitting time,” one of the tailors said and it became some sort of productions the way three others came out and set three identical stools out in a row and two more crafted tailors came out with measuring tapes, glasses and pencils with notepads. “Up-up!” he said and they obeyed. Henry decided he would stand on his own with the protein drink in hand and his mothers just went how they were. The three people were told to stick their arms out and stand still. They obeyed and then they were quickly measured and sized up before Regina and Emma had matching white strapless dresses with thin rope bands just below the bust brought out for them to see. Regina’s would clearly need to be cut a little and Emma’s would need to be taken in considering her chest was smaller, but other than that.. They were perfect. The dresses were accented by little aqua specks and Henry’s get up was a full linen pair of pants that stopped at the knees and a fitted linen shirt that buttoned down as well. He was either going to look like a hampton baby.. Or a hampton baby with a boat and it was leaning more towards hampton baby with a boat. Matching gold sandals for the women were then brought out based on shoe size and then accessories. Regina just let the tailors take control because you never questioned how they paired things, you had to let them do it for you and so she did. After all of that, everything was wrapped up and packaged. Regina’s trimmed and resewn bottom and Emma’s bust piece taken in. The clothes were also pressed and folded in such a way that they did not wrinkle.Their accessories were set on top and as the family ate and watched in appreciation, the tailors moved on to a new pair of people in need of fittings.

 

“We gotta get going, kid.. You gotta get back to school and I have to check in on the station and see if they’re still dying,” Emma commented and Henry rolled his eyes but stood up.

“I don’t know why you guys stay such long hours when this place has like no crime-magical ones don’t count,” he quickly said and she shut her mouth. “I think you should shorten the hours. StoryBrooke doesn’t need you on patrol for that long. If someone needs to reach you, they always call your phone instead of the station anyway. I mean, think about it.. Every time something magical happened and we had to go, who was left in charge? No one and you know why? Because we have no crime here. When was the last time you actually got to do your job.. Minus the whole Ashley incident with the wolf mating thing?” he asked and Emma took a  long time to think. “See..there’s no point.. You’d be doing more work if you were in Town Hall with mom,”

“Point made, kid.. For right now, let’s get you back to school and I’ll see about switching up the hours or something,” Emma tells him and he raises a brow which she mimics.

“FINE,” he says loudly and she smirks. “Bye mom, see you after practice,”

“Goodbye my little prince.. Have fun,” she says as she puts his bag on his arm and takes the other.

“Don’t know if training can count as fun until I’m good enough to actually enjoy wanting to do pushups on the rugby ball-,”

“-Until then,” Emma interrupts.. It’s back to school,” Emma says as she puts her hands on his shoulder and begins to steer him away, she leans in slightly to kiss Regina’s cheek and smiles. “See you later,”

“See you later,” Regina repeats with a smile and watches her son and his other mother leave. Regina takes their clothes with her and heads home, meeting Clara’s car already there and before she can fully escape her own car- Casey is out and dashing towards her.

“Reginaaaaaa!” she says happily and Regina squints a bit before she focuses on the little girl.

“Hi, sweetie,” she greets as Casey gets closer.

“Hi, momma says I can help you cook spaghetti,”

“Well, it’s more lasagne than spaghetti, but yes, you will definitely be a big help to me,” she tells the little girl who just grins happily.

“Okay!” Casey agrees before running off and back towards her mother. Regina gets the clothes and Henry’s bag from the back and the whiff she gets from it has her scoffing and shaking her head.

“Boys,” she grumbles before laughing lightly. She walks up the expanse of her walkway and opens the door, allowing Clara and Casey to file in and Casey is once again off like a rocket.

“Casey Elizabeth!” Clara starts up and doesn’t get to finish because Regina’s laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, just.. Let her run around, she hasn’t been in here before and I’m almost positive she’ll go even crazier if she realizes-”

“-MAMA. DUCK POND!”

“That,” Regina smirks and Clara groans.

“Can I give her back to you and your magical cells?”

“No, she’s here and she’s a joy to have, enjoy her at this age because when she gets older.. That’s where you’ll really wish to give her back,”

“Note taken,” Clara says and Regina hums.

“Come on.. We need to start-,” the doorbell rings and Regina looks so confused.

“Regina, dear… open the door,” came the voice from the other side and Regina knew whose voice that was.. Only one other person actually called her dear.. Well, technically the whole squad referred to each other as dear and darling.. But still. That voice was smooth and menacing and one tinted with a hint of Ash. “Either open it or I let the smallest puff of smoke incinerate it,” Mal jokes and Regina rolls her eyes before flicking her hand and opening it. “There, was that so hard?” Mal questioned as she and Lily stepped inside. The young woman waved awkwardly and Regina smiled at her. She then turned to Mal and asked.

“What in hell’s name are you doing here?”

“Your soon to be asked for me to come and help you with cooking,”

“If by cooking you mean burning or charring the outside and leaving the inside about as alive as the afterbirth from the cow.. Then no, you may not help,”

“Oh, posh. I’ve been working on that and I’ll have you know I’ve mastered a way to roast meat over a little dragon’s breath.”

“Do tell,” Regina drawls and Mal smirks.

“I’ll show you better than I can tell you, now, where is the kitchen?” she asks and Regina rolls her eyes.

“This way,” she says and they all follow.

“Where’s that lovely little firecracker of yours?” Mal turns her attention to Casey and the woman looks shocked.

“Outside, playing at the duck pond,"

“You have a duck pond?”

“Yes, is that so hard to believe?”

“I suppose not.. You always had a soft spot for the animals.. Funny, considering you still eat them.. Bit of a contradiction don’t you think?”

“ _Maleficent_ …” Regina began and paused to laugh almost angrily. “Three words. Kiss. My. Ass,”

“Two words. With. Pleasure,”

“Hey, hey, no one’s kissing her ass, but me,” comes Emma’s protective voice. “And you shouldn’t be offering your ass as sacrifice,” Emma scolded Regina who all but laughed and covered her face. The blonde is stood with a doughnut in hand and a coffee and Maleficent rolls her eyes.

“You’re a real fucking cop, through and through,” she comments and Emma looks down before shrugging.

“Listen, I called you here to help, not insult and offer to kiss Regina’s ass, which, let’s be clear.. No one will kiss but me,” Emma says once again and Lily is just looking at Clara who looks as lost as her and Mal is batting her eyes in shock and Regina’s not shy of banging her head on the stove.

“Ummmm, ladies.. Or moms and moms with ladies.. Not to interrupt, but anyone wanna tell me why there’s a massive ass hole in the kitchen wall?” Lily questions and Clara answered that one quicker than anyone else.

“Cora blew up the oven and that blew a hole in the wall and.. Yeah.” Regina turns to glare at her and Clara shrugs uneasily.

“What?! She’d have found out somehow,”

“Wait.. that was the ‘earthquake’ the other day?” Mal asked

“Yup,” Emma answered and Regina glared at her,.

“What, Clara’s right.. They’d have found out somehow,” she defends.

“How in the hell did she manage to blow up the kitchen,”

“Something called amber liquid,” Emma said and Mal’s eyes widened.

“She could have killed you!”

“Well aware.. Luckily it was contained within the metal.. Which not only warped but blasted a hole in most of Henry’s room,” Regina answers. “Luckily, Marco and the others have already cut the electrical wires and rewired it so, I have my stove back.. I’m just waiting on the rest of the wall to be put in over there… until then, as far as anyone is concerned.. It’s renovation,”

“Fine by me,” Mal said and Lily nodded.

“Well, if all the questions are out of mind.. Let’s get started shall we.. The list is long and there’s a lot of food we have to make.. Salsa isn’t as quick as people think, neither is lasagne and we’ve already lost twenty minutes that could have been used to prep most of the veggies,”

“Then enough talking and tell us what we need to do,” Mal said and Regina rolled her eyes before riddling off quickly that three people needed to prep and that had to be her Mal and Lily. Clara and Emma were to boil pasta and both had to cook down the ground beef. Emma was in charge of emulsifying the tomatoes and pouring equal amounts into both pans of beef and Clara had to make sure the pasta didn’t over boil. It took an hour to prep and make salsa which took at least ¾ of the veggies but they went away with four massive bowls of salsa that took the whole top shelf of the fridge. Regina then had three pans set out to begin with the lasagne. She pushed Emma and Clara and Lily there as she and Mal seasoned and fixed up the beef. Once they brought it over, they set those down and then put the cheese next to the women who all began on layering and layering and layering. Regina preheat the oven before setting up the pans again to stir fry some more veggies and make paella. Regina had changed her mind the last minute on two dishes and opted to just do a quick stew that would allow her to utilize the time and properly be able to finish everything. She sent Mal to the garage and down to the basement to retrieve the apple cider she had aging for… a good while if the dust was any indication. Mal was to set it in the wine cooler and they three women could rest for a while until they needed to check on other meals. They all took a break and were clocking in at nearly three hours. Regina went out to go and put clothes in the wash as well as switch the set she’d started randomly somewhere in between, to the dryer.

“Hey,” Emma said as she leaned onto the doorway and Regina turned around.

“Hey,” she said back and Emma looked at her intently.

“You’re still running yourself ragged,” Emma comments and Regina sighs.

“I know.. But this has to be perfect,” Regina tells her in a tone she knows she mimics frequently

“Perfect doesn’t exist,” Emma says in an almost dead tone, the exact one Regina used. It’s become a thing with them where they speak to one another as if it’s a death sentence.. As if they’re waiting to stop breathing any second or have quit on life.. But they only do this when they have these kinds of talks.. Because they’re draining.. Emotionally and physically, they are draining.

“I know.. But I can get it to come pretty close,”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that.. But.. the party’s going to start soon.. Henry will be home any minute and I’m positive you need to rest.. so ,” Emma says before walking over and taking the clothes from her. “Go upstairs.. Take a long bath.. Soak in it, sleep in it.. Just go rest. The only thing left is to watch the soup and the lasagne, right?” Regina nods and Emma smiles. “Okay, so go.. If anything happens I’ll wake you, but you have to rest, please.. Your body isn’t supposed to go through this much in one day,” Emma tells her and she nods. She kisses Regina’s forehead and sends her off before finishing up with the clothes. “Guys, thanks for coming.. But I sent her up to sleep.. We’re pretty much done anyway and I’m sure you guys have to go get ready too.. But still, thanks for coming and lending a hand, she’d have ran herself ragged if you hadn’t,” Emma admits and no one denies that.. Regina’s work ethic was always like that.

“Alright, Swan.. don’t burn the place down.. Come on Lilith, we need to be getting ready,”

“Me and Casey too,” Clara says and Emma nods. The women file out and Emma is just about to lock the door when she sees Henry jogging up the walkway.

“Hey, kid.. You’re early,”

“Yeah, coach told me I could leave early because he heard about the party.. Well, he told us all to leave because they all wanna come here,”

“Ahhh, well, let’s hope we have enough to feed boys who eat about as much as three men,” she jokes and Henry looks weary about that comment because they could actually eat as much as three men. “Nope.. they’ll eat salsa all night if that’s the case,” Emma says and that’s because if they ate that much.. No one else would eat.

 

She and Henry clean up the kitchen and as Emma continues to watch the soup and whatnot. Henry takes a bath.. A long one, and that’s because his muscles are sore as hell. After he soaks, he puts his clothes on and he and Emma switch places. She goes upstairs and finds Regina asleep and curled up in the bed. She kisses her forehead and takes herself a shower before she’s back in the room, hair freshly blow-dried and in her underwear and a singlet.

“Gi,” she whispers, brushing hair from Regina’s face. “Regina,” she says again and Regina stirs. “Hey, beautiful.. Time to get up,” she tells her and Regina groans quietly. “I know, I know, but we have a party to put on and I really would like to show off the angel in white to everyone coming.. Besides, would you like all your hard work to go to waste,” she says and that gets the woman’s eyes to snap open.

“You play very dirty, Swan,”

“I learned from the best,” she compliments and Regina rolls her eyes before getting up, stretching and yawning. Without another word, the brunette gets up and walks right into the bathroom. She washes her face and brushes her teeth before she flat irons her hair straight and lets it fall wherever it may. It’s so long that if she wanted to put it up in a ponytail, she could.. And a big part of her wanted to.. So she did. She fastens a Greek like headband around her head and does her makeup with gold accents and dark eye colour after she puts her dress on. Emma’s face is partially done and by partially.. She just went with the closest natural look which was light foundation, light on the eyeliner and a bit of balm on her lips. She braided her hair and let the natural wavy curls fall at the side and as she sat in her dress and Regina walked out in hers, she caught a glimpse in the mirror of the woman. Emma spun around and her breath caught in her throat.. Regina looked absolutely..

“Breathtaking,” she whispered and the woman blushed.

“You do as well, Emma,” Regina said and the blonde shook her head.

“Can I kiss you..please.. I just.. Wow!” she said in a breathless fashion.

“You may,” the brunette responded and without another word, Emma did so. Her fingers cradled Regina’s face and the kiss sent shivers down both their spines. It was soft but electric, sparking a bit as their lips met in the cool air of the bedroom. When they pulled apart.. They shared a smile. It was an understanding smile that knew no bounds and welcomed every possibility and then it drifted away as Emma went to get something and returned with Regina’s sandals. She took each foot gently in her palm before she slipped them onto Regina’s feet and strapped them for her.

 

“Beautiful.” she commented and Regina smiled.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s officially ‘party’ time and Emma is an anxious mess of human limbs and weird passionate feelings and Regina’s...nervous for her to say the least. The planning had come smoothly and gone quickly because, this is Regina we’re talking about. If she really wanted to throw an extravagant party, she could do it with her eyes closed, but as per Emma’s request, it was just a small and intimate gathering of all the people who loved them both.. Or at most, tolerated the Evil Queen and loved the Saviour. They’d never gotten past that point where most of these people were concerned..especially where the dwarves were involved. Who knew several men no taller than 4’5 could hold a grudge bigger than them for a spoiled little princess who didn’t even seem the least bit affected by it until she was told to be?

She’d enlisted Clara’s help because Clara was the only employee competent enough to actually heed to whatever Regina’s demands were...then again, Clara was the only employee in Town Hall, period. She really needed to hire more people or else both she and the woman would be overworked before the summer even if they’d managed thus far under the curse and post curse. But then again, she had to think of the future and if she was going to raise her daughter, she needed to be home. She _wanted_ to be home...she had to be home because she had to give that little girl every single ounce of her attention and love, the same way she did with Henry, and she wanted to be able to do that with Emma as well. She wanted to show the blonde that everything she’d ever wished for and had hoped to have, can still be had. Maybe not in a very predictable way, but in a more realistic one. Granted, they probably wouldn’t be much for representation, but Regina had already thought of it in a way that they’d already shared a domestic relationship. It came in the form of Henry, well, the way they handled one another for Henry’s sake. It proved to be a good thing when they realized that their co-parenting survived if Henry was up to his antics (he almost always was, intentionally) and they’d agreed on ways to find him, or dish out punishment. Regina was nearly positive she saw him take one with a smile at one point in time, but she’d just thought she was crazy by then because henry groaned at any possibilities of his privileges being revoked.

Emma didn’t feel she was so crazy after she convinced her that exact same day that she thought their son was critically planning when he did things or when he got into trouble.

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

_“What do you mean he’s planning. Miss Swan, not everyone schemes and connives and Henry certainly is not one of those people… even if he watched me succumb to it himself,” Regina had mumbled after Emma told her, ‘I’ll bet on anything, Henry knows what he’s doing. He has to be planning these things out.’ After one of the many family dinners was had and the boy had gone up to his room to sleep, his mothers went ahead and cleaned up the dining room and washed the dishes._

_“I didn’t say scheme and connive. I said plan- and our kid- is doing just that,” Emma explained as she handed Regina a soapy dish that the brunette rinsed and placed on the rack to dry._

_“Why? What purpose would it serve for us to genuinely be upset with him or over the situations he finds himself in?” she question as she drifts away from the sink and finds herself getting them both a drink of wine. Emma turns away from the sink and dries her hand before taking the glass and nodding in thanks._

_“The one that indicates that when we’re upset with him or the other situations, we’re no longer arguing with each other like right now,” Emma says cheekily and Regina rolls her eyes._

_“Are you saying that Henry somehow adopted your need to go to the extreme just to get ‘us’ to stop arguing?”_

_“Not adopted. It’s already in him, but...Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying,”_

_“I don’t believe that,” Regina scoffs and Emma grins._

_“Okay, Story A, versus all of Henry’s shenanigans as of late. Us on our way to Neverland-,”_

_“-God, not this one again-,”_

_“-Yes, this one again...now hush and I’ll tell you why. I jumped off the side of the boat because all of you kept arguing with each other,” she begins and can clearly see the brunette roll her eyes again.. She just continues. “The only time you all stopped arguing and focused on something else was when I did something drastic and you panicked because you cared so much about me that you pulled your heads out of your asses long enough to save me,”_

_“I wasn’t worried,” Regina decides to say petulantly but Emma just grins before hugging her and that impromptu hug nearly causes her an arm, but Regina quickly registers it as non offensive. She finds herself almost smiling widely, but more so feeling a bit… loved, by the blonde and THAT was damn sure something she wasn’t going to admit had anyone asked her._

  


And that’s why they’re here, having a party that is housing over eighty people, all hungry for food and openly going for everything they see on display. Everything from the lasagne to the apple cider to the paella and the salsa were disappearing right before Regina’s eyes.. Part of that was because of Henry’s rugby team friends and then there were the dwarves who seemed to just inhale food.. She was happy about it though because that meant little to deal with where leftovers were concerned and little to worry over because once it was gone it was gone. Snow and Charming were off somewhere doing something with other people and that bought the pair time to just breath for a minute and that minute went way sooner than they thought because a hand rested on Regina’s shoulder and instantly she knew..

“Snow, how are you?” she questioned in a sickeningly sweet tone.

“Just fine, Regina.. What about you?”

“Fine as well, dear. Are you enjoying the festivities?”

“I am,” Snow says, not really giving anything away. “Where’s your mother?”

“She should be arriving in a while with her friend,”

“Friend?”

“Yes, she has those, or did you think we Mills are unable to make friends?”

“No- I..” she paused and gathered herself. “I just thought that.. I don’t know what I thought, but that’s good, I suppose,”

“You suppose?” Regina questions her with a cocked hip and raised brow.

“It’s a good thing, Regina,” she finally says and the brunette dips her head.

“Yes.. it is.”

 

Silence falls amongst them and as father and daughter watch from afar, sipping their cider, it’s clear they’re trying their damndest to avoid anything at all costs.

“Hey Grams,” Henry interrupts and Snow turns her attention to the young boy.

“Henry? You’re putting on weight,” she comments and Regina rolls her eyes.

“I know.. But it’s mostly muscle.. I play rugby now,”

“Your mother let you do this? You let him do this?”

“Yes, he’s a teenager and wanted something other than his laptop to be glued to for centuries.. Besides, he’s rather good at it,” she comments and Snow falls silent once again.

“How’s Neal,” Henry questions and that gets her to actually speak fluidly and swiftly, practically losing the boy half way through the stories she rambles on about. He shuffles her away from his mother who gives him a grateful look and he scrunches up his face to smile..

Another hand rests on her body but this one rests on her head and she pouts.

“David,” she said to him and he smiled.

“Hello, pumpkin,” he greets and she scowls.

“I’m am not a pumpkin,”

“Well, you will be soon enough.. Either that or I call you princess.. Emma hates it but maybe you’ll like it.. I need nicknames for my daughter in law,” he grins and Regina can tell he’s taking massive pride in teasing her. She lets him have it because where he’s bearable for both himself and his wife, Snow is unbearable for them both, though, Regina supposes that this particular night is different. She hasn’t been accused, neither has her mother and everything just seems to be working out completely fine for her right now. So, she lets David tease her and Cora and Mayim show up about several minutes later, with more food and this time it’s pizza and thank God because all the food was gone and Regina was putting the dishes in the dishwasher and Emma was entertaining and pretty much nowhere near her all night and her mother seemed pissy drunk already and Mayim looked beautiful again and Regina shuddered again because.. Repeat of history and yeah.. The party was hectic and she couldn’t find her entire family for most of it because she was being pulled away by Casey who wanted to play, she had to make sure no one (Mal) was roasting Ermis over a pit. She wanted to make sure everyone was comfortable and had to get more apple cider. Then she had to sit in a corner because Lily needed her help with something and that something was something she couldn’t very well tell Mal about because how does a daughter of the darkness tell the greatest dragon to ever exist besides Smaug that she was in love with a plain old human and Regina had to explain to her that in technicality… Mal fell in love with multiple ‘plain old humans’. She also happened to fry the majority of them but that was another story. After that, Cora was pulling her away and making a drunken toast and Snow followed suit and Charming followed suit and fucking everybody with alcohol followed suit. Cora dragged Mayim upstairs and locked herself in the room and you’d think that after not seeing your child since your grandson started Rugby that you’d focus on her, but no.. Cora just wanted to get laid.. Or lay down.. No one really knew. The party was home to stragglers, wine glasses  and plastic cups, an assload of trash and furniture that definitely had a few accidents on them. Most of the designated drivers were slightly inebriated themselves and this turned into Emma, Regina and whoever else wasn’t a wreck, driving them all home safely.. Smart idea, Regina got one of the school buses and loaded them all in before dropping each person off and returning home. She met the house mostly clean by the time she got back and that was because Mal and Clara and Emma and Henry were cleaning. Casey was out cold and sleeping in Henry’s room. Everyone pretty much just cleaned in comfortable silence until Ermis walked in squeaking up a storm and Regina picked him up. He was clearly yelling at her and telling her he’s disappointed she didn’t invite him to the party and she responded in kind.

“Am I high, or is she talking to a fucking duck right now?” Mal questioned and Clara turned to her.

“If you’re high then I’m high too,” she said and Mal’s brow rose in a drunken stance.

“Regina.. _Why_ are you talking to a duck?”

“Because, this duck actually has common sense,” she says and Ermis squeaks. Regina laughs.

“What did he just say?’ Mal questioned and Regina turned to her and said.

“He said, yes, you old as dust flamethrower,”

“Why you little-!”

“-Mom!Chill!” Lily told her and Mal scowled at Ermis. Ermis squeaked again and somehow she knew he was laughing.

“Laugh it up you little fluffy bastard. I’ll fry you quicker than you can squeak an insult,” she says with a threatening tone and breathes a little dragon breath that makes Ermis squeak unnaturally.

“Mom!”

“Mal!”

“Maleficent!”

“Dragon!”

“Flamethrower!

“WHAT?!” she asked affronted before huffing. Ermis squeaked angrily and she stuck out her tongue.

“I need.. A drink,” Regina comments before taking the bird away. Mal continues to scowl and Henry shakes his head.

“Guys, can we please just finish this.. “ Lily begged and they nodded and continued.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It’s finally time to go to sleep and the usual is done. They shower, do their rituals and climb into bed with one another. Regina has the night sky displayed before Emma’s even fully under the blankets and they talk on and on and on until there’s a knock at the door and it’s Cora.

“Gina.. where’s the food?”

“It’s all gone, mama,” she tells her calmly and Cora whines.

“So no pizzzzaaaaa?!”

“No mama, no pizza,” she says and Cora huffs. “Come here, mama.. I’ll make you something to eat,” she tells her and Cora nods..

“Is that a plushy?” Emma asks and Regina nods.

“It’s Ermis.. Well, the original Ermis anyway,” Regina tells her and she nods confused. “We’ll be back,” she tells Emma and the blonde nods before turning the tv on and getting lost in some shows. Regina whips up a quick sausage and rice recipe she’d taught herself for her mother and sets it before Cora who is yawning and pouting. “Mama, please eat. You’re hungry right?”

“Yes, but.. Regina?”

“Yes, mama?”

“Do you love me?”

“I do, why would you ask that?”

“Because I’m currently drunk and not in control of anything right now and I need to know.”

“Mother, of course I love you. No matter what’s happened, where we go or what we do. I’ve always loved you.. I’ve always searched for your acceptance and always searched for the love I remember you used to show me,” she tells her and Cora nods.

“Okay, because I know I fucked shit up and I took shit away and then I fucked up more shit, but I was talking to Mayim tonight and… why in the fuck didn’t you tell me she looked so much like you.. That’s gross, I’d have ended up sleeping with a replica of my own child,”

“To be fair, you’d have slept with a replica of yourself before me,” Regina said to her and Cora’s face darkened.

“That’s not the point.. Point is.. She made me realize things I never wanted to admit aloud.. I fucked up and I need to take responsibility for it.. I royally fucked you up,” she begins. “Mentally I ruined you and physically I abused you. Emotionally I destroyed you and Spiritually I rejected you. And I am no believer of God, but my child I’ve never needed to be forgiven more than I do right this second. So please.. Please forgive me… I confess to my sins, Regina.. Please, just forgive me. I am sorry, my sweet child,” she says just shy of tearing up and Regina quickly abandons her seat to hold her crying mother.

“Shhh, shhhhh mama. It’s okay. You’re okay,” Regina coos and Cora sniffles wetly. She stays there with her and talks to her and with her. She tries to get through to her and hopes she understands that everything is alright.. Or it will be. She only manages to get the woman to not be so hysterical and okay by telling her that it did help her do one thing and that was become stronger and fight for herself and fight for her love, even if it was in the wrong ways. Regina helps her mother to her room and kisses her cheek and tells her goodnight. She checks in on Henry and nearly chokes on how.. Clean his room smelt.. Like he’d open an entire bottle of dettol in there. Then she remembers… she removed his cheesy socks and put new sheets on his bed and he must’ve literally just opened an entire bottle of dettol.. Of course a good bit of his room was still missing, but it was clean and it looked the way it used to. She pauses for a moment and realizes that all night.. She’d barely spoken to him as well.. She hadn’t gotten any pictures with him and Emma at any point throughout the party, but she surely got some of other people..little did the brunette mother know, her son was secretly taking photos of her as per Emma’s request, but he was also taking photos of Emma without anyone knowing. She sighs and shuts the door before heading back to her room and getting in bed.. Regina doesn’t even have a lick of energy left in her and slowly her body goes limp with sleep.

 

Emma’s still awake and utilises this time to talk to egg. She kisses Regina’s stomach thirty times and sighs in happiness.

“Egg, we are officially at a month and in all honesty kid… I’m shitting myself. I’m literally shitting myself and if your mommy heard me swearing in the front of you.. She’d kill me, but…” she trails off because she can’t find words and laughs. “When I run out of words to say to you.. I’ll just settle for the kisses because that’s enough in most cases, right? Right. Your brother’s playing rugby, eating at least three times as much as he did before and he’s getting chunky.. But the muscle kind of chunky. Anyway.. I’m looking into changing shift times at the station which gives me way more time to be home and if Rugby season ever starts up, I can be to Henry’s games, go to the gym with him in the mornings and help him with his training.. Bonding time, you know. Pretty positive by the time you’re here, you’ll be a replica of mommy.. Lots of kids look like replicas of your mommy and I realize now that it’s because your mother is the happy ending of all happy endings.. Her residual DNA… gives all of these kids at least one feature of hers… and it’s funny because that means she helped your grandma and grandpa get together, but the reason I don’t have any features like her is because of my grandfather, he signed a treaty and the fairies basically morphed my mother’s womb...damn.. Mind blown,” she whispers to herself. “Okay, before i get sucked into some vortex over this.. I gotta hit the sack kiddo.. I love you and whenever you reach, I’d like to hope I’m ready to meet you.. Good night Egg, don’t fuck up momma’s womb in there, okay?”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One blissful month later

“I’m on patrol! I’m on patrol!” Emma sings as she swings her keys in her hand. “I’m on patroooooo-,” it’s cut short by a phone ringing. “Oh!” she says before laughing. “Sheriff,” she answers and the voice is frantic and it’s jumbled and Emma can’t understand jack shit until the person says something along the lines of

_Regina_

_Kidnap_

_Out in the woods_

She’s pretty much gone when that comes out and frantic doesn’t begin to describe what it is Emma’s feeling. She doesn’t think, she just reacts and her reaction leads her to put a locator spell on the chain that was around her neck and that confused her before it kept going in a literal circle and putting her right back where she was stood when she got the call. So, the blonde tries something else and because it’s literally after six and the sun sets so damn early there and their son is going to need someone to come get him and dinner has to be cooked and kidnap and Regina.. She’s in some autopilot movement that has her going through the woods with a speed unmatched by a regular human. What she meets when Regina’s conveniently floating underwear comes to a halt is a fire pit that;s lit and basically, Regina’s set up an entire dinner under the stars and has tents erected further off.

“Regina,” she breathes.

“I wasn’t kidnapped,” she says with a smile and Emma laughs in relief, holding onto her chest.

“I know that now,” she responds and Regina smiles at her with a wariness that means she herself had some concerns, but it was more so over how Emma was doing.

“Who called it in?”she asks as she takes a step closer, forgetting the floating underwear.

“Henry,” Regina blushes and Emma’s mouth falls open slightly.

“Remind me to cuff him the next time,” she grins before she steps even closer.

“Is that my underwear?” she questions Emma who quickly flails and yanks the fabric.

“I-Ummm. I .. I had to grab something, quick because this wasn’t working,”she said as she pointed to necklace and Regina looked lost.

“You tried using my ring?”

“Yeah, but all it did was take me back to the start,” Emma said before she bent to sit down.

“Back to the start?”

“Yeah, right back to the spot where I was when Henry called,” she explained and Regina’s head tilted back. It was obvious Emma didn’t realize what that meant, but Regina wasn’t going to say anything to her about it. “Sorry about your underwear, I was just so worried, I didn’t know what to use,”

“I’m sorry we scared you so bad.. I’ll have to call Henry and let him know it worked though, this was partially his plan,”

“Oh, I know that now.. This bleeds Henry Mills all over it, but what I don’t know, is which part bleeds, Regina Mills….”

“The part that remembered you wanted to sleep under the stars…. And the part that realizes she hasn’t told you this is our second date,” Regina tells her and Emma flounders.

“I look like crap and this is our second date!”

“It’s casual and it’s comfort and yes.. Our second date,”

“Well damn, ever heard of asking a girl out,”

“Ever heard of the words future wife -pregnant with your daughter and hours and hours of painful labour to come,” Regina deadpans and Emma’s mouth pinched into a butthole. At least that’s how Cora described it.

“Alright, you win.. But like, how do we shower.. Or change.”

“The river exists-,”

“-but it’s cold!”

“Oh stop whining and you can change in the deck of the woods, no one will see you,”

“You don’t know that… you know Robin walks through the woods like he owns it,”

“Well, too bad for him, it’s been sectioned off for tonight,” Regina says flippantly and Emma sags a bit happily at their banter.

For the past month, they’ve gotten even closer and Henry had stacked on quite a bit of muscle from his training. Rugby season was set to start soon and both mothers took turns in going to the gym with him in the morning and then making him breakfast and taking him to school. After about two more weeks of his funky clothes, Emma had practically dumped the basket on the bed and told him she couldn’t do it anymore. Luckily he knew how to wash clothes, didn’t mean his laundry wasn’t still piling high in the corner of his room and underwear and socks and t-shirts littered the floor. When Regina noticed the lack of times her son washed because she always knew when his things should have washed, she ventured into his room and froze.. She never did figure out if it was the scent or the sheer filth that generated in his room and since his wall had been patched up as well as the kitchen’s..and since the boy always had his room door closed, no one ever suspected anything.. She couldn’t do it and it went right back to just her washing the clothes because leave it up to him or Emma and the boy would be commando for the rest of his life, granted she was sure he was now because when she folded and put away his clothes, every single last drawer was empty. Cora had been spending some more time with Mayim and with Marco. She partied with Mayim and her friends but had heart to hearts and long talks and book club meetings with Marco. She was getting better at managing crowds, but it was still hard the second she had to do something on a whim. Other than that, family dinners continued as they were, the Charming's ate with them a total of four times because the whole every Saturday family dinner thing was a thing. The who’s paying the tab game continued and olive branches were being extended to Snow where Emma was concerned.. Regina figured it was best that mother and daughter repair their relationship first before former stepmother and stepdaughter tried to.

  


“What is today anyway?”

“May eighth,”

“Riiiight, because I’ve been counting the days of Cora yelling at me for not getting her a mother’s day gift,”

“You didn’t buy me one either,”

“I knowwwwww, I forgot.. I don’t celebrate holidays and if it isn’t you or Henry telling me what’s happening or the way you used to be all sarcastic n shit and be like “Sheriff Swan, seeing that the miner’s day celebration is this Friday and I haven’t seen your annual reports, I guess it’s safe to assume you won’t be attending but rather doing long forgotten work...hmm?”

“I do not sound like that!” Regina says shrilly but she’s laughing and that goofy, toothy smile Emma is known for, shines through.

“You so do and that’s why when you do it to everyone else, I laugh. But in all honesty, I really never remember. I’ve never celebrated it, conveniently enough I was never in a home to celebrate it,” she rolls her eyes and Regina sighs.

“Well, seeing as you didn’t buy me a gift either, I’d have been yelling at you too, but I know you better than that. You make up for your mistakes with better surprises and gifts than initially planned out… so, you get a free pass, just don’t forget again and she won’t threaten to string you up a pole,”

“Ha, like she could reach me. Seriously, what is it with you short women and threatening me?”

“I don’t know, maybe we like the challenge, and the climb,” Regina jokes and Emma is highly impressed.

“Madame Mayor, my word,” Emma says in fake aghast that Regina rolls her eyes at. “Okay.. we’ve been here for all of… twenty minutes.. I think we need to call our son and then actually have our date,” she suggests and Regina nods,

  


So, Emma calls Henry and based on the tone of her voice, he knows she knows.. They talk a little back and forth and then she lets Regina talk to him before hanging up. Their date consists of Burgers that Regina makes perfectly because she’s learned a few more things about the blonde and she feels like indulging her tonight, so, in a show of appreciation and care and notice, Regina makes Emma the greasiest burger and the crispiest fries with some weird sweet chili dip the woman freaks over. She pulls out a litre bottle of Ginger ale and lets Emma drink it straight from the bottle as she drinks cold apple cider. Between Emma hiccuping and burping bubbles, Regina giggles at her because it’s clear she can’t control it, and afterwards, she cleans up the mess and they go for a walk. Regina has the entire walkway littered with candles and the more they walk, the closer they get to the river. She wants to indulge Emma’s teenage side, considering the blonde never had much of one and she dares her to go skinny dipping.. Skinny dipping in the moonlight was something Emma never expected to come from Regina’s poised lips, but it did and her being her… she wanted this woman to join her just as bad as she wanted to relive what little freedom she could remember.So, Emma strips and runs in and it’s freezing tits in the water but the second that’s out her mouth, she can only see the moonlight casting a small shadow on Regina’s body. She can’t see a damn thing and that’s probably the way Regina wants it. Innocent and not so innocent in the same breath. Emma wades in the water until she hears the shallow shift of liquid beat against her back and then there are arms on her shoulders. She turns around and smiles and it’s then and only then that the enigmatic smile she’s so used to seeing in the day is the brightest light of the evening. Regina swims around in the river and Emma follows behind her and the longer they stay in, the warmer it gets. She goes under and Regina stops swimming. She nearly lurches when Emma slides up and out the water and right in front of her. Emma clamps a hand over her mouth and laughs a bit loudly before she removes that same hand and kisses Regina on the lips.

“Sorry for scaring you,” she says and Regina pinches her.

“Never do that again,”

“Why, afraid there’s an actual lochness monster in here-wait.. There _isn’t_ one, right?”

“There is..” Regina says and she can see in the dim lighting of the night that Emma’s about half a second from skirting out the water but she pulls her back and continues. “But he only lives in the swamp, Emma.. this is a river, do the math,”

“I’m safe is all I’m gathering,”

“That’s the math,” Regina says smartly and she can sense Emma’s scowl. “Stop that,” she tells her and Emma rolls her eyes.

“How you know what I’m doing in this dank ass light is beyond me,”

“You have few facial expressions, it’s not hard to put two and two together,”

“I don’t know if to take that as an insult or what,”

“It’s just an observation.. Soooo,” Regina says and it takes a moment before she notices Emma’s hands around her naked waist, turning them in the water.. Drifting with Regina in her hold. Regina slides her arms over Emma’s shoulders and clasps her hands behind the woman’s neck as they continue to move. Their bodies aren’t actually touching, but somehow, they feel closer to one another and they can’t even find each other’s legs in the water.

 

They stay like that for a good while until being in the water makes Regina sleepy and they need to take actual baths in the river, something she finds herself being excited to do, so, they blindly make their way back to the campground because all the damn candles went out and Regina didn’t think to at least bring a light with her. They walk back to the river once again, bathe and walk back once more to the campground. Dressed in comfy pjs and fuzzy socks, the pair lay out under the stars and as they talk, Emma tries to point out the constellations to Regina who can see nothing but a clusterfuck of beautiful stars. Emma laughs because you really only can see a beautiful clusterfuk of stars considering. So, they talk about something else, like how it’s been two months, Rumple’s still loopy, there’s nothing else they could possibly find out about true love babies, Henry’s weight gain and almost construction of a funk monster, Cora’s improvement and their own relationship that they still couldn’t really call anything because they’ve been on a total of two dates and were still so adamant about just being good friends first that it never seemed to be an issue for them. By the time Emma thinks Regina’s asleep.. She’s whispering her conversation with Egg and pointing out the constellations again, grinning that one day she can do this for real. She doesn’t have much to say to Egg after sixty and one kisses to Regina’s still flat stomach, but just before the mother of one drifts off, something bumps against her cheek and because she’s so sleepy, she doesn’t bother figuring out where it came from.

 

She drifts off to sleep and two months only prove that these women are better friends than they ever thought they would be...but the possibility of them becoming so much more, was well on its way

 


	17. Rumbelle. Never again. Get a move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiii people!!!!! Sorry I was so M.I.A IN YOUR LIVES I WAS DEALING WITH STUFF AND DYING SLOWLY BUT I is back and I is sorry I have been missing for so long. Thank you for putting up with my crap and things for so long and as a treat a very lengthy installment comes your way

This wasn’t supposed to be apart of their plan.. Technically, there wasn’t supposed to even be a plan, but now it was and they were going through with it. After their second date that had been perfectly orchestrated by Regina, the pair had opted to stay in the woods for the next two days and just spend time with one another. It made sense, considering it was the weekend anyway and all they had to do was call Henry and tell him. The good thing about him was he was very well trained in keeping up with his own schedule should any of the adults in his life go missing for a while. That was something that also put his mothers at ease because at least they knew he’d be able to manage by himself, should he have to. He was much too used to it by now- the constant ups and outs to go and fight other magical beings amongst other trivial things in life. It had lost the glamour after a while and the initial amazement of it was now about as lackluster as rusted pipes. It also surprised neither of his mothers when he quickly agreed to them staying out for the next two days, but Regina had a sneaking suspicion the reason he agreed so quickly, wasn’t just because of them- but because he wanted to go to a certain person’s house. Henry was a God with a lot of things, but he could never fully pull one over on Regina-maybe Emma, but not Regina. 

 

Regina and Emma had both gotten up early that Saturday morning and were simply just laying in the rays of a new day, breaths melding together as they continued to breathe in a comforting tandem.The tarp that was laying on the ground, barely keeping them from feeling any of the rocks or other forest like things, really served no purpose which made Emma laugh because it was as if they were genuinely laying on them anyway. Emma still had a goofy smile on her face and Regina couldn’t keep the blush from hers. They’d clearly ended up sharing one tent instead of them both having a tent of their own because in all honesty, it was so much more comforting for them to be in the same tent as each other. Emma didn’t have to worry whether or not Regina was able to sleep and Regina didn’t have to worry that Emma would randomly wake from a nightmare or something along those lines. It was easier to sleep together.. It was safer to sleep together, it was actually just a really good feeling when they slept together. Emma never missed the way Regina would silently cuddle up under her when they were in the house- in their room, in their own bed. 

_ Their bed _ … that was something she never thought she’d get the chance to say when it came to anyone- and now that she was thinking it, it seemed much more real than saying it. It was clear the habit wasn’t going anywhere, anytime soon, either. She revelled in the fact that Regina seemed to be so much more relaxed than the usual snarky and sarcastic attitude the blonde was so used to getting. Regina was changing and she was changing quickly, but it wasn’t something that went unnoticed by Henry or his blonde mother. Regina was also pretty sure they noticed, but her only hope was that they wouldn’t tease her about it or make such a big deal about it either.. 

They never did and that was because at this point, Emma knew enough about Regina to realize that when it came to most- if not all things, the brunette was not one for teasing. It’s not that she was no nonsense about it, quite the opposite in fact. She was merely very sensitive, something Emma never thought she’d describe  _ the _ Regina Mills as being, but here she was, saying it-thinking it no less and it’s all true. Emma was clearly having a very positive effect on her and Regina would never admit it, but she appreciated the way the blonde’s innocent aura helped keep her own from turning dark at every possible turn and at every mistake. What she didn’t realize was that her strength and her sarcasm, amongst other things- was also doing something very important for Emma as well.. It was keeping Emma aware, and what didn’t keep her aware, something else the brunette did always made her aware. She now thought before she spoke and tried to gauge and curb her jealousy and anger because she honestly still felt she had no right to be jealous, but it was just something about their situation- about Regina.. It was just something that made the blonde understand what love entailed.. 

It entailed a protective kind of jealousy. 

It entailed saying things you don’t mean but end up saying anyway in the heat of the moment because of frustration and hoping that what is said is expressed the right way, even though you know it most likely won’t..

It entailed second chances and lessons to be learned anew, every single day.

Love… Love entailed hope and patience. It entailed faith, but most importantly, it entailed will.

Emma was stupidly innocent and blissfully ignorant, but she had will. She had hope and she was learning her lessons, but she was just about the most impatient human on the planet. She was the saviour and as beautifully dumb as she was, she was still highly aware as a human in the aspect that regardless of her own screw ups, she still didn’t want to be seen that way. She just wanted to be seen as Emma. She wanted to be seen as herself; a human-flaws and all. Thankfully, that’s all Regina ever chose to view her as, a human, flaws and all, just like she’d asked. It was just the rest of the town and her own parents constantly hoping and praying for this beacon of white light to engulf her and make her whole. It’s as if all they wanted to see was the Emma that a prophecy had foretold. Granted, it was a pretty fuzzy prophecy at that considering the Blue Fairy decided to be shady and pretty much pull one over on just about everyone she came in contact with. Still, it was a prophecy nonetheless and it was one she was finding herself slowly being able to fulfill if only because of Regina. She hated that.

She didn’t want to be predictable and she damn sure didn’t want to be Saviour-like predictability. Lucky for her, Regina didn’t want that either… and that’s why they fit so well.

  
  


Henry was also told to watch over his grandmother as well, but firstly, he’d laughed which confused both Regina and Emma. He had then explained to his mothers that,

“Me watching nana is like watching paint dry.. It feels like it won’t until you leave or fall asleep.. Nana’s like a bad kid who’s just waiting to take the car out for a joy ride and run it into the side of the house. I can’t watch her and the house and myself, I already have to manage without pancakes for the next two days- you think I wanna live with the possibility that this batty old woman would throw a party and break mom’s crystal vases she has just sitting there all innocent and waiting?”

“Kid, she really isn’t that bad,”

“Alright then, when you get back- you watch her, then we’ll see if she’s that bad or not,”

“Fine, Hen. You’re on and after I prove your grandmother isn’t as bad as you make her out to be, your mom isn’t going to be washing your clothes anymore, she’s suffered enough cheesy socks as of late,”

“Fine but that’s  _ if _ you win...and if I win- _ you _ have to start washing them again,”

“Deal,”

“Alright… tell mom I love her,”

“You can tell her yourself, kid, hold up,” Emma said to him before passing the phone over. She let mother and son talk and laugh and exchange their love for one another before Regina hung up and then looked at Emma with a smirk.

 

“You know you’re going to lose this one right?” she asks the blonde who sighs but she smiles as well.

“Yeeeaaaahhh, but I kind of just want him to keep an eye on your mom.. Plus I feel bad for you.. His socks really do stink and I’m not sure how you’ve survived it this long, but at least this way I still kind of win,”

“No.. you lose this one.. You completely lose this one, it just doesn’t seem that way,” Regina tells her and Emma laughs.

“I guess when you put it that way- I do lose.. Okay, I’ve lost and it hasn’t even started, what do I do now?”

“Spend the rest of the weekend with me and enjoy it because it’s sock duty after that, for you,” she smiles at the blonde and Emma grins at her before she leans over and kisses her.

“I can do that,” she grins cheekily at Regina and the brunette smiles at her.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  
  


Emma, proved less difficult as it related to showering because Regina had once again challenged her to take a bath in the river, during the day time. Emma reluctantly agreed after they’d taken the long walk to the exact same spot they’d been to the night before. Emma did of course make Regina turn around so that she could strip and quickly run into the river. Regina rolled her eyes but commented at one point that,

“You wouldn’t even feel this insecure had you actually grown up in the Enchanted Forest,” and Emma rebutted with,

“But I’d have been inside and had handmaidens to run my bath water and blah blah and be treated like the princess everyone keeps labelling me as,”

“This is true, but even still, they would have to see you naked because their job was to bathe you.. Every. Single. Part,” Regina said smartly and Emma swallowed. 

“That sounds… not private at all,”

“It really wasn’t.. Now, turn around, I need to change and get in,” 

“I thought you said something about bravery and nakedness and all that other crap,”

“I did, but if you were to ever see me naked, it would have to be after a good night and a wonderful date, amongst other things,”

“Well then I guess I better get started on the other one,”

“You can, after you turn around,” Regina told her with a twirl of her finger. Emma rolled her eyes but turned around and hummed before she felt the water beat against her back the way it had the night before.

“Someone’s close,” Emma whispers through a grin and Regina blows at the back of her neck. “Very close,” she continues to say.

“very...  _ Very _ , close,” Regina says slowly and softly before she kisses the back of Emma’s neck.

“I don’t think I’d have minded living in the Enchanted Forest if this was what I was getting just for bathing naked in a river, but I’d probably get in trouble for following the Evil Queen around so much and wanting to spend more time with her than my own mother,”

“See,  _ then _ you would have gotten me killed-,” Regina began and Emma laughed. “I would have already been banned from the White Kingdom before your parents even thought to have you- besides, if even the slightest bit of word had gotten out about us- you  _ definitely _ would have gotten me killed-”

“-pfft. Doubt it. The Evil Queen. Greatest sorceress of Magic and the little love child of Snow White and Prince Charming becoming her biggest fan and love interest, pretty positive we’d have been a force to reckon with,”

“You’d have been a force...I’d have been the kiddy-napper and bad influence on the golden heiress to the throne,”

“Then you’re a bad influence, but I’m positive it can’t be that bad,” Emma says before she makes a pfft sound.

“ _ You think so _ ?” Regina questions her with all damn sarcasm and Emma internally rolls her eyes. “Emma, I was considered evil even before my mother agreed on my behalf to marry me off to the king. They thought I’d killed the queen myself and was assuming her position to mother your mother,”

“Oh,”

“Yes, oh.. Now, can we enjoy this quiet time without my terrible history taking away from the coolness of the river and rays of the sun,”

“Of course, anything you want- princess,”

“Ha, very funny, Emma,” she says before splashing the woman and Emma splashes her back and they pretty much go back and forth with the splashing and the laughing and everything else. Breakfast is another thing they have to deal with, but it was after Regina had conjured up a wash cup from midair, basically. She’d told Emma that she was washing her hair and in way of saying it, all she really meant was that Emma had no say in the matter.. which the blonde pretty much got. So, she washed her hair for her, shampooed, lathered, rinsed- conditioned, lathered and rinsed again. It was clear that Emma was very okay with that and Regina had to wonder if anyone had ever actually done this for Emma before. If any of her foster homes- or even Snow White herself had actually said ‘Come here and let me wash your hair for you.’ She doubted that massively because at the age the blonde was, she’s sure Emma definitely would not have settled for Snow washing her hair and she definitely would not have been very open with any of her foster parents considering the way she and Regina had met, but then again- she did open up to Regina very early on, it just turns out that Regina was the  _ only _ person she did open up to. The blonde did bring up Ingrid and Regina’s face was rather disgruntled. She’d somewhat hoped nothing damaging from Emma’s past would come up considering she was one of the people responsible for it. They were toweling off after their river bath and walking back to their campgrounds as Emma began to retell her story with Ingrid and Regina interrupted because she’d just remembered something.

 

“Isn’t  _ she _ the insane one who pushed you into oncoming traffic? The one who brought back your frozen ‘ _ friend _ ’ and claimed to be your aunt?” the brunette had questioned and Emma made a sound of indignance. She shrugged, but it didn’t even look like a shrug, she just looked.. Put off.

“Yeah, but she just wanted to see me do my magic and I couldn’t- and why did you say friend like that.. Elsa is-well, was my friend, what are you, jealous of her or something?” the blonde had answered and that made Regina’s nerves uneasy.

“I’m not jealous-,”

“-then why mention her like that, or at all for that matter?”

“Because she was involved in this woman’s hairbrained scheme to reunite two people she didn’t even know from a can of paint, all because she made an assumption that everyone was against your powers and that you genuinely hated them,”

“Elsa kind of hated hers, I didn’t hate mines.. I mean, I don’t think I did,” the blonde answered, clearly unsure of herself and Regina answered right back.

“She took your inability to control your magic as a ‘sign’ that you did. She’s followed you for as long as you’ve been alive and you don’t think that she’s at least in the same boat as someone in an asylum?”

“ _ Reginaaaa _ ,” Emma whined but the brunette huffed. She wouldn’t admit it right then and there but she was a little upset at what Regina was telling her.

“You need to face the facts. She  _ is _ a kidnapper. She mentally unnerved you and she shoved you into oncoming traffic, Emma.. that’s not something someone of sound mind would do even if you believe they have magic.. She knew you had magic, why would she force you into a situation that could have gotten you killed before you were even set to come to Maine in the first place?”

“She just-,”

“-No! She didn’t  _ just _ , Emma. That’s it. She didn’t do anything safe where you were concerned. She pretended to love you all so you would trust her and then look what she does- she pushes you into an oncoming car- What if you didn’t react quickly enough and did get hit by that car- What if you  _ died, _ Emma?”

“You’re making a big deal out of nothing-”

“-Am I?!”

“Yeah, you are. Just chill out. I wouldn’t have died. The whole damn prophecy thing said I’d overturn you or some crap, so if a religious prophecy is told, don’t they like always happen?”

“That’s not the point, Emma,” Regina grits out and the blonde rolls her eyes.

“I think it is and you just can’t accept the fact that there’s this possibility that your guilt was and is plaguing you because of what you did to my parents and me!” she yells at the woman and Regina pauses… Once she pauses, the pause stays amongst them for some time as the words mull over in Regina’s mind and when she speaks, all she says is,

“You’re right,” and of course Emma takes that in stride.

“I know I’m right- but you don’t need to let your guilt continue to get to you about what’s happened to me, Regina. I’m alive and I’m healthy and in all honesty I think the reason most of this happens is just so I can actually understand that my life could have and would have been so much worse.. It just proved to me that yours is and was worse than mines could probably ever been. Yeah, I wondered countless times about my parents and about being loved, but after a while, you get numb to that. With Abuse… you don’t get used to it, you never can because every time it happens, there’s a new way it goes down and I would live a million lives as a foster child before I live as someone who had to endure what you did with your mother… I wouldn’t want to be put through what you went through with her binding you and holding you suspended in the air and literally putting you in darkness-,”

“Emma-,” she tried but was cut off.

“-No. It’s okay.. I mean- I think it is, but Ingrid may have been bad, but she was never as bad as Cora.. She did love me when I thought no one did, even if it was fuelled by something else- she did love me. She just- she knew I had magic before I did and I just didn’t believe it then.. I still barely believe it now-”

“-But she pushed you into oncoming traffic!” Regina belted, somewhat angrily and Emma made a disgruntled noise yet again.

“Regina, calm down,” she tries but the woman flares.

“Calm down?! How in the hell do you expect me to calm down when she could have killed you, Emma!” she continues to belt and Emma realizes something she really wish she wouldn’t.. Regina is forever hardheaded.

“Because I’ve almost died multiple times before and after that,” Emma tells her flatly and she simpers.. Emma can actually hear Regina make a hmph sound and she still has to smile internally at the woman’s care and concern even if it is clearly a distraction for the brunette’s clear cut guilt. “All that time that I was in her care I was never in danger until she started talking about magic and that’s when everything went off the rails. She was a good foster mother.. Quite frankly- she’s the only one I consider an actual foster mother. She did what my mother didn’t get to, for however long that may have been…. And she was the only constant in my life during the whole Lily thing. So, yeah… she may have been batshit at some points, but in all honesty Regina, she was the best and worst of my childhood,”

“How?”

“She loved me, but her love for me made her crazier than she already was and I had to let her go. I had to write her off the same way I wrote Lily off,”

“And you think you’ll have to do the same with me?” Regina asks her and Emma pauses because she has thought about it for days.. Months even, but the funny thing is, she never expected Regina to ask her that. 

“I hope not,”she answers honestly as she sighs. “I hope I don’t have to let you go, or run from you or give up what I’m finally learning to accept so freely and that’s our family.. That’s my mom and my dad, my little brother and Henry, but Regina, it’s come to be you and our little girl. Yeah, she may not be here yet, and yeah I’m losing hope but I‘m gaining it a million times over every time I think of her and the possibility of what she could look like and who she would be and exactly how she would turn out. I get excited at the prospect of it happening and I can’t let it go. I won’t let it go. I’m gonna fight not to let it go. And I damn sure will fight so that I always have you- her and Henry, if nothing else. I will fight for the three of you. So, to hell with what anyone else says or does, you’re all that matters to me at the end of the day,”

“But, your parents should matter more than I do.. And so should your little brother,” Regina says with a new wave of dejected guilt.

“Regina, they matter but guess what. I am not marrying them or creating a child with them, so they may matter but you and our daughter and our son will matter more than you can even think to believe. Let me decide who matters to me most and watch what happens… okay?”

“...okay,” she answers, still a bit saddened.

“Good, and could you stop looking like a kicked puppy, I thought that was my thing,”she teases the brunette lightly and Regina pouts but Emma kisses it away. “There.. better,” she comments once she sees Regina’s pout is gone and now in its place is a smile that’s trying not to be a smile because she shouldn’t be smiling and blah blah.

“Better,” the woman whispers before leaning back in to kiss Emma deeply.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

What they do end up eating afterwards is eggs in a basket.. Peter Pan style, of course. Emma’s completely in awe of the way that Regina can still whip something of substance up from practically nothing at all. She flicks her wrist and a radio pops out. It starts to play music and the music is clearly from Emma’s taste and not Regina’s. Regina has no clue what the hell is actually playing, but the second Emma sidles up behind her and begins to shimmy against her, the brunette gives in with a laugh.

“Ahhh, I see someone’s found her rhythm,” she teases and Emma grins cheekily before humming.

“I don’t think I found her.. I think she found me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Never. Again,” Henry tells both of his mothers by way of greeting as he huffs loudly before turning from the front door and marching into the living room where Cora was on her knees, in front of the table, playing Monopoly with Mayim and some random looking guy who didn’t look like he fit either of their age groups. The teen tosses a towel that was clearly supposed to be in the kitchen at the couch, but he misses and it hits his grandmother in the back of her head. Cora turns and scowls at him and he scowls right back at her before he huffs and makes his way up the stairs. He’d left his mothers stood in the doorway with bags in their hands and confusion on their faces.Then- it clicks and Emma shakes her head with a laugh.

“I guess I should go check in on him?” she questions Regina who shakes her head as well, but answers,

“No, leave him. I’ll check with him later, besides, it’s almost time for dinner and he has to prepare for school tomorrow. We can both talk with him but I’ll do a little damage control later.. My mother must have scarred him… again,”

“How bad do you think?”

“There really wasn’t much else she could tell him that would render him permanently scarred.. Unless he tried to take her in public and she had an anxiety attack, then none of her stories would really do him much damage.. However, knowing my mother, she’d manage to do it somehow..” Regina answers and then she trails off because she has to think deeply if that really is a possibility. It was and she internally groaned at that

“He’ll live,” Emma says and the words pull her from her thoughts. Regina smirks because,

“He will...come on, we need to get ready for tonight,”

“Alright- alright.. Bossy,” Emma grins and Regina nudges her before she begins to walk inside and Emma follows her towards the living room. They slide the bags into the corner and as Emma speaks, Regina’s watching the group that she’s pretty positive never used to live there, continue their monopoly run as if it were their home.

“That’s why you’re marrying me now,” she comments and Emma rolls her eyes.

“It’s one of the reasons I’m marrying you- yes, but it’s not  _ the _ reason. I-,” she stops short because now she’s seeing the group for the first time and they’re just playing like the two women don’t exist.

“You can’t do that, Mayim, that’s cheating,” they hear Cora tell the girl who just snickers and continues on in whatever evil little thing she was doing in the first place.

“It’s not cheating if the game barely has any rules in the first place,” she claims and their friend.. The one who neither Regina or Emma knows at all, comments.

“May- there’s a whole fucking booklet of rules.. What do you mean there’s barely any rules, what do you think this old bitty was reading for half an hour?”

“Her eulogy,” the girl answers seriously but both he and Cora know she’s just being a smart ass.

“Denny, you better get her before I whoop her prissy little ass,” Cora tells the man and now they can put a name to his face… a very- married? kind of name.. Married with kids kind of name.

“Denny won’t do that.. Will you babe?” Mayim questions him before she leans over and he meets her halfway for a kiss. He rolls his eyes afterwards and Mayim smirks. Cora makes a gagging noise and now Emma and Regina are even more confused.

“I thou-,”Emma begins before Regina nudges her in the stomach, hard.

“shh,” the woman whispers to her and Emma catches on. Say nothing, don’t ask questions because it will more than likely lead to an upset Cora and an embarrassed Mayim along with a confused Denny, but little did they know, Denny was always fucking confused. Mayim catches sight of them out the corner of her eye and looks over at them.

“Well, look who’s back!” she says happily as she smiles at the pair and they smile back, Emma more awkward than Regina. It’s clear to Mayim that they want to say something or.. Comment in some manner or another, but they just won’t. Cora and Denny turn around and immediately Cora is up from her spot and mowing them down with hugs. She’s squeezing them so tight that Emma wheezes.

“Cor-Cora! Cora, you’re crushing us,” she manages to tell the woman, but Cora just squeezes them tighter before speaking.

“Oh hush, you know you missed me. I’m too lovable not to be missed,”

“We-didn’t say you weren’t.. But, you’re crushing us,” Regina grunts out and Cora finally lets them go.

“Fine, but I want every single detail about what happened,”

“You sure you want  _ every _ single detail?” Emma asks with an evil grin and Cora squints at her.

“No,  _ Emma _ .. I don’t want to hear about how you banged in the dashboard on my daughter’s car,”

“How you manage to come up with some form of -whatever the hell those are for everything you can think of when it comes to sex, is beyond me,” Emma says with a roll of her eyes and Cora smirks as she answers.

“It’s a gift,”

“Well, put it back in the damn box because it’s chaos-,”

“-No, it’s pure confusion and a dirty mind,” Regina scolds and Cora scowls.

“Funsucker,”

“Well aware- life giver.. Who’s winning at monopoly?” she asks as she tries to change the subject and Cora falls for the bait. Her chin tilts in the direction of the obviously now snatched up couple who seem well off in their own world for the moment.

“Wellll, it would be me, then Denny,  _ then _ Mayim, but little Miss swipe the board over there kept cheating so.. It’s fucked,” she comments and Emma has to muffle a laugh by the way Cora is obviously straight faced about it.

“Well then, tell her to stop cheating,” Regina tells her, clearly not getting the joke in it all.

“Clearly you don’t know who this girl is,” Cora comments before snapping her head in Mayim’s direction. Mayim merely shrugs and begins to hum as if she did nothing wrong. Cora rolls her eyes at the girl before she continues her miniature...rant. “Denny, back me up here,”

“Sorry Sandbags, but.. That’s my lady.. I can’t go against her or she’ll hold out on me,”

“Yuck.. could you think of anything else besides blue balls prevention,”

“Is the word No a sufficient answer?” he questions smartly and Cora flicks at him.

“ _ Up shut _ , Denny!” Cora sings.

“You asked,” he shrugs and she scowls.

“Whatever. She cheated, she cheats, hence her current position,” Cora concludes and Regina smirks.

“At least she isn’t like Henry… he used to hide the money under the board-,”

“-Oh God! I remember that!”

“You do?” Regina questions, now immediately ignoring her mother and the rest of them.

“Yeah,” Emma nods. “The false memories you gave me let me experience  _ everything _ … and when I say everything, I mean everything… even that one time he decided he was ‘upermwan’ and flung himself from the swing, nearly cracked his damn spine and pretty much fractured his arm….” she recited with a shake of her head. Regina smirked lightly before answering.

“You do remember,” she says and even though Emma smiles, they both feel something deep in them akin to fear, on all levels.

“Earth to couple.. Over here,” Denny said and the look Regina gives him.. is confusing. He brushes it off and continues to speak. “Can we help with dinner.. I mean, I know we don’t live here.. And we probably ate all the food in your house as it stands, but Cora won’t shut up about your cooking and me and May wanted to try it.. If you don’t mind that is,” he smiles nervously.

“Do you mind Regina?” Emma asks first and she looks at the blonde before she hears Cora and Mayim ask her the exact same question.

“Do you?”

“Yeah, do you mind, Miss Mills?”

“I-I…” she pauses. “No.. no I don’t mind. We’ll need to change first, but yes, you can all help me cook,” she tells them and Denny grins stupidly.

“Yessss, this is good.. A free meal-,”

“-well, minus the labour, Den,” Mayim interrupts him but he waves her off.

“Still, food is food and I’m about to get me some,”

“Greedy,”

“Ain’t no denying that, now go-go! I wanna eat soon.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Denny seems..” Emma begins but falls short for an answer.

“Eccentric,” Regina fills in without question and Emma hums. 

“Eccentric. That’s a good word to describe him,” she bobs her head and Regina shakes hers. They’d made their way up the stairs-finally and into their room- also finally and were now unpacking whatever it was they had. Emma took Regina’s bag and set both of theirs on the bed as she began to take out their clothing, most of which needed to wash. She tossed a few basketball style and others she handed to Regina to put away in the drawers. “Eccentric, fits him,” she continues and Regina now hums as they make quick work of finishing the rest of the unpacking and once that’s done, Regina’s in their closet and pulling out matching t-shirts.. Or ones akin to similar style and Emma’s grabbing a pair of leggings for herself and shorts for the brunette but Regina shakes her head and she gets her a pair of leggings as well. As they get ready, Emma grins as she makes a comment. “Your mom will definitely make fun of us for dressing alike,” she informs the brunette who takes in their appearance and shrugs. They are matching, down to the ponytail being pulled in one, though Emma’s is clearly longer that Regina’s. “And my hair feels suuuuper silky.. Thank you, baby,” she smiles before she leans over and kisses Regina’s cheek and the brunette blushes.. Emma rarely uses the term ‘baby’ when it comes to Regina, but Regina can’t admit that it makes her heartbeat stop and then flutter as if Emma just injected life into her every time she said it.

“ Yes well, mother never ceases to find something to comment on.. Then again, we may get lucky this time, she seems more than focused on trying not to feel… uneasy about Mayim and her…” she stops short, unsure of what label to use

“...boyfriend?” Emma offers in answer and Regina is quick on her mouth

“If you could even call him that- he looks more like a walking booty call,” she spits out and Emma’s eyebrows go up at that one.

“Wait, are you mad that your mom  _ isn’t _ with ‘the waterbender’ as you so impolitely put it a couple of weeks ago?”

“No, that’s… no,” Regina denies but Emma feels that’s honestly what it is.

“You sure it’s not?”

“It’s not that,” she answers honestly and Emma nods.

“Then what is it?”

“I’m not sure.. I don’t know if it’s them in general or if it’s the fact that she’d clearly liked my mother in some manner or another and now she’s just.. flaunting whatever the hell is happening with the man who has a chain food restaurant as his name,”

“People can’t wait forever, Regina,”

“I’m aware of that, but it’s still disrespectful… You can’t tell me you weren’t thinking the same thing,” she says and Emma falters because, she was.

“I mean- well, I… ok yeah.. Yeah I was thinking it too, but when you knocked the wind out of me with that nudge I just let it go,”

“Because it was confusing and it would have been messy,”

“True, but like I said… no one can wait forever. Maybe Cora just doesn’t like her like that or maybe she’s still uneasy and Mayim can’t handle that so she’s going for safe even though we both can clearly tell there’s not a safe bone in her body,”

“Clearly,” Regina snorts and Emma sighs. “It’s just.. I saw the way my mother looked. Granted I believe the three of us shared that look of ‘they’re so nice together, it’s disgusting’ but she also looked hurt and I have never seen her look this hurt, ever. When she had daddy, she  _ had _ daddy.. He’s told me stories of the past where someone hurt her and I never got to actually see those- clearly. But the point is, my mother genuinely looks as if she’s losing her best friend,”

“So what do you want to do?”

“I don’t know if there’s anything we can do- or I can do for that matter, but...there are many good words to describe Denny, Miss Swan,” Regina says out of habit.

“Hmm?” Emma questions and Regina repeats her statement.

“I said there are many words that could describe Denny,” she enunciates and Emma smirks. Being the cheeky little shit she is, she sidles up beside Regina and wraps her in her arms. She rests her chin on the woman’s shoulder and listens to the light hum in Regina’s chest as the brunette holds onto their wrapped arms like it’s a lifeline.

“Oh! I’m Miss Swan again, huh?” she questions a bit too innocent for her usual demeanor, but the bite to Regina’s ear is anything but.

“You are.. I will never quite get over referring to you as such..  _ It’s only the foundation of our loving friendship! _ ” Regina sings sarcastically and Emma pinches her butt cheek.

“Cut it out,” she says in light scolding but Regina just smirks.” And you might have to get used to it soon enough considering when we name our daughter she’s going to have both our last names,” she finishes and that’s when Regina pauses in Emma’s hold. Her very sculpted brow rises as she asks,

“She is?”

“She will.. I don’t see why not.. You think I just wanna name her Little Queen Swan or Little Queen Mills?”

“I must admit I hadn’t thought about the last name juggling at all; but whatever we come up with, I suppose it truly is better for her to have both last names, in whatever order that may be. But you couldn’t think of a better nameholder other than Little Queen or Little Swan?”

“What’s wrong with those?” Emma questions with blatant confusion and Regina pulls out of her hold. She instantly misses it.

“They sound gender binary and as if we are either confused whether we’re having a boy or a girl,” she explains to the woman before her and Emma makes an indignant sound.

“Considering we don’t know if we’ll have either, I think it’s safe to use those for now,” Emma tells her before pulling her back into her arms and Regina feels safe again.

“Can’t you pick something else?” she questions and she’s not short on whining about it.. If she could.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, you seem very fluent in nicknaming everyone. Need I remind you of those few times you called me ‘Lady’ or ‘Sister’... now that I think about it, I should have known you were Snow’s seed with that reference,” she jokes and Emma rolls her eyes before kissing her cheek and letting her go.

“I’m nearly positive-,” she begins as she walks towards the master bath. “-many have called you lady and sister, just look at Leroy. He calls everyone the exact same thing with every opportunity.. I mean technically he also calls you ‘she’ but that’s just a cisgender identification,” 

“That’s just Leroy in general,” she responds as she watches Emma pull out a toothbrush and some toothpaste before she’s brushing her teeth and Regina decides, she may as well do the same, but what they don’t know is that Cora was stood at their bedroom door, waiting to knock, but ended up overhearing their conversation and then is when she’s not sure how she should act because if her daughter is clearly upset over the whole Mayim and Denny thing and Emma just seems to be going with whatever it is Regina’s on about but clearly worried as well, Cora ends up thinking it best to just not bother them and heads back down the stairs.

 

“What are they doing?” Denny asks impatiently as Cora enters the kitchen and sees that the man is obviously ready to eat food. Cora has to keep from rolling her eyes at him, not for anything but for the fact that he’s seriously more than impatient and it’s not necessary in her eyes. In a tone unlike the one she’d had earlier, Cora drags out her words in a way that proves she’s just.. Not with it.

“They’re doing whatever it is couples do,” is what she gives him and he makes a noise akin to groaning.

“So like- an hour then?” he questions and in pops Emma who looks rather lost.

“An hour for what?” Emma questions them and Mayim quickly answers because Mayim- has no filter.

“For you guys to couple,” Mayim answers and at first Emma is still lost until Regina walks in fluffing her hair, looking refreshed and then it clicks in her head.

“Ew- why would you guys put a timer on something like that?” she asks in disgust and now Regina’s confused.

“What exactly have they done now?”

“Nothing but put a timer on our sex life,” Emma says because she too- like Mayim, has no filter, like at all.

“I take it we’re late to cook then?”

“By Denny’s standards, everyone’s late to cook,” Mayim teased and  Denny rolled his eyes at her.

“Well excuse me for being hungry. It’s not my fault no one feeds me,” he complains and Mayim huffs.

“We fed you- you just consume way too much damn food for us to keep up with you,”

“You’re saying that like it’s a bad thing,”

“Denny. It is a bad thing,”

“How?”

“Because ninety percent of their food went into your stomach and I’m nearly positive less than ten came out. When was the last time you took a crap?-”

“Woah! Hey, come on now! That’s not something I need to divulge.. I mean, yeah I ate about that much and probably a little more but I doubt anyone wants to hear about my bowel movements,”

“I know I don’t,” Emma muttered and Regina shook her head quickly in agreement.

“I know I damn sure don’t wanna know,” Cora said a little louder than Emma and Mayim smirked.

“Fine.. now can we cook?” she asked and Regina nodded until she checked the cupboards.

“I doubt we’ll be able to cook anything with the lack of food available right now… what’s Henry been eating?” the brunette turns in question to her mother who merely shrugs as she answers.

“I’ve been ordering him food and he’s kept it in his room because this cavernous hole of a man and his snackish.. Whatever- eat everything in sight. That or he’s gone over to his friend’s place,”

“Oh and you don’t?” Mayim accuses and Cora makes a pfft noise.

“No, I’ve been eating chips for the past- how long?”

“Two days,” Emma tells them and then she continues on. “And I’m still wondering how in the hell nearly a month’s worth of food managed to disappear just like that,”

“I told you. Denny equals cavernous hole. Mayim.. Snackish-whatever,” Cora waves off and Emma smirks.

“So, no food?” Denny questions, blatantly ignoring the conversation at hand.

“No you pompous douche canoe! You and Mayim ate all the damn food-,”

“-Then conjure something up-,”

“-Like what Dennison! Like. What?!”

“Bacon!” he yells. “Some damn batter for waffles-”

“-We don’t do waffles in this house,” Regina interrupts and Denny looks at her like she had a third eye.

“ _ What? _ !” he asks in an incredulous tone and Emma steps in front of him, a glare set in place.

“Watch it, bud. You’re in my house- have some respect for the woman you’re talking to,” Emma scolds and Denny calms himself in that moment. Emma’s tone is so sobering that he actually feels like a bad child who’d just been reprimanded with a spanking.

“Whatever,” he says in response, trying to still seem as though he’s tougher than tough. Emma’s stance lessens and Regina rubs her back before kissing her cheek and whispering a thank you in the woman’s ear. Emma nods a bit distractedly but she manages to hold onto Regina’s vacant hand and they watch as Denny’s attention turns back on the people who aren’t them.

“How about you go to the farm and kill the pig yourself and then we’ll have bacon,” Cora tells him and he makes a noise, one now akin to just pain at the thought of working.

“I may as well just go to the diner at this rate,”

“May as well,” Mayim says, not really bothering at that point.

“You can go to the diner after you replace all the food you ate,” Emma says to the general audience and Denny groans.

“Do you really want me to fuck up your food order?” he asks straight faced and they have to contemplate that for a moment because, Regina is picky, and so is Henry and Emma is becoming picky.

“No. Better not then,” Emma concludes and Denny breathes easy.

“I can just give you the money for it, but to say I’ll shop for your family… not a chance in hell,”

“Clearly,” Cora mutters before she walks out the kitchen. “I’m going to check on Ermis. Tell me when dinner’s ready, or better yet, when I need to lend a hand because I’m nearly positive cavernous holes one and two can’t cook for shit-,”

“- I can cook!” Mayim argues and Cora laughs, pausing at the door.

“You can  _ cook _ , but can you cook food or do you just end up cooking shit?”

“... shit,” Mayim mutters and Cora puts a hand to her ear.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” she asks knowingly and Mayim sighs.

“I said- shit. I end up cooking shit,”

“I rest my case,” the woman says before exiting the kitchen, finally. Emma and Regina share a look and decide in their own silence to just leave it be. Regina then sighs before flicking her wrist and all the necessities to make tacos, appear.

“This is the  _ first _ and  _ last _ time I will do this because it is a waste of magic, but since you all act as if you’re about to die if we don’t get started soon, let’s get to it, shall we?”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

So, after that little hiccup- they get started on dinner. Regina puts the two clumsies from that cavernous duo of holes to prep veggies and Emma helps her with the more important tasks at hand.

“Wouldn’t wanna risk food poisoning from you two,” Emma says in a joking manner and both Denny and Mayim scowl at her, but they aren’t mad, because that’s quite likely with them. Regina nudges her and she laughs.

“That was mean,”

“That- was honest,” Emma combats and Regina lets her have that one. They continue dinner in silence for a moment until the distinct thump of feet to the staircase is heard. 

“That’s Henry,” they both say in unison and wait for their son to enter.

“Is dinner ready yet?” he questions and it’s generalized because there’s four adults in the room and he’s not sure who’s doing what. Regina pulls away from the stove for a moment to run her fingers through his hair. He seems a little bit dehydrated, if the look in his eyes is anything to go by. They’re a bit red-rimmed and his face is paler than usual.

“No, not as yet- but Henry, are you okay?” she questions her only child and he sighs before swallowing.

“Yeah mom, just a little bit tired,” he answers and she finds herself hugging him because something is telling her that he isn’t as okay as he claims, but she won’t push because there are other people there and with Henry, divulging how he feels in the front of them, is null and void as an action.

“Okay.. we’ll talk later?” she questions in a whispers and he nods. She kisses his cheek because he’s gotten so tall that she can no longer reach his forehead and he smirks.

“Someone’s shrinking,” he teases and she pinches his side, instantly causing him to double over and laugh.

“Yet I can still  turn you into a puddle of laugher with two fingers,”she tells him and he smiles at her.

“I’m ticklish, that’s just cheating,”

“It’s not cheating.. It’s tactic,”

“If by tactic you mean cheating, then yeah.. It’s tactic,” he teases and she pinches him again and he once again, doubles over in laughter.

“Go and get a snack, dinner should be ready soon,”

“ There are no snacks,” he says and she looks upset.

“There’s nothing for you to snack on?”

“Nope.. finished up the last of the stuff grandma bought me.. This protein shake really has me eating more that I wanted to,”

“But it’s turning into muscle mass-,”

“-And that’s another thing. My clothes don’t fit anymore. They’re getting tighter… well, I’m getting bigger but they feel like they’re shrinking,”

“Which means we need to go to the store and buy you bigger clothes-,”

“-and I’ll have to donate the ones I have- but I like these ones!” he whines and his mother smirks at him.

“I know, You’ve been wearing them for the past three years without ever managing to lose them or ripping through them. This a new feat,”

“Yeah.. and it sucks,” he complains.

“Would you rather the team tell you that you couldn’t play because you’re not putting on enough weight or muscle mass or would you prefer to play Rugby like you asked?”

“I wanna play, I just wish I didn’t turn into the Hulk- without being the Hulk…”

“I understand sweetie, but if you want to play, you’ll have to ‘pack on the pounds’ as they say,”

“Mom- your age is showing,” Henry teases and she nudges him in the stomach.

“Go sit somewhere,” she laughs through her command and he grins at her.

“Sure-sure.. Call me when dinner’s ready- please!”

“I will, now go,” Regina tells him and he exits the kitchen. She turns back to see Emma smiling at her and she smiles back. She walks back over to the blonde and Emma questions her.

“How’s he doing?”

“In need of snacks, but he looks.. Dehydrated,”

“Dehydrated how?”

“How does dehydration look Emma?”

“Okay, don’t get sassy.. I get it, stupid question, I mean- how do you know?”

“Because, he’s clammy and his eyes are bloodshot,”

“Well, maybe he pulled an all-nighter or something. Or maybe he got something in his eye-,”

“-Emma,” Regina interrupts and the blonde stops to sigh.

“I know- I know.. It’s unlikely, but I’m just hoping that could be it, you know?”

“I know,” Regina grees with a sigh. “We need to finish dinner. He’s hungry and there’s nothing there for him to snack on right this second,” she continues and Emma nods.

“Then we’ll talk to him?”

“Yes, we will definitely talk to him.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Dinner is made and everyone eats. Henry remains somewhat quiet and to himself unless someone speaks to him or asks him if he’s feeling okay. He puts on enough of a facade that Mayim and Denny don’t ask or- just don’t know how to read him, but his mothers and grandmother can clearly tell the boy either needs to lie down or just needs...something. Of course Ermis is there and he squeaks his content as Cora feeds him a soft shell tortilla filled with veggies that Regina had prepared specifically for the duck. Mayim had commented at one point that-

“I have never seen an animal eat this kind of fancy and particular food in my life,”

“Well then you haven’t lived much- clearly,” Cora wiseasses and Mayim shoots right back with a response.

“I wonder why-”

“-Don’t start, fetus,” Cora bites back and Mayim snickers but lets Cora have that one.

“Fine, I give.. What now?”

“How about you guys go home,” Emma suggests, not even remotely joking and Denny laughs awkwardly at it, but the blonde is still entirely serious and that makes dinner very- very uncomfortable.

“Umm..” Denny tries but he falls short for an answer. “Nevermind,” is what he says instead and Regina leans to her side to whisper something to Emma.

“I think we can write off you and family dinners for a while, hmm?”

“What did I say?” Emma asked confused and Regina gave her a look that spoke for itself. “I didn’t do anything,” Emma defended and Regina gave her the exact same look again. “ _ I didn’t do anything! _ ” she hissed her whisper and Regina rolled her eyes. “ _ I didn’t! _ ”

“Okay-  _ Emma _ , Jesus-calm down!” Regina hissed back and the blonde huffed at her. “Don’t give me that.. That was really rude what you said to them earlier,” she continued in their hush hush conversation.

“So.. it’s our house and I should be able to tell them to get the hell out whenever I please. Our son isn’t feeling well and that’s clear on his face and yet, gaping hole one and gaping hole two couldn’t give much of a shit to at least order food or go out on a ten minute walk and pick something up. His grandmother had to magic food in the house because they’re fucking pigs who consume everything they see! And then we get home and there just isn’t a damn thing to eat then and I’m only led to believe that Cora suffered with them here too since she can’t damn well go out because of her anxiety and Henry didn’t wanna bother us because we were out, but God- imagine if our daughter was born already and then this shit happened- Do you know how much more pissed of I’d be at the prospect that our kids and your mom would be starving - pretty much whilst ‘house guest’ swallow everything before them. Fuck that- and fuck the likelihood of it!” Emma goes on passionately and to her it’s as if Regina’s just staring at her, but in all honesty, Regina’s thinking and feeling and trying to prevent the pounding in her heart from increasing but it’s making her break out into this beautifully stupid looking smile that Emma’s never actually seen on her. The rest of the table had been listening as well, Denny was gaping at the pair and Mayim seemed unaffected- probably because it didn’t surprise her that the blonde felt that way.. It wouldn’t surprise her if anyone felt that way; she knows she’s felt that way before where Denny was concerned the first time her house was raided by the man with the endless stomach.

“She has a point,” Mayim finally interrupts and Emma snaps from her trance and over at the people who are staring at her. Henry just looks like he wants to really go to his bed at this point. Either that or he’s embarrassed and over it. Denny now gapes at Mayim and she shrugs. “Well, she does. I mean, we did raid their house- come on Denny- you did the same to me the first time you came over and then that was it. You never replaced my food either, so I can see why she’s mad… here,” Mayim says before she pulls out a fifty dollar bill and slides it over towards the women. “Denny,” she says with an expectancy and he looks lost.

“What?”

“Put some money in!” she scolds and he jumps before digging around in his pocket and shoving a couple of crumpled up bills in their direction. Emma looks at it and Regina looks at it before Cora scoffs and yanks it off the table.

“For the love of Religion!” she starts up and flattens out what looks to be a good hundred and some change. “I’ll be back. I’ll go to the store myself-,”

“-Mother-,”

“-Regina, it’s fine.. The corner store doesn’t have very many people and I’m sure I can survive if I just wear some shades and a hoodie…. Henry- wanna go with me?” she questions her grandson and he’s not shocked she asked him, but the way she asked him. He’s convinced she’s been around young people too long because  _ ‘A queen or princess should enunciate all words and steer away from contractions. We must not speak like the mongrels that are poor.’ _

“Sure nana. I’ll go with you,” he tells her and she smiles at him.

“Good. Thank you, sweetheart,” she coos before leaning into him and kissing his face. He scrunches it up, not from embarrassment but because his grandma has been able to cause a blush to come from him very easily with her affection.

“O-kay then,” Regina says because she doesn’t know if she just agreed or had to settle for her mother’s own decision. Cora nods and gets up to excuse herself from the table but throws a few words over her shoulder.

“I change my mind. I’ve decided I’ll go after these two come with me,”

“With you where?” one of them asks and Cora just shrugs.

“Outback. I need to put Ermis back in the sanctuary and we need to take your tent down.. Or- whatever mess that is you call a tent at least,”

“Oh yeah, Denny’s… art,” Mayim informs and she picks up her plate as she rises from her seat. Denny does the same and they follow Cora into the kitchen before they set them in the dishwasher and head into the backyard with Ermis squeaking at Cora… 

More than likely they were having a conversation and it was obvious that Denny and Mayim still weren’t there in understanding as to what Ermis could have possibly been saying to Cora, so they just left it as is.

 

“Well, I guess dinner was okay,” Emma commented and Regina gave her the side eye.

“That was uncomfortable,” Henry commented and Regina hummed in agreement.

“Why would you say that?”

“Because you blew up on them-,” he tries to tell her but she interrupts him.

“-Because they raided the house and didn’t give a damn whether you ate or not. That’s irresponsible and they’re both old enough to know that if there are children present or if you’re in someone else’s house, you don’t run through their food like you know how their pocket runs!” Emma combatted a bit angrily and Henry sighed because he was still exhausted and he couldn’t find it in him to argue with his mother. Regina just sat there and watched their interaction.

“Alright ma,” he acquiesces and Emma picks up on his tiredness. Her mood switches and so does her tone.

“Hen- you okay?” she questions and her son sighs deeply.

“Why is everyone asking me that so much- I’m. Fine,” he enunciates a bit off put by her concern. She sits back and looks at Regina who gives her a very solemn look of pity. Emma then turns her vision back to her son and comments, “You are not fine. You’re tired, you look upset and your mom said you feel clammy,” she tells him and he shoots Regina a look that has her sinking a bit deeply in the chair.

“Ma. I’m fine, can you just let it go-,”

“-No, I won’t just let it go!” she shrieks at him and he growls a bit.

“It’s not even that big a deal. Besides, what do you care! You weren’t even here for most of my life! WHY SHOULD I TELL YOU ANYTHING?!” the young man questions angrily as his voice rises in octave. His nose flairs and he turns a deeper shade of red. It’s also in that moment that he begins to breathe deeper and pant lightly as his skin then pales on sight and his eyes dilate. Regina sits up in an alert manner and rises from her seat, instantly at her son’s side in seconds. She looks him over quickly and puts a hand to his still clammy forehead. Emma is now at their side as well and that’s enough for her.

“That’s it. We need to get you to the hospital and we need to do that now,” she announces and Regina’s nod shows agreement, but Henry wheezes and shakes his head.

“I don’t.. Need.. to go,” he manages and she shakes her head at him.

“You do and you will. Something’s wrong and we need to know if this is magical or if this is just some real world sickness,” she continues and they all fall silent as the boy finally just weakly nods at her, clearly unable to argue anymore. They both take him up by the arms and begin to walk him towards the front door of the house until they are stopped in the hallway by Cora.

“What’s happening?” she questions the three people and Emma looks at Regina who looks back at Emma and Cora’s looking at her wobbling grandson. Regina turns to her mother and answers.

“Henry’s feeling.. drained. Emma and I need to take him to the hospital to figure out what’s happened,” she tells the woman and Cora walks over to him before she puts a hand to his forehead.

“He’s cold,” she concludes and both women nod. Cora then looks at her grandson a little deeper and notices that his eyes are drooping and he’s pretty much whiter than white. “He looks sick. Did he eat something strange?”

“We’re not sure,” Emma answers before she asks their son that exact question. “Hen, did you eat anything strange?” He barely can shake his head at her. “Sure?” A weak nod comes.

“Emma- we need to go,” Regina interrupts and the blonde nods. “We’ll figure it out at the hospital. Mother, please lock up if we’re not back by the end of the night. If you get hungry throughout the evening, there’s still food on the stove, if not, please put it away and if you need money there’s a dish in our room with a few bills in there,” she tells the woman before motioning to the door at Emma. The blonde gets it and takes Henry the rest of the way as Regina continues her conversation with her mother.

“Okay, but… are you going to be gone long?” Cora questions her and Regina can sense the concern and worry and probably a lot more.

“Hopefully not; but if we are, there’s more money there like I said. If you need someone to stay with you, call Mal or Lily or Clara- okay?” she questions her as she places her hand on the door knob, opens it and attempts to leave. Cora stops her just once more and she turns.

“Okay.. Regina?”

“Yes mama?” she answers as softly as she can manage but her worry is killing her at that moment. Cora walks over to her and tilts Regina’s forehead down and kisses her child’s forehead.

“Please tell me if anything goes wrong..”

“I will, mama.. You be safe. I love you. I need to go,”

“Okay.. I love you too, sweetheart,” she tells her and lets her leave.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma never thought she’d be the one Sheriff to ever break her town’s speed limit. She never thought she’d have to do it because her son was a pale mess and looked like he was nearly dying. Emma never even thought she’d have to worry this much over Henry ever being this sick at all because when she met him- when she met Regina, the boy was healthier than most adults who made it their business to eat right and exercise and that was simply because Regina monitored him like a hawk. But now- now.. she was speeding and she was a speeding mother- not the sheriff- but a mother. She was a concerned mother who just wanted her child to be okay. She just wanted him to be better and all she wished was that what they argued over before, never happened. She knew she was probably wishing for too much, but she still had some very weird hope that it might rewind and allow her to approach the situation better, even if what he said to her hurt like a mother. That would be funny if she really wasn’t a bit upset at what he said to her. Still, he was her child and she needed to deal with what was most important at that point in time and that was Henry’s wellbeing.

 

So, she speeds to the hospital. The one and only hospital in the entire damn town and then they rush as best as possible with the lanky boy, inside. Of course the Sheriff is put before everyone else who’s been there a good bit before her and those who come just shy of her appearance with her sickly son and wife to be. It irks her how they shrug it off as if she was a God when all she was- was a mess of limbs and unmanageable hair. They pretty much bowed out of the way for her but she’s sure if it were Regina, people would only put Henry first if the Evil Queen made an appearance instead of worried mother Regina who would have been much more reserved. But with Emma, no one got upset, no one got angry- everyone just let it happen and that.. was stupid. She felt guilty in that moment, but she had to take advantage of it because her son started to drop, heavily at that. His body mass felt like it’d doubled within the seconds that they’d been stood at the counter, frantic almost. She’d been riddling off things to the nurse on call who was usually very nonchalant- or dead in emotion and would slide three different clipboards at you and tell you to fill them out without batting an eye. But for Emma, this nurse was alive, she was at her beck and call and she was foot-foot behind her,yelling at the younger ones to get her a gurney and to find a doctor who wasn’t busy or any doctor for that matter. Emma half expected someone to stand up and do the usual ‘ _ I’m a doctor!’ _ but that didn’t happen at all. They did manage to find a doctor and thankfully, it wasn’t Whale. It just so happened to be Doctor Keaton who’d narrowly ended a session with a couple. The mother had come out crying and the father- well, not father, seemed to be.. Lost for words. He wasn’t short on reassuring her in the least bit. He probably was still too shocked to realize that the five year old he had raised with this woman for this amount of time, wasn’t his biological child.

“Is she okay?” is the first thing Emma asks as her eyes scrunch up in worry and her thumb points into the direction of the exiting couple as she enters. Doctor Keaton looks as though she flinches before shaking her head and hand and saying,

“Just family issues,”

“..oh..”

“Yes, well they aren’t important right now.. What’s wrong?” the doctor questions and in comes Regina who motions to Henry who seems to be falling asleep with every passing second.

“We don’t know,” the brunette mother announces and she passes their son off to Emma who guides him to the bed and helps him up. Doctor Keaton immediately puts a stethoscope in her ears and rolls her chair over to Henry before lifting his shirt and checking his breathing. It sounds like a crackle, but it also sounds wet and that makes her scrunch up her face.

“That’s odd..” she comments and Emma jumps to comment.

“Odd? What’s odd? What do you mean odd?” Emma quickly questions her and the doctor doesn’t shrug, but she does do the weirdest movement that Emma can’t label properly.

“I just mean-,”

“-Mean what?!” Emma interrupts and Doctor Keaton sighs. Emma walks up in her personal space and asks again. “Mean.What?” she enunciates and the Doctor does a calming movement before she removes the device from her ears.

“His lungs sound as if they have fluid in them,”Doctor Keaton tells her and Emma looks at Regina who looks back at the doctor.

“They sound like it.. Or they have it?” is what Regina asks her and Doctor Keaton looks at her in a way that says,  _ ‘I think they do’ _ and that gets Regina’s panic set into motion.

“I think they have liquid in them-,”

“-Well can’t you do something to be sure or not?” Emma questions her a bit frazzled and Doctor Keaton nods at her.

“I can. I’ll need to do a Cat Scan and have him do a breathing test for me. If it hurts too much for him to breathe or he has to wait before he can take deeper ones- or even begins to cough violently, then I’ll know there’s fluid in his lungs,”

“But that’s not normal, right? It isn’t normal,” Emma says and Doctor Keaton shakes her head.

“No, it’s not normal. Fluid wouldn’t just randomly develop in his lungs unless something bad had happened to him.. Or worse…” she trails off and Regina thinks she knows what the good Doctor is saying.

“You mean.. Like magical issues,” she says softly and Doctor Keaton gives her a sad smile.

“Like magical issues,” she repeats and Emma looks so lost.

“Magical-what do you-,”

“-Emma, please calm down-,”

“-Calm down!? My son is in here about to pretty much pass out and you and Regina are here having soft conversations as if he’s not here pale as fuck and looks like death!”

“Emma, it’s a possibility-,”

“Yeah, a likely one!” she bites back at the Doctor. “It’s likely there’s fluid in his lungs and you two are talking in codes!”

“We aren’t speaking in codes, Emma,” Regina told her and she simpers.

“Really? Because it feels like that! Look, can you just help my son! I don’t care what you do after that, just help him right now. Do the Cat Scan, do a God damn MRI - just help him!” Emma says and begs in the same breath, voice just shy of cracking from fear and Doctor Keaton nods sadly.

“Okay..” Doctor Keaton agrees before she rises and calls out for a few nurses who show up a few minutes later with another gurney and help Henry into that one before she’s mumbling her commands to them and telling them to hurry up. They nod eagerly and quickly before pushing him out of sight and down the hall to the passcode protected area. Emma’s brow raises and Doctor Keaton can sense the questions. “If we don’t seal that area off, the equipment will be stolen and the area will be more than infected which would cause the machines to go out of whack,”

“Kay,” the blonde answers very distracted. Doctor Keaton opens up Henry’s file that she’d gotten from one of the nurses and begins to fill out a new sheet of information. She looks at the clipboard that Emma had shakily filled out at some point in time and corresponds those new pieces of information to the old ones. She pretends as though she doesn’t still see the women in the room and that is probably her best idea because Emma is pacing like a mad woman and Regina’s just shy of commenting on it but what she does first is reach out to grab a hold of Emma, and when she misses- then is when she comments with her arms folded and something akin to a scowl on her face.

“Stop it-,” she begins to reprimand and Emma huffs.

“-I can’t-”

“- You can, you just don’t want to-,”

“-No! I literally can’t.. Aren’t you worried even a little bit?!”

“Yes, but how many times have I said that I’ve worried enough and no amount of magic can reduce my worry.. I’m better at hiding it than you are- but that doesn’t mean I’m not internally panicking over this. One of us has to be levelheaded and in this case.. That’s me,” Regina explains to her and she pauses. Emma’s face then falls into defeat and she walks closer to the brunette before pouting and nearly tearing up.

“Why him?” her voice cracks as she speaks and Regina immediately wraps her arms around the woman before kisses the side of her face and whispers,

“I don’t know,” and that’s all it takes for Emma to break down into a sobbing mess of tears in her arms. That’s when she holds her tighter and coos in her ear, or whispers that it’ll be okay even though they both know it probably won’t. 

Doctor Keaton does look over at them and sighs to herself in a reserved manner. She doesn’t know what to say and what she usually can say is everything short of telling them not to worry. So they wait, mom- mom and doctor all wait as the Cat Scan amongst other tests are done and it takes all of five hours and some where Henry’s pretty much asleep on the table and they have to consistently wake him up.

“You don’t think it’s magical for real- do you?” Emma asks in a very obvious sleepy tone from the hospital examination bed where she and Regina lay in the quiet of the night, hoping and praying for something to come from it all. She’d remained in Regina’s arms after Doctor Keaton had given them the room for the night to sleep in because of the length of time she knew they’d be waiting for Henry to be done. The bed wasn’t uncomfortable, but it wasn’t comfortable either and it wasn’t their bed. It wasn’t home. It was a fucking hospital for Christ’s sake. It was somewhere they weren’t supposed to be unless Regina was in labour or they needed to do a pregnancy checkup- which, neither was happening anytime soon, clearly.

“I don’t know what to think,” Regina tells her honestly and sighs as Emma buries herself deeper in the woman’s arms.

“Then, can we just not think?” she asks hopefully and Regina nods before squeezing her tighter.

“We can..how about we do the night sky.. Does that sound good? She questions the blonde who nods quickly.

“Can we do it together.. I can’t remember whose night it is,”

“We can.. Now, think of somewhere-,”

“-Home. I’m thinking of home. Where Henry is, where your crazy mother is, where our little girl is and where we are because that’s where we’re supposed to be, but we’re here and something is wrong with our son- you’re not even pregnant and everything feels like it’s giving way… again. And I get- okay, I get it. I sound emotionally out of whack and really picky and uptight and unnerved when it all really is so simple- but it’s not damn simple for me. It never has been. When I thought I wouldn’t have to worry, I go and I open my mouth and put more people in danger. I had to deal with Henry’s resentment that he held on to for so many years and I never once bothered to clear that up with him in the slightest and look what happens. I’m too stupidly blind to realize that my son never got over the initial resentment he had towards me because he was too busy trying to get me on his side when he needed someone against you. I didn’t realize that after he got what he wanted, he still held some resentment towards me for giving up even though I could explain how I couldn’t take care of him til the cows come home. Every second I find myself falling and I don’t know if I’m gonna hit cold, hard ground or if someone will catch me-,”

“-Emma….” Regina interrupts and they both pause as Regina breathes in and continues. “I will catch you. I will always catch you-,”

“-but why? Why catch a screw up like me- it’s not worth it,” she says and Regina shakes her head, indefinitely.

“You are worth it. You have to start believeing that you are worth being caught if you fall because so many other people believe it for you. I will catch you- believe me when I say I will and it’s not because I have to. It’s because, you’ve caught me every single time I’ve fallen. You’ve brushed me off and made me like new again and it’s the least I can do because.. Henry doesn’t really feel that way about you.. He’s just miserable and he’s sick. Because of that, he says everything he never. It’s almost funny to say that he gets it from me when he’s biologically yours, but I guess you learn other people’s behaviours when you’re around them long enough and he will learn yours, all the good traits- all the bad ones.. Everything- and that is something to be proud of, Emma,”

“But why?”

“Because… you’re his mother. At the end of the day, you are the woman who gave him life and wanted nothing more than for him to have better than what you had- than what I had… We know it isn’t coincidence I adopted him, and the only thing I could give Henry before I learned how to love him better than my own mother could love me- was safety and security and all the things you’d hoped he’d get, but it’s not just him I need to do that for. It’s you too. I have to do that for you too and I will if you let me. Just let me catch you, Emma. I won’t drop you or step out of the way and let you fall. I  _ will _ catch you. Please, just let me catch you,” she begs the blonde who finds herself burying her face deeper and deeper into Regina. She wants to say the words, but her lips betray her. Her words get caught up in her throat and her mind begins to go numb. The only thing she can do is nod. So, Emma nods, and she nods urgently. She nods eagerly and she nods with finality. She wants to be caught and Regina offered. Regina begged, Regina made a promise… she will be caught.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Their night is long. It’s the longest one they’ve had so far and at this point, it’s pulling a close second to the first time Henry ended up in the hospital after he’d been poisoned by the apple turnover. It’s only now that neither woman knows the cause for his faintness. They don’t know why he’s pale and glistening like a tub of lard, they don’t know why his skin went cold and clammy and they don’t know why his eyes are bloodshot. What they do know is that it has nothing to do with his Rugby training or anything he’s eaten and that just leaves on other thing it could be.

  
  


_ Magic _ .

 

Neither knows why that’s a massive likelyhood and Doctor Keaton running as many real world tests on Henry is just making the possibility of it being a magical mishap, even more likely the longer they wait and realize that every time she shakes her head, all other possibilities are written off. 

“Anything?” Emma questions as the Doctor comes in with a stack of papers the next morning. It’s been a total of two days now and she and Regina barely slept. Well, she knows Regina didn’t sleep but she tried to. She tried to so hard and it barely got her even remotely close to okay. Regina on the other hand was functioning solely off of the strength she’d garnered from years of turmoil and trouble and fear and everything else in her life.

Doctor Keaton sighs heavily and before she sets the papers down and splits them into different piles she picks up some test tubes, a breathing device Emma never paid attention to the name for, some needles and a pair of gloves. One file is labelled breathing test, the other is labelled virus. Another one is labelled hereditary possibilities which would require Emma to be tested considering Henry and Regina share no blood, but Doctor Keaton still would- in her own rights, test Regina because of her residual chromosomes that are in her DNA that would have come in contact with Snow and David, and later… Emma as well. In essence, 

“That would be hereditary passing,” she whispers to herself and Emma looks at her strangely. Doctor Keaton shakes her head and opens the first file. “These are the results of Henry’s breathing test,” she says before turning the file to the chart and showing the women  the jagged lines that indicate his breath in intervals.

“I don’t know if this is good or bad,” Emma comments honestly and Regina breathes in deeply.

“It’s bad,” the brunette says and Emma looks over at her.

“What?” she asks but Doctor Keaton answers for Regina.

“It’s bad, Miss Swan.. not as bad as most, but it is bad. His breathing test indicates that he does in fact have fluid in his lungs and all we would need to do is drain it, however, when we tried testing that, it was clear it wasn’t actual liquid in his lungs but something akin to soot..or sludge if you’d call it that,”

“So you’re telling me you can’t get that crap out my kid’s lungs?”

“I’m not saying we can’t, but how we do it.. will take some imagination and out of the ordinary procedures. We’ve tried intubating him, and that proved to not be the best option and then we tried to criche him, which also proved to not be good because the tubing would not reach the intended sections of his lungs and that’s us going in blindly…. We would need to open up his chest cavity and make a small incision near the base of his lungs before we can drain the fluid-,”

“-No,” Emma says with a violent shake of her head.

“Miss Swan-,”

“- I said no! No way in hell are you going to crack open his chest to get some damn fluid out and you’re probably not even sure it’s going to work,”

“Would you rather your son die?” Doctor Keaton asked seriously and Emma growls.

“Of course I don’t want my fucking son to die, but you are not about to play fucking surgeon simulator with his body and leave him scarred. He was supposed to play rugby. He wanted to play rugby and now you’re taking that away from him because the damn tubing is too short and you don’t think this- this or damn well that will work in his case. You’re not cracking his chest open. Find another way,”

“Mis Sw-,”

“Find. Another. Way,” Emma enunciated angrily and sourly. Doctor Keaton gave a long sigh and nodded. She knew it made no sense trying to argue with Emma at this point because Emma represented who most mothers tend to turn into. A mess of worry and fear. She was the sole embodiment of it right that second and the Doctor couldn’t knock her for it.

“I can’t make any promises.. But I’ll try to figure something out, but as of right now.. I need to take blood samples.. From the both of you,” she says after a beat and Regina looks so confused by that until Doctor Keaton speaks. “Your residual chromosomes would be in Henry’s blood somehow considering you were around at the point of Emma’s parents meeting, the pregnancy and her birth. Those chromosomes are strong enough to pass themselves on through multiple generations if necessary. It is likely that yours would have ended up in Henry’s DNA. We’ve always said that these things are no coincidences, the likelyhood of this being a coincidence, is slim.”

 

Silence for a moment until Regina nods, looks at Emma and nods again. She rolls up her sleeve and shoves her bare arm into Doctor Keaton’s face.

“Do it,” Regina tells her and she nods before swabbing the woman’s arm and then tilting the needle at a ninety degree angle, the precise angle to draw blood straight from the marrow in Regina’s arm. Regina hisses, but the pain is minimal where her son is concerned. Doctor Keaton prods her again in the exact same spot because they have other tests to run, and when it’s Emma’s turn, the blonde swallows deeply before she nods a bit dumbly but grips onto Regina’s arm for dear life. When she is prodded, a sound escapes her and it is one that no one can label because of how strange it sounds on its own. She grabs tighter onto Regina’s arm and the brunette has to bite down on her own arm because of Emma’s nails digging crescents into her skin. Once the good doctor pulls another blood sample from the blonde mother, she caps off the tube and rips her gloves off before tossing the fourth needle into the sanitary bin.

“I’ll need to run these down to the lab and get these tested for either hereditary diseases and these can mean age old ones or newly developed real world ones. I also need to test for other things like viruses or anything remotely similar to a virus. If these come back negative then it’s nearly safe to say that it is a magical disease and if it’s one well known then it can be treated rather quickly, given we have the flora and or fauna for intended medicinal purposes.”

A strange moment of pause and then a nod from both of the women.

“What do we do until then?” Emma questions and Doctor Keaton pauses after rising from her wheely chair. She sighs inwardly before she gives a slight shrug of the shoulders.

“That’s up to you, but Henry is being released from the testing area in about another ten minutes, if you’d like to check in on him or stay with him, I can put in for a room transfer that will allow another bed and boarding for the time being..” she offers and Emma looks at Regina who reaches out and rub the blonde woman’s back.

“Do you want to stay?” Regina questions Emma and Emma nods at her.

“Please,” the blonde almost begs and Regina nods back at her.

“Okay,” she whispers and Emma smiles just a tad before Doctor Keaton nods now and excuses herself from the room. After a while, she reemerges and gives them information on where exactly to go and it’s the infant ward, surprisingly enough. So the mothers follow Doctor Keaton and realize it isn’t just the infant ward. It was the neo-natal ward actually. There were no infants present in it at the time and that particular area was always highly sterilized. Regina would know that considering that’s the place she put the most thought into when casting the curse. As the round the corner, they’re met with a non-binary room colour and light accents to the walls that clearly indicate that it’s for an infant. Doctor Keaton gets her assistant’s to push the incubators out of the way and wheel in a bed. Emma just watches as this happens and Regina paces the floor, nervous and an absolute wreck at the thought of seeing her son in such a state.

“I didn’t want to risk Henry’s condition getting any worse in case it was something serious we needed to worry about or the possibility of him transferring it to someone else in the adult ward that could manifest terribly in someone else,” Doctor Keaton admits as she begins to wheel more neonatal tools and machinery out of the room and into the hallway.

“So, if it is bad.. How is his body taking it so…” Emma trails off because she gets caught in the view of seeing them bring Henry into the room. He is still pale, but now his skin sparkles with it and an unnerving chill runs down Emma’s spine. Thoughts of when she first saw Rumple as the Dark One come to life in her eyes and she hopes to whatever god may exist that it’s not something Henry can contract, but Regina and Doctor Keaton have already seen this particular sparkle before and when the brunette comments,

“It’s multi-coloured Pixie Dust,” and the good doctor nods her head and hums, Emma remembers what  ‘multicoloured pixie dust’ is. She’s still staring at Henry who is clearly asleep, his breath light and wheezing with every intake of air.

“...well. True Love chromosomes,” she says, head turning back to the women before her and Regina nods a bit eagerly, and though Emma can see the faintest of smiles, both she and Regina know that it has to be something adverse for Henry to be affected this way.

“We did some testing and I nearly lost my machines... again. Though, it happened much more quickly this time. And as it turns out, the test that came back proves this comes as a result of both of you being his true loves-”

“-You mean the curse we broke nearly six years ago? Emma interrupts and Doctor Keaton nods. “But how? I mean, isn’t us being his true loves a good thing?”

“It is but it’s also a bad thing.. Have you ever heard of the term ‘the best and worst part of you’?”

“Yeah.. but what does that have to do with Henry?” Emma questions and she doesn’t see when Regina shifts away from the conversation and makes her way over to their son. She runs her fingers through his hair and bends down to kiss his forehead. It’s not as cold as it was the night they brought him in, but it was still clammy on contact.

“That’s precisely what we’re trying to figure out. This is a magical disease, one that’s rare and the possibility of curing it.. Is very slim. It’s only ever happened a good handful of times and only one of the few cases were successful... I’d suggest you consult Belle, or Mister Gold..or even your mother about it because no one knows as much about these things anymore. Belle may have read about it somewhere and logged it, but the only two people left who would actually know what I’m referring to.. are both considerably senile right this second.”

 

More Silence comes and Emma finds herself nodding. More crutch actions and crutch responses have been her thing and she’s not sure why, but they seem to be the safest way to respond to anything and everything. Doctor Keaton looks back and Henry and Regina before she exits the room and gives the family their time together.

 

Emma makes her way over to the bed and puts a hand to Regina’s back before she pulls the woman in at her side. She hears Regina’s sniffles and all the blonde can do is hold her tighter.

“I hate this,” the brunette groans out and Emma runs her fingers through Regina’s hair.

“I hate it too, sweetie. I hate it too,” Emma answers and Regina’s sniffling gets louder.

“Why him? Why our son? He hasn’t done anything to deserve this,”

“No, he hasn’t,”  Emma agrees. “ You’re right, he didn’t do anything, and neither did we, but I need to go. I need to speak with someone. Belle or even Gold if we’re going to figure out how to cure Henry-,”

“-Emma, we don’t even know what it is that’s affecting him,” Regina argues tearily in interruption and the blonde sighs.

“We know it’s us. That’s the best running start we have to figure out what’s killing our son. I have to go and find out what else it could be.. I can’t just sit still and watch him waste away in this bed..” Emma trails off in explanation and Regina says nothing, she just grips on tighter to Emma’s shirt. “Do you think you can stay here with him? I’ll check in on your mom and the house and bring you an overnight bag.” A nod comes from Regina and Emma continues. “I’ll deal with the station and town hall after I talk with Belle and then see if Gold can help even in this senile state.. But I have to go. One of us has to and if you’re this broken up right now.. our best bet is for me to go. You stay here with him and hold him for both of us. I will figure this out if it takes me forever to do it,” Emma admits and Regina nods against her chest.

“Promise me you’ll come back,” Regina finds herself begging the blonde and Emma swallows thickly as her eyes begin to water and her throat seizes the air she’s trying to breathe in. She lets go of Regina’s frame and holds the woman’s face in level with her own before she kisses her soundly on the lips and pulls back after a moment. She wipes away the stray tears with her thumb and sees the gloss in Regina’s eyes. A hopeful sparkle comes to life and Emma finds herself smiling at the woman.

“I’ll come back… I always come back, don’t I?” she questions and Regina nods.

“You do.. But I don’t just want you to come back to me.. Come back to Henry.. And the baby-,”

“-Regina… I will. I will come back. Nothing’s going to happen to me. I just need to find something out and I will come right back. I told you, I’m done running and this is something I am definitely not about to run from. So, I promise you- I will come back...okay?”

“...okay,” Regina nods against Emma once more before receiving another kiss and watching Emma leave.

“You guys...are-,” a wheeze. “-so-,” another wheeze. “-gross,” she hears come from her son as his eyes are now open, only slightly, but they are open. Regina spins around and finds the faintest smile on Henry’s face just beaming at her as best as possible. She finds herself smiling tearily at the young boy, doing her best to avoid the severe redness in his eyes and consistent paling of his skin.

“hiii, sweetheart,” she finds herself whispering to him before running her fingers through his hair.

“Hi, mom,” Henry manages before he tries to sit up and she has to help him because- he can’t feel his goddamn arms at that point. “Where’s.. Ma?” he questions her and she turns her head before sitting on the bed and answering him.

“She had to leave. She wanted to talk to Belle and Gold and see if there’s anything we can do to cure whatever it is you have…”

“What do I have?”

“That’s just it.. We don’t know,” Regina tells him and he sags where he’s sitting up. “But we will figure it out, sweetheart.. We will, she just has to find someone who knows how to help us-to help you,”

“....okay,” he manages to answer her softly and she nods at him.

“You had us worried,” she admits and Henry rolls his eyes lazily. I always have you guys worried,” he tells her before feeling around his face. “Did they take my piercing out?” he questions and she nods.

“They had to. You had a Cat Scan done… amongst other things.. I don’t think you would have wanted some radioactive event to happen all because you wanted to keep it in,” she tries to joke and sees him smile.

“Yeaaaah, some weird magnetic pull may have made me fly across the room,” he jokes back and she begins to laugh before Henry heaves over and  begins to cough violently. Regina quickly sits him upright and begins to pat his back. He continues to cough and it gets rougher and rougher until a good handful of coagulated and blackened blood comes up.

“Henry!” Regina panics before punching the on call button almost a million times. Doctor Keaton and her attendees rush in and immediately remove Regina from her son. One of them has to literally hold her as she shivers on the spot and watches in fear as they check him over quickly and Doctor Keaton runs her gloved finger through the blackened blood.

“It’s from his lungs,” she says to Regina. “It’s the fluid I was telling you about.. It’s coming out,”

“I-is that a-g-good thing?” Regina questions tearily and Doctor Keaton somewhat nods.

“It might be. I’m not sure as yet. Henry, can you breathe in and out for me please?” she questions the young man and he nods before he does so. He finds himself coughing again and it takes all of Regina not to break whoever is holding her back, arm. More blackened blood does come up, but it’s a little less this time so Doctor Keaton turns him on his side and puts the stethoscope to his back. It’s still very fluid filled, but it’s clear to her the strain on his lungs isn’t coming from the sludge itself, but from the coughing. Doctor Keaton frees her hands from their gloves and rubs her fingers against her forehead as she exits the room, Regina following closely behind her.

“What.. what is it?” she questions the woman who spins around and looks at her before sighing.

“I think I know how to cure Henry’s.. Disease.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I need your help!” she said a little quickly as she rushed into the library during the after hours. Belle was pouring over yet another book that covered the history of the StoryBrooke residents. Belle perched up a little weirdly before removing the spectacle she had over one of her eyes, clearly looking for something a bit different than usual as it related to the stories. She looks up and takes notice of the blonde whose hands are gripping at the counter and sighs. Emma isn’t in a rush, per say- more so, frantic at best, but it doesn’t mean she can’t wait. She can, she just doesn’t want to. Belle sits up straight and pushes the book out of her way before she speaks.

“Help with what?”

“It’s Henry,” Emma answers immediately and she watches how Belle’s face contorts into worry.

“W-what’s happened to him?” she questions quickly as she all but rounds the counter and looks at Emma with wide eyes and Emma shrugs and flinches in her spot, still quite clearly frazzled.

“That’s just it, Regina and I don’t know. One minute he’s fine when we leave to spend the weekend together and the next thing we know, he’s passing out, there’s fluid in his lungs and his skin is sparkling with multi-coloured pixie dust….” she explains and trails off because she thinks she got everything but at this point, she doesn’t know. Belle nods weirdly and ushers Emma over to the couch before sitting her down, notbothering to get her a drink because Emma will just refuse but to pull out a book on Pixie dust.  _ Seriously, there’s a whole fucking book on this shit? _

“You mean.. True Love’s magic-pixie dust?” Belle questions as she looks at the contents table of the old and tattered book.

“Yeah.. that,” Emma answers and watches the woman lick her finger before flipping through it.  _ Wonder if she traded that for something or if Rumple got it in a deal? _

“But..how?” Belle questions as she multitasks by searching through the book as quickly as she can, finding it in bold lettering. ‘ _ MULTI-COLOURED PIXIE DUST’ _ .

“It’s a long story, it’s something to do with me and Regina.. We don’t know and I just really need your help. He’s pale and Doctor Keaton said it was magical so everything else is overruled, but it’s me and Regina and she won’t say it, but I think she’s telling us we’re killing our son-,”

“-No. No, Emma. Calm down. I don’t think she’s saying it just like that.. Maybe it’s something you’ve both done that’s affecting him adversely or maybe it’s something you’re not doing-,”

“-that could be anything! Literally-anything!”

“Stop. Just.. breathe and tell me everything from the beginning- as in.. you and Regina’s beginning,” Belle commands and Emma swallows before she begins.

“Well.. as you know, Henry came to find me on my birthday-,”

“Emma,” Belle interrupts and Emma pauses.

“Yeah?” she answers and Belle shakes her head.

“Not that far back.. How about.. The beginning of the year?”

“Yeah, sure, I can tell you about that…. So.. nothing happened for most of the year.. I mean January or February, but by March we were together, I told my parents Regina was pregnant with our baby and I was marrying her… and I told them the baby was made of True Love…”

“...and, is she- I mean pregnant?” Belle asks and Emma sighs and shakes her head.

“No. She’s not pregnant. Hell, we’re not even getting married. I just.. Belle I need to tell you this and when I tell you this you have to swear not to tell anyone else because my mother and I’m almost positive my father have told people even though mom did not take it very well at all,”

“Okay..”

“Okay.. Well. Basically everything up to this point has been a lie.. I mean, not everything. Regina and I have grown to love each other and we do sleep in the same bedroom and we do get… somewhat intimate,” she admits with a blush and Belle smirks. “But as it relates to her being pregnant and us getting married.. That’s a big ass no. Basically in short form-,” Emma said before she explained everything in detail to Bella who was taking notes and crossing out specific points in her notes to come to one conclusion. Emma sighed when she was done, almost out of breath and clearly distraught still.

“Your genes are reacting differently to the change. You are the Product of True Love, which means that you are a product of Regina- or as it’s biblically put, bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. Because Regina is a happy ending child herself- which encompasses True Love as well, your mutated gene is fighting against either its original makeup or another makeup.. And because you are both Henry’s true loves. Regina’s original gene is trying to protect him, just as yours is, but the issue of that is because it’s been passed twice, her gene is not as strong as it would have been had it still been in you,”

“So.. wait, I don’t have Regina’s gene in me anymore?”

“No- you do- but you have the mutated version of the gene.. and so do your parents and whoever else she came into contact with, but you passed just as much of it on as you would’ve had in the beginning. Her initial makeup is present in Henry as well, but there’s a third gene..”

“...Neal,”

“Neal,” Bell nods. “Neal’s gene is in Henry’s body and that’s quite possibly what’s fighting yours as well as her or any combination of the three... and where Neal’s gene came from is now the issue. If it came from Rumple, it’s nearly safe to say the nature of it is harmless considering who Rumple was before time.. If it came from his mother then the likelyhood that the genes she passed on to him is what’s in Henry’s body- is dangerous. She left him, the same way Neal left Henry. The only difference is-,”

“-Henry wasn’t born yet,” Emma acknowledges. Belle nods and continues.

“The gene Milah possessed was one bourne of abandonment, which she passed on to Neal- direct contact to magic and that’s the part he grasped from Rumple, which could be fuelling what I’m about to say next.. Milah also had a second gene.. One that wasn’t very much so discussed between Rumple and myself, but.. She was not much of a mother as she was an abusive housemate. Verbally sometimes physically abusive to Rumple, more so verbally abusive to Neal, but what his eyes saw morphed his secondary chromosome to fight anything and anyone who seemed weak or could not do what he expected of them,”

“What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me that Neal’s gene senses something ‘off’ and doesn’t think I’m capable of taking care of our son?”

“No.. I’m saying his gene doesn’t think or ‘sense’ you  _ or _ Regina as capable enough to take care of Henry… It’s strange, I know, but entirely plausible,”

“Entirely plausible that my dead ex-boyfriend who’s probably being tortured in the underworld or floating in heaven somewhere doesn’t deem me or Regina fit to protect our son when he spent all of five minutes with Henry and all he managed to do was make a ten year old happy to play with wooden swords and foil paper shields!” Emma argues into the room before she shakes her head and finds herself somewhere to walk.

“It’s not you killing Henry.. It’s the three of you being present inside of him that’s killing him. You are all fighting to protect him but destroying him just as easily because you can’t cooperate-,”

“-Belle.. That’s us killing him. If we weren’t such frightened parents that one of us would hurt him, my kid wouldn’t be in a hospital with fluid in his lungs,”

“Have you seen the fluid?” Belle questions and Emma shakes her head.

“No, haven’t seen anything, Henry’s just been wheezing an-,” Emma is cut off by her phone ringing. She excuses herself only somewhat to answer the call and it’s from Regina. Regina is sad, she’s crying, she gets frustrated, she gets angry and then she’s back to crying as she explains Henry’s condition to Emma and Emma tries calming her down. She manages to and she tells Regina she loves her and she will be back as soon as she can. She also tells her that Belle thinks she knows what’s wrong with Henry and Regina says she thinks Doctor Keaton does as well. Emma nods, tells Regina she loves her one more time and the woman returns the words before they hang up. “It’s black,” she says before turning to meet Belle’s eyes. 

“Black?”

“Yeah, the fluid.. It’s black,” Emma tells her after swallowing and Belle nods.

“We need Rumple,”

“Why?”

“Because he’s the only one who knows how to speak with the souls of the departed and because Neal is his son.. He’s the only one left who can summon him..well, his spirit,”

“Okay.. but Rumple’s ..a bit off,”

“I’m well aware, but we need to see him.. Let’s get a move on, the more time we waste, the more peril Henry faces,” Belle tells her and she nods quickly before following behind the woman.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Rumple!” Belle says a little loudly as they enter the hospital room again. Emma made a few stops and by a few, it was just one. She’d called her father and filled him in which meant he was filling Mary Margaret in, which also meant they were headed to the hospital. She stopped off at the house and packed a bag that was filled for at least a week with clothes for her and Regina. She also brought Cora up to speed on the matter and immediately the woman ignored everything and told Emma she was going with them. So as it stood right that second, Cora was headed to the infant ward, bumping into the Charmings along the way and Emma and Belle were in the geriatrics ward… granted, Rumple should not have been there, but it was either that or the asylum below the hospital.

“Belleeeeee,” he said in an airy voice of happiness. “Emma, I see you’ve come as well,” he smiled and Emma’s internal judgment made it clear that Rumple was entirely sincere about his greeting. _ Thank fuck for spells _ .

“Hi Mister Gold,” Emma greeted back as best she could under the given circumstance.

“Rumple.. We need your help,” Belle tells him, not remotely in the mood to waste time.

“Ahh yes, help, such a large meaning for such a small word, hmm?”

“Yes, I suppose- but Rumple-,”

“-Yes dearie.. You need help. I know, but you haven’t allowed us to get pleasantries out of the way,” he tells her. “Tsk, bad beginnings my dear girl,” he scolds playfully and Belle doesn’t know whether to roll her eyes or smirk at the man.

“I apologise, Rumple. How are you? How is the hospital? Have you been outside yet?”

“I’m fine. The hospital is crap and smells like bedpans and I wouldn’t know if I’ve been outside or not, I’ve been sleeping more than I’d like to admit.. Getting a bit round around the hips, wouldn’t you say,” he tells her before patting his sides and Belle muffles a grin.

“No- no. You look rather.. Stern,” Belle starts. “He does look rather stern, doesn’t he, Emma?”

“Oh um, yeah, stern and stuff,”

“Stuff?” Rumple questions.

“Yeah- you know, the good stuff,”

“ I suppose I do,” Rumple admits before smiling. “Good, now what is it you need help with?”

“We need you to summon Neal’s spirit.. Emma would like to talk to him,” Belle tells the man but he shakes his head.

“I cannot,” he tells her and she looks unnerved.

“Why not?”

“Because Neal has blocked me from ever being able to contact him after the last time we spoke,”

“When last did you speak?”

“When he left with that blasted pirate, of course,”

“Oh dear,” Belle says and Emma knows why. “He doesn’t know…” she whispers to Emma nd Emma rubs her forehead…

“Well, we have to make something up, we need his help,”

“I know.. Give me a minute, I’m thinking.” And thought she did. Belle managed to weave a story of epic proportions that did in fact convince Rumple to summon Neal and Belle- in codes, explained to Neal what was happening which meant she needed to now distract Rumple so that he and Emma could talk.

“Em.. hey,” he said to her and she waved nervously. “Belle said Henry was sick?”

“Is sick and it’s because we’re killing him-,”

“-killing him? How?” he asked and there began the explanation.

“Soooo, you and Regina are together and she’s pregnant,”

“Yeah, we’re together.. Minus the pregnancy part,”

“But you just said-,”

“-Neal, I know what I said.. Can we just focus on Henry please,”

“Yeahs.. Sure.. what do you need me to do,”

“I don’t know, control your genes or something. Belle said we’re all fighting with one another to protect him and that’s what’s killing him.. Basically it’s like this, Henry’s a field and since we all have magic and we’re all unpredictable, we’re basically damaging the field with every blast we direct towards one another,”

“Okay, I get you, but why is it all black?” he questions her and she shrugs.

“We don’t know.. That’s something I might have to ask the doctor.. Regina said it’s possible that she knows what’s wrong with Henry, but I haven’t seen them since I came out to find Belle and get help,”

“Alright, well go.. Just.. if you can, tell me what happened, yeah?”

“Yeah, sure Neal,” she almost promises before seeing him nod and begin to walk away. “Neal!” she calls and he stops. “Thank you.. For your blessing,” she says and he smiles that charming smile of his.

“She was a better choice than anyone of us could have ever been. I’m just glad you opened your heart to love again.. I gotta go, the big man over there is summoning me.. Take care Em.. and tell Henry I love him.. And thank Regina for loving you both when I couldn’t any longer,” he tells her and it’s a passionate little speech that gives Emma’s heart a royal crack that’s immediately sealed at the thought of Regina.

“I will,” she says tearily. “I love you, Neal,”

“Love you too, Em,” he smiles at her and the image of him fades. Emma sniffles and turns back to see Belle entertaining Rumple and she can’t help but sigh, walk over and hug the man. He’s really taken aback by the act but soon relaxes and hugs her back.

“Thank you, Gold,” she tells him and he grins.

“All in a day’s work, dearie,” he responds before they release one another and then she hugs Belle.

“Thank you,”

“I’m just glad I could help you.. Go on, I’ll stay here with Rumple,”

“You sure.. Don’t you want to see if there’s something else with Henry,”

“I’m sure.. Besides, I’m positive we’ve figured out what it was. Clear it up with Doctor Keaton and fill me in?”

“Sure thing.. Thanks again,” Emma says before exiting the room and dashing through the halls towards the infant ward where she sees her parents and Cora crowded at the door.. Bickering? She gets closer and goes straight past them and into the room before she’s dropping the bag and bringing Regina in for a kiss.. The brunette begins to cry and so does Emma and before Emma can get her words out, Regina speaks.

“You came back,”

“I came back,” Emma tells her and they hug, tighter than they ever have.

“Thank you, Emma. I don’t know what I would have done without you,” she hears Regina whisper and her ears go hollow, her heartbeat thumps loudly, almost thunderous in her chest. It’s as if it zoned in on a specific point and someone smashed a gong inside of her.

“I’m not going anywhere.. I promised you that.. And as part of the promise I made earlier.. I have news.. Belle said it’s me- you and Neal that’s.. Killing Henry so to speak,” she begins before she explains everything to Regina, not even noticing Doctor Keaton was right there. Regina soaks up everything and then they are interrupted by the good Doctor who says.

“-which brings me to what I am about to tell you both,” she interrupts and they look at her. “Belle and I have had discussions over this particular kind of Fairy Dust before as it relates to lasting effects. After I had tested Regina some time back for the paternity results, I needed to consult Belle.. The reason being, your DNAs clash in the best way possible. All protective, all born from love and all working towards a common goal-,”

“Protect Henry,” they both whisper and the good doctor nods. 

“Protect Henry… other than that, the black fluid we find coming out of Henry.. Isn’t a bad thing,”

“It’s not,” Emma questions and Doctor Keaton shakes her head.

“No, it isn’t. That black fluid.. Is your darkness.. All of you to be precise,”

“What’s it doing in Henry,”

“In a yogi sentence, it’s ‘Cleansing you from all impurities to free you from every possible bad aura that exists’.. In layman's terms The impurities that existed within the three of you is exiting through Henry. I don’t know why, but he’s the sole carrier. As it relates to his skin paling.. It’s draining his system, he’s just dehydrated, which is why I upped his fluid intake. His skin sparkling comes from you as well,” she says before motioning between them. Neal’s DNA isn’t present in this instance because he has no True Love Chromosomes.. At all. It’s just you and Regina at this point. The shimmering skin is a plus. It’s keeping his body from disintegrating with the strain, not that it would, but it’s an added factor,”

“So, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that in time, Henry’s condition will get better, but it could take some time to, considering what it is he’s dealing with,”

“Yeah, the expulsion of our darkness isn’t something that just goes away in five minutes,” Emma admits to the doctor who nods.

“No.. it isn’t.. But, at least now we’re aware of the dangers it poses. This is a good thing, though. It truly is, we caught this in perfect time and all we need to do is keep Henry hydrated enough that he can come out of this better than when you brought him here. He’s asleep for now, but he seems to be able to wake up every so often and then he’s back out for the count,”

“So, all we need to do is wait then?”

“Precisely, just wait it out.. And he’ll be fine.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After the good doctor leaves the parents and their son, their parents enter the room and rally around the teenager until he wakes up and has to tell them off for being loud, which makes them simper and quiet down. They slowly file out one by one, but Cora being Cora wanted to stay, so they let her, but Henry couldn’t escape when both of his mothers climbed into the hospital bed with him and got comfortable.

“Maaa, moooom!” he whined, only to be kissed on the forehead by Regina and pinched by Emma.

“Hush, Kid. We love you and this is how we show it,” Emma tells him and Regina hums agreement.

“Your mother’s right. We do love you and you should be happy we don’t hover or you’ll really be sick of us,”

“I know.. Just.. can you guys not smush me, I love you…” he pauses to take in a large breath only to wheeze as he exhales. “-but this is too much love all c-clustered in o-one b-b-bed,”

“There’s never too much love where you’re concerned, sweetheart,” Regina tells him and he grins.

“I’m not a p-prince for n-nothing,” he says and she smiles at him.

“No, you’re not,” Regina manages to get out before-

“Knock knock.. Can we come in?” Grace questions and she and Nick and Ava stay at the entrance of the room. Emma looks over first and then Regina follows her eyes and they both smile at his friends.

“Sure.. just don’t hold on to him all night or Regina will have words with you,”

“Pretty sure Miss Mills isn’t the hover mom in this case.. Hen we brought you scooby gummie snacks,” Ava says after teasing Emma who scowled at her.

“T-thanks guys, but I can’t r-really eat that s-stuff,”

“Why?” Nick questions and Henry shuts his eyes weakly.

“B-because technically.. I a-am dying,” he tells his friends and Nick’s face droops so quickly with fear and sadness and just everything bad that Henry can’t even reach out to grab hold of his hand. 

 

His mothers leave him and they leave his friends with him so that he could explain as best as possible whilst they talk to Cora and come down from the high and panic that manifested just mere days ago. After his friends pretty much talk him restless, they leave and his mothers climb right back into the bed with him. They talk with their son and Emma has the sweet idea to let Henry imagine the night sky. Cora’s pretty much down for the count at that point in time and after he closes his eyes and imagines the night sky, he drifts off to sleep, leaving his mothers up to talk. They don’t actually talk, more so look at their son in awe and smile and fawn over him until tiredness gets to Regina and she drifts off to sleep. Emma uses it as her time to climb out of the hospital bed and place 66 kisses to Regina’s stomach before she tells Egg that-

“May 13 th.. is the only day I’m happy enough to know my son is in a hospital getting better, but yesterday and the day before nearly ran your mommy and me ragged with worry and I know our talks have been short and that we’ve barely talked about you and your development in there, but I just want you to know, Egg- we love you just as much as we love Henry and even the thought of us hurting you or him because of this.. That’s something we don’t want to ever happen to either of you. We want you to see this as something that’s stable and safe, not live in fear that because of us, you both could be in danger- though, it seems your brother likes danger just as much as your grandmother,” she pauses to laugh at the thought before quietting back down. “Anyway Egg, I gotta get some rest kid. You need to rest too and tomorrow we’ll start over.. Hopefully I can mend that bridge with your brother and hopefully I have a better relationship with you when you’re born.. I love you, little queen. Don’t kick your mommy in there- or.. Do, because I need to know when you exist yeah?” Emma says and for a split second, she swears she feels something kick. “Could it be?” she says in a movie like voice and puts her face to Regina’s stomach.. The kick doesn’t come and she sighs, “One day, Egg… one day.”


	18. All about Henry. Scars. Nothing's Normal. First Kiss? Maybe Not..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fuck me up later... excuse my language

The sounds of crashing and beeping machines rattled Emma from her sleep- jolting her upright and clear off the bed. She was up and alert before even her brain had time to process whether or not it was danger. Regina too had  jolted from her spot in the chair where she was asleep and stood up before rushing to the hospital bed where Henry’s body had been. She’s stunned and she’s shocked and she has no idea what to do as they both feel everything whir around them. Doctor Keaton rushes in along with at least four more nurses and another six pair of hands that await their orders. Someone moves both women out of the way as the adrenaline finally rushes in, injecting oxygen back into them as it’d felt like everything moved agonizingly slow. May 14th...May 14th… May 14th. Why!

The rush doesn’t settle-It never settles. They’re clung to one another as they watch on in pure fear at the constant beeping and rushing of bodies that are dressed in blue and white. Doctor Keaton takes immediate notice that Henry is insanely unresponsive, impassively blue and purple and around his eyes are black. His lips are pale and his hands and the rest of his body, are clammy. She yanks all of the bedding from covering him and rips open his hospital gown. Her stethoscope cruises across his chest and….nothing. No heartbeat, no thumping, just paling and that God damn machine that won’t shut the fuck up! He’s glistening now too and it’s once again that multi-coloured pixie dust. Somehow, she remembers amongst all the chaos that it’s not a bad thing that it’s viewable. It reminds her that it’s trying to sustain his body from whatever internal damage might be happening in that moment. Her eyes flit rapidly over to the prepared table and the attendees available as she regards them.

“Code Blue! He’s coding! We need to intubate him-now,” Doctor Keaton had announced as she moved to grab hold of the tubing. She feels a hand on her arm and it’s one of the attendees of another practice who is just shy of making this a bigger deal than necessary.

“That’s not the best option right now- He isn’t in a responsive enough state to be intubated,” they try to tell her and she mutters-

“Is anyone who’s dying ever in a state responsive enough to be anything,”

“But Do-,” they begin again and she glares before yanking her arm away.

“-DID YOU HEAR ME! WE ARE INTUBATING HIM! Would you rather his lungs be crushed under the pressure?! No?! Well move!” She roars before she sees the woman back away and then she’s moving meticulously to slip the tubing down his throat as his body begins to convulse violently on contact. His windpipe begins to shut close around the tubing and the swelling increases as the tubing scratches at the walls and she yanks it back out without thinking. His body jerks and it spits up blood in the process, splattering across her white jacket and part of her face. No one has any idea why it was a reaction like that, but Henry’s body seemed to be rejecting the assistance almost immediately. “Shit!” she hisses before grabbing a scalpel and moving to make an incision at the base of Henry’s throat. She ignores the blood currently soaking through her clothing and focuses on Henry as best as possible.  It’s clear Doctor Keaton is frazzled but trying her damndest to save this young boy and if the tears in her eyes and silent prayers of everyone in that room was anything to go on… it was enough. Everyone, his mothers inclusive, hold their breath as she presses into his flesh and watches the blood, now completely black, seep from his throat and flow out. Instead of putting the tubing in, she slips her pinky finger in and allows the vibrations and swelling to contract around it. She feels something pushing up against it and it’s warm. She’s almost positive it’s liquid and it’s now wrapping itself around her finger and squeezing it.. much like it was doing with Henry’s windpipe and lungs. Doctor Keaton doesn’t make a face in hopes as to not worry anyone more than necessary. She turns to the attendee who had initially told her not to intubate. “We need a smaller tube and I need to drain it.. It’s coming out,” she tells them as calmly as she can manage but her hands are shaking. Someone nods around that attendee who seems more frightened now, having never dealt with something of this magnitude and everyone rushes around Doctor Keaton as her finger stays firmly lodged in there. His body still rattles but the convulsions are no longer as violent as with the tubing from prior. They hand her a smaller one and she tries to slip her finger out in time to slip it in and immediately the convulsions of such a violent nature, return. It’s not as bad as the first time but she’s now positive they can’t put anything into him that his body identifies as foreign. “It’s rejecting everything.. No tubing, no scalpels.. nothing,” she whispers a bit lightly but someone hears her and now, Regina and Emma are being shuffled from the room where they can only watch from the five foot glass pane that’s lodged in the wall. “We have to open him up,” she then says, looking at Henry sadly.. Her eyes rise and find Emma’s and by that face.. Emma knows. “We need to open him up,” she says louder and that prompts action. There are attendees grabbing hold of Henry’s body and turning it in respiratory mode- catching the liquid that begins to pour out in a rapid succession, but then it begins to cause a reaction. They rush as much as possible to place some sterile bedding below him only in time to notice the clogging in his throat and his oesophagus and then they’re turning him back. His mouth is then tilted open and before anyone can blink, they’re bringing another medical device over to crack his chest open. They shouldn’t be trying this in the natal ward, but any time wasted and Henry could be six feet under.

Regina is never usually one to cry or scream or wail without control and without reason and without pretty much any factor that induces it, but just the sight before her is nothing short of frightening and tear inducing. Just the sight alone rips at her heart and kills every living cell in her body and just the sight is what has her legs weak and giving way and that’s when she needs Emma to hold her up. That’s when she needs Emma to be the brave one. To be the voice of reason. To be their positivity. That’s when she just needs Emma to be Emma. Annoyingly positive and hopeful because she’s not feeling it. She’s not feeling hopeful. She’s not feeling happy. She’s not feeling like.. Like.. like their baby boy will make it. Not with the machines screaming, not with everyone around him being stunned into silence or frazzled or bumping into one another trying to rectify the wrong. Not with Doctor Keaton clearly close to tears and just pleading with the last bit of strength across her lips. Watching them try their hardest to save Henry as blood is now seeping out through his nose and that one hole in his throat is killing her and her hands find themselves being glued to the glass though she can barely pull herself from Emma’s hold. Her face stays plastered to it and her eyes are red rimmed beyond repair. She’s praying-dear God she is praying and she’s hoping and she’s believing as she watches them put whatever the hell it is, to his chest and turn the crank, slowing opening the chest cavity. She knows, Emma knows and Doctor Keaton knows that the woman isn’t even remotely qualified to do this, but as far as she’s concerned… it was either her or Whale. Henry’s body rattled and shook violently in the hospital bed as they get his chest open and even in its unresponsive nature it’s hard to hold his body still. They find the swelling and they find the liquid and it is immediate. Doctor Keaton begins to suction the liquid out and it’s another breath holding situation considering the second his body senses anything, it reacts… but it doesn’t. Not this time. She prays as she goes through the entire process, allowing the liquid to be siphoned unaided as they watch the liquid itself coagulate on its way out. As it fills one of the containers it is leaking into, Doctor Keaton motions that the other attendee take a look and it’s nothing out of the ordinary in the fluid. The only strange thing is how the consistency immediately turns from a sludge like consistency to slime. It coagulates and like magnets, all the particles stick together. It all continues to siphon and as they try to contain a clean environment, some of the attendees have to leave and others are now covered head to toe in medical grade gear. The machine stops its erratic beeping and mellows out as Henry’s insides go from black, to a tinted green- back to the rich dark red and slightly pinkish tones it was initially supposed to be. They watch his heart come back to life and it jerks before it begins to pulse and pump blood one more time. A cardiac surgeon is called in and he brings more hands with him that help him, one assistant who massages Henry’s heart as it continues to push the fluid out and others are prepping his needles and the staple gun to close Henry’s chest back up. The three pounds of dressings they have ready and waiting to patch over his chest and tape into place are all stacked at the side until Doctor Keaton is sure that there’s no more fluid roaming around in Henry’s body. They sew up what they can and seal off all other avenues that they may have opened without realizing and then the heart surgeon takes over which allows Doctor Keaton to exit the room and rip her garment off and toss it into the bin to be thrown out. She sighs so deeply that it startles the mothers who are still glued to the window. The doctor puts her hands behind her head and walks around aimlessly as she thinks and still internally panics over Henry’s state. She wishes with all of her that there was some other way that she could- even if it was completely impossible, save him without opening his chest. She wishes she didn’t have to go against Emma’s plea from days earlier and that she could have just used a simple tubing method to get it out.. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t drain it because his body immediately started to suffocate him if they tried. She couldn’t because it sensed even just her pinky finger and clogged his airway without thought. She couldn’t just let him die on that bed.. She had to open his chest. She had to do something. She had to- she has to stop thinking because for the past five minutes she’s been roaming the floor of the hospital, trying to think of a different way she could have done it and there was none.. There really was none. So she stops moving. She forces herself to stop thinking and when her eyes drag up, they catch sight of Emma and Regina staring back at her. No one looks angry.. They look sad if anything and she can’t blame them.

 

And then she feels it. She feels arms around her that are squeezing her and they’re not short on crushing her, but they hold her affectionately just the same and she melts. Doctor Keaton melts into the arms and she breaks and it’s not just tears. It’s flat out wailing and sniffling and she’s breaking even more and more as the seconds go on.

“Thank you,” comes in a whisper and the words are wet, they are hoarse and they hold so much gratitude that Doctor Keaton can’t take it and she bursts into a new set of tears. “thank you,” comes again, even quieter than before and she shakes her head. The arms around her squeeze her tighter and hold her more gently. She finds herself quietly coming to after a while of sniffling and tearing up over and repeatedly. Emma never lets her go because she saved Henry. She went above and beyond and she put life where pleas couldn’t go and saved him. So Emma never lets her go until she comes to and until she’s okay.

Once she does come to enough, she stumbles to stand before attempting to walk into Henry’s room along with the blonde. She immediately goes over to Henry and pulls his gown away, revealing all the bandages and taping and dressings that are already housing the blood that’s seeping through without much of a direction. Emma’s eyes flit over the room and she sees how curled up in a chair Regina is. She looks dazed. She looks broken, she still looks scared. Emma looks between their son and Regina and before her brain regulates a thought, her feet find their way to the woman. Her knees feel the contact with the floor and her hands settle on Regina’s folded ones as she tries to unravel the woman who has completely folded herself into a ball. Emma leans over and places her lips to Regina’s cheek where the tears have stained her makeup and the woman’s eyes flit shut as she exhales deeply. “I’m here,” she tells her in the deafening silence of the room and Regina shudders before her eyes open and she croaks out.

“E-Em-ma,”

“I’m here, baby.. I’m here.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Cora never thought that in all her years of existence that she’d feel this unnerved. She never thought she’d find herself panic poofing as she tried to get to her grandson and daughter and Emma as fast as she could possibly manage. She never thought she’d be in tears but a rattled mess just the same and she never thought she’d be the one calling David and Mary Margaret and telling them it’s a massive family emergency and that they needed to be there immediately. She never thought she’d be the voice of reason where they both were concerned- Mary Margaret bawling her eyes out and David pretty much punching his fist into anything he could break. The insults seemed to be on the tip of the raven haired woman’s tongue just to be slurred at Regina, but she says nothing, she can’t say anything- especially not with Regina looking as broken as she does. Especially not with Regina looking like the last bit of life would drain from her. Especially not since Emma would rip her a new one if she so much as dared try it.. She damn sure couldn’t do it because she had no right, there was no place and she had no reason to. Their grandson had a magical mishap and her immediate thought is that Regina had some hand in his ill-being. She had right to be mad- to be worried, to be afraid, but she had no right to assume it was Regina’s fault even if she genuinely thought it was. Mary Margaret just wanted someone to blame in the moment. She just wanted somewhere to point the finger- she just… she.. She wanted an answer. The same answer Emma and Regina wanted.

_Why him?_

 

They find themselves settling in the room, an eery painful and silence engulfing the entire group as Henry’s heart monitor beeps weakly. Emma has yet to move to look at him and she knows that she probably won’t move any time soon. She’s too wrapped around Regina’s body to attempt to move because she only hopes her eyes would deceive her and only show her Henry’s body, recovering greatly, not their son, now noticeably smaller and being engulfed by his bedding and everything else they put on him. All of the muscle mass he put on had disappeared over the course of those days and his frame looked so fragile and pale. Even from where she was, she could tell. She could always tell. He would take days to show improvement. Days to wake up. Weeks to be even remotely mobile and probably months before he’s released. More months for him to go through physical therapy...and even more practices and breathing exercises that need to help him strengthen his lungs. She couldn’t think of that now. She couldn’t think of any of that right now. She could only think of so much at that point and what she was thinking of.. Was just making through this first night. They all had to make it through this first night because he was still prone to many things happening at him within the first four hours of recovery and she was more than positive none of them would sleep. She was positive if Doctor Keaton could, she would stay and sleep in the room too but they were already about to house five adults and no one cared how that was going to happen, they all just knew that it would happen.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

He makes it through the first night, and the second night and the third night, but by the fourth night, Mary Margaret and David _have_ to leave because whoever it was they’d gotten to babysit Neal, now needed to get back to the reality of their own life. Cora also had to go, but it was because it was getting more and more uncomfortable for her to sleep there in a wooden framed chair with equally as couch cushioning and she didn’t want to add onto their already existing worries. So, she left as well. Emma and Regina take into account that they have to go back to work, but neither of the women knows how to and neither of them wants to. But they do go back even though Henry hasn’t woken up as yet. They go back even if Henry’s heart monitor is still weakly beeping. They do go back even though they wish they didn’t have to- even though they wished this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. The women do go back to work and pretend as though they aren’t both breaking with every passing second that they are away from him. But they only leave- and it’s after they kiss Henry almost ten times and Emma has to hold a crying Regina whilst keeping herself together. They do go back even though the second they finish speaking with Doctor Keaton on keeping them up to date, Emma begins to sputter out tears and obscenities because it just. Shouldn’t. Happen. To. him. Ever. He should never be hurting or in pain or so frail and shrunken into his bed that he’s almost unrecognizable. But they have to leave and it’s no better once they’re out the doors and Emma’s trying to rush back into the hospital and Regina has to hold her back. It’s not better when they climb into Regina’s Mercedes and Emma’s at the wheel, smashing it and crying and hitting it again and again because of what’s happening. It’s no better when Regina wraps her arms around the angry woman and Emma flinches in her hold- jerks herself away and tries to undo the safety net Regina’s trying to create around her. It’s not better when Regina breaks and Emma has to hold onto her and they have to hold one another and keep each other together. It’s not better when they finally manage to get the car moving and get it to the mansion before making their way inside and smelling the stale air of the house because no one’s been in it in days. It’s not better when Emma finds Regina in Henry’s room, curled around their son’s pillow, still crying her eyes out in a silent panic. It’s not better when she climbs in that exact same bed and wraps herself around Regina’s frame and can’t kiss Egg for the first night in many night, but can only manage to whisper tearily into the air that she hopes she’s okay in there.. If she’s in there. It’s not better when all Emma imagines once again is Andromeda and this is the time that Regina can’t stop her because Regina too has imagined Andromeda. She can remember and register that it’s her night, but she can’t remember anything else past that. She can’t remember anything that would make either of them feel okay and when her eyes flit shut, Andromeda has to go through its own internal war. The galaxy explodes in a vast array of colours that erupt violently and bleed into one another until it is unrecognizable as as such. The stars turn into dark and cavernous holes that look like death. The colours don’t mist, they meld and when they meld, they turn into a red mass that’s akin to the blood of a fresh kill and it jolts both women into a painful shudder. Emma tries to drag herself from the bed just to plant the kisses to Regina’s stomach. 62 kisses worth and then she’s back around Regina, remembering that none of it is okay.

When they wake and have to get dressed for the morning, Emma finds Regina in the shower with her arms wrapped around herself as she sits on the floor of their tub, crying. Emma neglects whatever it is she’s wearing at that point and climbs in before she leans her head against Regina and whispers as best she can beneath the running water, “we’ll get through this, sweetie.” Regina showers and finds herself dragging into the kitchen to make their coffee because, they have to try. They have to keep hope that he’ll wake up. Doctor Keaton had already called at six in the morning to inform them that his chest had started to heal just slightly and that his heartbeat was showing improvement. She’d also told them that the cardiac surgeon said that Henry’s heart would improve faster before they saw his actual chest create the webbing for it to graft itself back to normal. So, with coffee in hand, sighs that are so deep it sounds like they’ve expired all possible air in their system and bags and dark circles under their eyes, Regina and Emma try to go out and get to work, but it doesn’t get any better. It never really did. Regina calls Emma throughout the day and cries over the phone to her and Emma drops everything at the station and goes to hold her and comfort her until Regina passes out just from the sheer amount of tears cried. Emma has to call Henry’s school and bring them up to speed which means that the school makes a general announcement at the next mass they have which means Henry’s on a prayer list, which also means that more and more people will find out about what’s happening, yet not know exactly why. This also means Nick, Ava and Grace hunt down his mothers and are clearly distraught and have questions and they want answers that neither woman can give. So it’s not okay for them, and it’s not okay for the teens.. It’s just… not okay. It’s not okay for Cora because when she goes to see Mayim, she’s a wreck. She’s a wreck because she swallows her pain through rum and beer and everything else. She mixes and mixes and mixes drinks until she spirals out of control and is found vomiting on the side of the pavement and needs to have her stomach pumped. She’s so wrecked that the only thing she can manage to do is plead with the young man who had pumped her stomach as well as Mayim, not to tell Regina, not to tell Emma and not to inform them that she fucked up. Mayim lets her know that she can’t promise Cora that, but when she sees the woman’s eyes.. She simpers. She caves and Cora takes time to recover even though she knows she should have been by their side, telling them it would be okay, even if she didn’t actually know for sure whether it would be or not. It’s not better for Cora and it’s not better for Emma or Regina when they are called and told that Henry had coded again but for a completely different reason this time. His body wasn’t rejecting anything, it was just a more immediate reaction to the medication they were giving him and the second he coded,it took them nearly three minutes to bring him back, but once he was back it was an immediate change in his heart rate. It sped up faster than it was originally pumping and his body was becoming less and less pale as the days went on. His mothers are in and out of the hospital everyday that they can be and every second they can spare and Emma is sure if she was working at a business where she wasn’t the ‘boss’ she’d have been let go long time and the same could be said for Regina. Speaking of, the woman had thoughts of giving up her positions willingly all because their son was in the hospital and in a moment of weakness she’d called Clara and told her she was quitting and there was nothing the woman could do to convince her otherwise.. And she was right. Clara couldn’t necessarily convince her.. But maybe Emma could keep her from running away from something that would be a good distraction for her until she was able to just be once Henry was home. Emma knew Regina would never be able to just...be. She wouldn’t be able to and neither would the blonde because once Henry was out of the hospital, once Henry was home and once all the dressings were no more, they still had to look at the scar that would run it’s way down his chest and mark him for the rest of his life. They would have to look at the thing that looked more like a burn than an impromptu surgery that saved his life. It wouldn’t be better.. At least..not yet.. Not just yet.

 

And then not just yet turned into a phone call at nearly three in the morning. A call that came and that call.. That was the turning point. It started with a rather generic phone ring that blasted through the silence of the master bedroom- finally. They were finally sleeping there again, Emma was able to talk to Egg and over the course of six days, it’d added up to 68 kisses. May 18th. May 18th at three in the morning, they get a call and it’s breathless call. A happy and breathless call from Doctor Keaton.

“He’s awake,” is all she says and it’s as if she too is just finding this news out. It’s Emma she was on the phone with and the reaction is rattling. She shakes Regina awake and looks at her stunned.

“He’s awake,” she says softly and at first Regina doesn’t have a clue what she’s saying until Emma repeats it. “He’s...awake.. Gi, he’s awake!” Emma says almost instantly excited now as her voice rises and it just goes  straight over the brunette’s head for a moment until the words come crashing back and she’s shaking her head in disbelief. It takes all of five minutes for Emma to convince her before they’re getting dressed and heading to the hospital just to see him. He’s not mobile and they know not to expect that. He’s also dragging his words because he’s gone that long without speaking that his throat hurts. Thankfully the small hole Doctor Keaton put in his throat healed enough that he isn’t straining. They’d taken the tube out of his mouth that aided in his breathing from the jump and he managed to croak out how much he missed them.

“We missed you too, Hen,” is what Emma whispers to him before brushing his hair back and kissing his forehead.

“We really did,” Regina agrees and he manages to smile.

“I...I...so..rry,” he tries to say to them, but mostly to Emma and she knows why he is apologising.

“Don’t kid, I’m just happy you’re okay.. We gotta work on getting you better before we do anything else..and your mom and I have something to tell you,” she continues and he manages to crack a smirk.

“D-did.. you f-final-lly g..get..he-her pre-p-pregn-nant?” he questions and Emma manages her own smirk.

“No kid.. Not yet but I’ll keep trying.. I missed your smart ass attitude,”

“M-missed y-you t-t-to..ma,” he gets out and Emma looks at Regina who’s just sat there with glassy eyes. She knows they shouldn’t talk to him too much right now because he’s still having trouble managing and breathing and gaining control over his words so she puts a hand to Regina’s back and rubs and Regina falls from her trance. “I..love..you guys,” Henry says with enough conviction that his words aren’t fractions, just said between heavy breaths. Regina begins to tear up and she leans over before she’s kissing the top of his head and whispering the words back at him. And then she’s curling into his side and placing an arm over his lower half because she doesn’t want to hurt him. Emma sighs and Henry squints at her. “W-what’s..wr-w-wrong..m-ma?” he manages to ask her and her eyebrows shoot up without her focusing on doing so.

“Ummm.. Hen.. remember I told you I needed to tell you something.. It’s about what’s been happening to you-,”

“W-wait..ma...ca-can we n-n-not talk ab-bout it tonight..p-pl..” he swallows deeply because it hurts and she nods quickly.

“Yeah-yeah, sure kid. It’s okay… tomorrow,” is what she agrees to, but she doesn’t say anything the next day because he sleeps most of the day and when he wakes, Cora is there talking to him. She says nothing the day after that either because now Mary Margaret and David are there to see him and she damn sure doesn’t say anything the day after that even though Regina tells her she should because she seems to want to. But she doesn’t do it. She says nothing to Henry for nearly a week as he gets better and they are in and out of the hospital visiting him. By the time she remembers it again it’s the 25th of May. It’s another Monday and it’s his assessment day. The first one since his chest was cracked open. That’s when she tells him.. because she has to. She sits next to his bed during her lunch hour and as he asks her through laboured breathing and fractured words how her days have been and how the crime levels are, she manages to shortform it as best as possible before she tells him about the impromptu life saving moment Doctor Keaton had to perform. When she tells him, she doesn’t think he would cry the way he did and his tears are thick and wet and glossing over everything as they trail down his cheeks. It hurts him both emotionally and physically to cry because that’s constricting his chest, it’s constricting his everything and now he knows why his damn heart and everything else feel like he’d been hit by a car. Now he knows why the only thing he can manage to do is barely move his head and flick one or two of his fingers. He can’t pee by himself, he can’t take a dump and he can’t even roll over to sleep on his favourite side. He’s practically a responding vegetable at this point and all he can damn do right at this point in time, is cry about it. She lets him cry and she lets him puff up and turn red, but she lets him cry and his tears are not short. They aren’t stagnant.. They flow and they flow heavily. But his mother lets him cry. She has to. He wanted to play rugby...and now he can’t. He wanted to just be normal.. And now.. She’s not sure if he even can after that whole ordeal.

By the time she gets home that evening, she needs someone to hold her and she cries. She cries as Regina tells her she did the right thing. She cries as Regina tells her they will get through it because as the days go on, the brunette finds herself tapping into that strength again and it emanates from her and transfers to Emma. She cries as Regina tells her she loves her and reminds her that things happen but they have to get through it. Emma cries because she says those words back, those three words are accompanied by true feeling and true emotion. Emma feels the love with Regina and over the course of just about… how many days now? Everything was starting to finally feel…. okay.

More days later and he’s awake more often- asking more questions and his words are less and less chopped, but his breathing still needs work. It’s time for his second assessment and Doctor Keaton along with the cardiac surgeon inform him and his mothers that it’ll be about another week before they can release him and about a month before Henry can afford to do anything even remotely labouring. He knew not to have hope of immediate recovery, not when they cracked his chest open. So, they wait and in that week of waiting, nothing even remotely dangerous happens. No one dies, no one comes to StoryBrooke. The most they get is that Mulan has to once again go back to old century China and save her country... _again_. It’s like China was the only place on an endless loop that needed constant saving and it wasn’t even remotely surprising at that point that it was running a close second to the now stagnant and in need of danger, StoryBrooke. The once action filled town is now nothing but a sleepy hollow of a moodsville. Still, it isn’t remotely surprising.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s a day to the time they will be allowed to take Henry home and it’s also the day of his third assessment. This is the day that will determine whether or not he is truly okay enough to be released, and it’s also the day that Doctor Keaton neither the cardiac surgeon are the ones who do said assessment either. Whale does the assessment and it’s a surprise he doesn’t try to make jokes or ‘lighten’ the mood. He accomplishes his task without incident and without upsetting the mother, clearly this had to be an off day for the man who was much more like Frankenstein than the monsters he himself had created. He pulled the stethoscope from his ears and pats Henry on the shoulder. The boy has managed to sit up through his entire assessment and that’s Whale’s way of telling him he did pretty good, without actually saying the words ‘you did pretty good’.

“You can take him home in the next two days.. Or give it til the weekend and take him then. But as far as his recovery goes, he’s cleared. His heart rate is fine enough that the rest of the time he will need to be home will build that. I’ll give you something to aid in strengthening his lungs once again. He may be on painkillers for a while if he begins to feel any odd pain and he’ll be wheelchair bound for the next few weeks or until you begin his physical therapy. Obviously I don’t need to tell you that he cannot and should not attempt to play sports or anything close to tedious as this will rip the fresh stitchings and in a more gruesome way- put him back in the hospital with all of his insides pouring out of him. Blood inclusive-,”

“-Okay.. We get it,” Emma scowls and Whales puts his hands up in actual surrender. “What else are we supposed to do? What do we feed him?”

“Anything and everything soft. If you decide to give him any form of meat..fish is your best possible option and or meatloaf. It’s easier for him to digest and soft enough that it won’t hurt his stomach too early on. Nothing fried or overly processed if you can,” he begins and pauses to see if Regina will scowl at him too, but she’s too focused on soaking it all up that Whale gets through that unscathed simply because he wasn’t being an ass. “If you want him to put any weight back on, whatever it was he was consuming prior to that allowed his body mass to multiply- I would suggest you giving that to him again, it may just aid in the process of physical therapy recovery. Less strain on the muscle mass that isn’t actually there anymore. Other than that, he’s cleared. Clean his dressings, do not let him bathe in extremely hot water and you’re set to go,” he finishes and now is when Regina looks at him. She looks at him with an almost dead look and nods. She just...nods.

“Thank you,” is what he gets from her and it’s a surprise to him that it isn’t laced with an insult about how he can finally do his own damn job, then again- she would be right so he really had no reason to be mad. He nods and dips out of the room, leaving the women to just smile at their son because he’s actually awake and sitting up still. They sit on the bed beside him and Regina kisses his head as Emma rubs his shoulder.

“It’s almost time to go home, kid.. You ready?” she questions him and he nods a bit eagerly, thankfully it’s not too much that it weakens him and his mothers smile at him, ready to take him in the next few days… because it’s what they later agree on. They will bring him home at the end of the month. They were bringing him home on the 31st.

It was time for a fresh start.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her internal alarm clock goes off and it’s an internal rattling in her mind that makes her wake up fully. “5:59,” she says to herself in a sleepy mumble as she sits up and picks up the alarm clock that no longer sings a good morning to her. And then there are arms that wrap around her and pull her in as she thinks about the day ahead. All the possibilities it will afford her and just how grateful she was that it was already _the_ day.

“Mm, mornin’,” comes Emma’s groggy whisper against her ear that’s followed by a sweet kiss and a neck nuzzle. Regina leans into it and sighs happily. It was a better day than most had been for the past… week and some.

“Good morning.. How did you sleep?” she questions the blonde who is still wrapped around her and she feels Emma shrug lightly against her frame.

“Better. You?”

“Better... “ she leans deeper into Emma’s arms. “He’s coming home,” she says quietly and Emma hums against her.

“He is… you ready for that?”

“I’ve never been more ready to see my fifteen year old almost tower over me for all of five seconds just to transfer him from his bed to the wheelchair.. So yes. I am ready for that. I just want him home, Emma. I just want us home,” she admits and Emma squeezes her.

“I just want him home too, Regina. And he will be, we just have to go get him.. Which we’ll be allowed to do in the next... two hours?” she somewhat asks and somewhat says and Regina nods quietly. “What do you wanna do until then?”

“Nothing. Could you just.. hold me?” she asks a little shyly and Emma wastes no time in wrapping them back up in the blankets. She covers them and places kisses to the back of Regina’s neck as she whispers words of affirmation and affection to the woman and she doesn’t see it, but by the way Regina sniffles, those words dig deep and they’re doing their job of making the brunette feel like everything just might be okay.

“Because it will,” she whispers and it’s an answer to Regina’s silent question that has her gasping at the prospect of it. She turns around in Emma’s arms and as their noses touch, there’s a spark. The same spark they had before that drove both of their libidos overboard that one time in Regina’s office. And it’s that spark this time is pushing Emma’s heart as well as Regina’s.. over the edge. There’s no rejection when their lips meet in a heated kiss that  is a promise, that is a whisper and that is a forever more kind of love they are slowly finding themselves being engulfed by. Their lips mesh together in a flurry of kisses until Emma drifts away and comes back, pushing Regina’s silk, thin strapped cami up her torso. Emma’s lips flutter across the soft and supple skin of Regina’s spine as she traces with her tongue- the languid frame of the woman before her. The brunette’s hair is mussed over her face as she tries to bury herself in the sheets, attempting not to bite down on herself or the duvet. But the kisses don’t stop and because they don’t stop, she grabs and twists her hands into them before pulling and tugging violently as Emma’s nails lightly trail down her body- barely making her feel it, but when she does, she shivers.. These lips come together once more before they drift again and go down columns of throats- both women battling to one up the other in markings and nibble marks. And then they come back up, acknowledging little features like freckles and moles. Gentle kisses continue being placed to all of these beautiful little accents as the time passes and the room begins to mist over from their actions. Account was taken where skin was ticklish and or arousal inducing as the women never seemed to come apart once they were together. Emma craned Regina’s neck to expose her once more and sank her teeth in softly as she sucked at Regina’s pulse point- causing the woman to moan at the action. It’s a tight pulling feeling that doesn’t hurt in the slightest, but rather, it makes her body jerk in pleasure causing her to now release a guttural moan. Their lips come back together and with a final kiss to her temple, Emma whispers,

“I’m stupidly and hopelessly falling in love with you.. And I can’t go back,” and she thinks Regina may just cry but the response she gets is what makes her cry.

“Then don’t… just take me with you when you do fall and I’ll catch you. I’ll always catch you, Emma… and truth be told,” she says before leaning in closer and kissing the blonde’s lips softly. “I’m falling hopelessly and madly in love with you too,” she tells her as her finger traces the general features on Emma’s face but stop just at her lips and tugs them open, only to be bitten softly by the blonde.

“I’ll catch you too, Regina. I’ll catch you, put a ring on your finger and then I will marry you.. If you let me,” she tells her and Regina smirks.

“I’m waiting on the day you do,” she whispers against Emma’s cheek and finds herself drifting off for another sleep-like nap.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

It’s time to take him home- May 31st and Henry is eagerly awaiting to get the hell out of the hospital. After his assessment, they had shifted him out of the natal ward and into the adult ward where he still had his own room. It was getting boring just watching the same channels over and over and over again. It was getting boring that his friends couldn’t come and see him til today, which he would not lie- he was eager for it. It was boring that the only time he saw his mothers was on their lunch breaks and that they had only ever really been able to stay when he was dead to the world-literally. It was extremely boring that he had no clue what the outside of those four walls looked like anymore and he wondered if his grandmother had played on the hum hum or gotten Ermis that little jacket she’d wanted made for the little bundle of muff for a while now. Everything was boring until it wasn’t and that’s only due to the fact that… he was going home. Today. He didn’t have bags to pack, they only needed to take his toothbrush and toothpaste which Regina would more than likely throw away and give him new ones. He was ready and he was waiting eagerly for them to come and when they did, he didn’t hide his smile. He didn’t hide his excitement, he didn’t hide the fact that he just wanted his moms and he just wanted his bed and he just wanted a normal meal for once since having been thrown into this place of fresh hell. He wanted to go and he was minutes shy of doing that. They took his IV out and gave him back his clothing which he damn sure was not about to change into, thankfully his moms brought him some comfortable and loose fitting clothes. Regina had made a joke that ,“Now we won’t have to buy you new clothes,” and though he laughed, he couldn’t help but think about that as time went on. He couldn’t do anything about it and he wasn’t about to try and stress over something like that. He had already come to terms with not being able to play rugby and he knows he’ll more than likely miss their opening season game, but at least he was alive and kicking and if that was the only thing he had at the end of the day, he was going to live with that.

They were all ready now after he’d been helped into his clothes and without so much as anything past a very heartfelt thank you to Doctor Keaton and the attendees at the time, nothing else was said to anyone in the hospital. So, they leave and when they leave, they leave with a hope of recovery on Henry’s side.They leave with a hope to never have to return to the hospital for something as heart wrenching as that whole ordeal was.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hey kid,” Emma says as she walks into their living room. He manages to crane his neck and smile at his mother as he switches and flicks through the tv. Since Henry’s been home for the past three and a half days, he’s been crowded by his friends for at least two of them and he’d been caught up on all the homework he missed, which was enough to give him a very unnerving headache. Both of his mothers had went to his school and informed them as to why Henry was literally off the face of the earth for such a period of time and though Mother Superior had given her condolences and such, and even though it was ordered to be announced at the next mass that Henry is in recovery mode and they should send up a couple Hail Mary’s in prayer- they still tossed the assload of work at him. And by assload, it was beyond more than any of them expected. Regina and Emma had both brought home different stacks of papers from his different teachers and Regina had muttered something about forcing them to change the curriculum because it was clearly stressing the students- Henry more so because now he was faced with all of this and had no way of actually beginning or trying to begin because it looked threatening. It felt overwhelming and he really hadn’t thought of a plan to deal with it. Regina had also put in her resignation at the office even with Emma’s convincing to keep the job and this was solely due to the fact that she was now telling them both,

_“It’s better that I’m the stay at home mother, considering your job calls for you more than mines calls for me,” and Emma had told her,_

_“That’s a lie. You’re the mayor. You’re the one keeping this place afloat,”_

_“Yes, but I can do all of that at home and pass on the position to someone else. The likelyhood of anyone succeeding the way I do with this town.. won’t happen- we all know that, but if I work as an...assistant-,” she offers and Emma looks at her so strangely because the words assistant and Regina will never go together. “-I can help them keep this place from being swallowed by the underworld,”_

_“And you’re sure that’s what you wanna do?” the blonde had questioned her and even Henry now looked at her strangely._

_“Yeah mom.. I don’t want you to stay home just because of me,”_

_“Sweetheart. I_ **_need_ ** _to stay home because of you. If I don’t stay home and take care of you- who will? Emma’s always going to get pulled away, even if it is just for Leroy’s drunken behaviour and as mayor- or acting assistant to the Mayor, it’s better that I can work from home. I’ll call Clara and allow her to assume my position until you’re either better or until your sister is one,”_

_“That’s pretty far from now, you think you’ll still wanna do that by the time she’s here?” he questions._

_“Probably not, but it doesn’t hurt to leave the options and the door open. Once I have you, Emma and her- that’s all that matters to me. You’re all that matters to me. I’m staying home and I’m going to take care of you, that way if your mother ever has any worries or anything of the sort, she can call home and I’ll be able to tell her the things that you won’t,”_

_“Okay, now that’s sounding more like something I can agree to.. Kid, I think your mom’s right. I won’t be able to come in like I’d like to and even when I can it’s only for my hour lunch. Plus I’m almost positive you’ll be asleep more than half the time I come dragging through the door. If I can’t be there at all, your mom will have to, your grandmother probably won’t be able to lift you and we’re starting your physical therapy in about four days… we need to get you prepared.. It’s gonna hurt like hell and the pain isn’t that bearable without help. Your mom is the only one who’ll be able to go. I can see if my mom can go on some days and if my dad can, but it’s just us three until you’re better… Is that okay?” she questions him and he sighs but answers._

_“I just didn’t wanna be the reason either of you stayed home. I didn’t wanna… you know,” he says and she does know. They both know._

_“We love you and we’re going to do whatever we see fit to take care of you, besides, you think your mom trusts anyone else with you?”_

_“No, probably not..still though. I wanted us to just have a normal life.. I mean I know we can’t anymore because of ...this,” he points to his chest all weirdly, “but I was hoping. I really was-,”_

_“-Hen… we all had hope and we all still have hope.. It’s just a different kind now.. Don’t worry, kid. This is how it has to be for right now and your mom and I love you enough to put everything else on pause. We already lived.. It’s time we started working harder to help you live your own life...okay?”_

_“Huff…..okay.. Okay,” he finally agrees and Emma kisses the top of his head before she moves over to kiss Regina on the lips------_

 

“How’s the massive stack of homework treating you?” she questions him as she looks at the almost haphazard looking sheets of lined paper, white paper, textbooks and notebooks along with equally empty pens and ink marks pretty much everywhere his arm managed to reach.

“Like crap. I have so much to catch up on. It feels like I missed the entire year, not a couple of days,” he responds before moving the offending papers from his sight and dropping them on the floor. Henry tilts his head back and shuts his eyes. “Can’t you guys just pull me from school and have mom homeschool me? I swear it would be so much better than the crap I’m getting right now,”

“It can’t be that bad,” Emma tries and his eyes snap open as he glares at her and she’s not gonna lie, it’s a scary one.

“Ma, have you even _seen_ my math homework?! It’s almost impossible to finish it and not be behind even more because I’m trying to do this and figure out where in the hell we are in Mister Abu’s math class! Do you have any idea how many polynomial equations and methods of elimination I have to do and how many Xs I’m stuck finding when really algebra should be looking for it himself! Not to mention history because Lord forbid we not learn about the god damn renaissance and then Fairytale Land and then America! But wait! There’s more! Social studies class, no no- it’s not history. It’s less AP than it’s history counterpart, but we still have to take it. I have to help Nick with his art- thingy! I have three group projects I haven’t even started research on and you’d think with me almost dying they’d cut me some slack, but nope. No slack, not even a little. I was dy-ing. I was dead and they throw this shit at me and nearly-,” he stops and he’s now gasping for air. He’s wheezing and it’s a clicking sound coming from him as his mouth is agape and his eyes go red from lack of oxygen and Emma does the only thing she can remember and slaps him square in the back…. It works. It forces air into his lungs and now he’s gasping because his entire chest cavity is filling back up rapidly and he;s no idea how to handle that.”D-don’t t-t-tell mom a...about… th-t-th-that,” he manages and now Henry sounds like he first did when he’d just woken up from the first go round of that magical fiasco. Emma nods fiercely because-

“I know. I don’t want her to kill me for slapping the crap out of your back. That probably wasn’t the way I was supposed to do that anyway,”

“I-I d..don’t th-think so e-either, m-m-a,” he agrees and she sighs before groaning.

“I have to get to work and I need to wake your mom, she was really tired after yesterday, what did you two get up to?” she questions him before watching him take deep breaths to prepare the long list of words he was about to say.

“A lot. When I got up she gave me a bath… I had to pee a-almost every hour on the h--hhour. It’s the medication I didn’t lose function of my bowels or anyth-thing. She had to c-c-cook food twice and deal with calls and Clara kept calling because she was still scared and wanted mom’s help. She had to en-entert-ain my pain in the ass best friends and she tried not to fry my homework that she helped me with yesterday,” he recaps and Emma’s eyebrows raise. “Oh.. and she made dinner before y-you came home and gave me another bath,” he says in memory and Emma scratches the back of her head.

“No wonder she’s so messed up right now.. I’m torn between just letting her sleep or waking her up because we have to take you to PT today… and it’s your first day. I know she would have wanted to come, but… she needs to sleep,” Emma says in a roundabout format because she’s not really talking to Henry anymore by this point. “She needs to sleep…. But she’ll be devastated if she doesn’t get to go with you,” Emma continues off into her own conversation with herself and Henry pipes up.

“Well, maybe we can postpone PT til tomorrow-,” Henry tries and she’s exhaling internally at the fact that he doesn’t have chopped words anymore.

“-No,” she interrupts him and he pauses. “We both promised you that come hell or highwater, we were letting you go to Physical Therapy today…. I’ll be back, I’ll just let your mom sleep and I’ll take you,”

“But ma.. You’re working,”

“I’m calling in, besides I was supposed to get the rest of the day off anyway just to meet you guys at your session… but since your mom is asleep, I’ll need to take you and just call to check in on her or probably come and get her after a while,”

“I don’t think we should leave mom here by herself,” Henry now tells Emma and she thinks for a moment before she looks at him.

“I know we shouldn’t, but we’re going to have to, your mom’s tired and I would be too if I had to deal with as many people as she did and still turn around and take care of you. We don’t have another option-,”

“-Yes we do, ma. Postpone it until tomorrow,” he tells her and she shakes her head at him.

“We can’t-,” she tries again but he interrrupts.

“-We can.. It’s my physical therapy session and if I don’t wanna go, you can’t make me,” he tells her a little sternly and her lips pinch into something akin to hurt. Henry’s face falls. “Ma… I...sorry,” he mutters to her and she’s shaking her head at him again.

“It’s fine, kid,” she tries to brush off but now Henry’s shaking his head at her.

“It really isn’t, ma. Stop letting me get away with stuff like that. I’m mad but.. I can’t be getting mad at you when all you’re trying to do is take care of me,”

“No, kid. You have a reason to be mad at me..o-kay,” she sighs out and stops. “We won’t go to your PT session today… but I think I know a session we really do need to have right now,”

“You mean us talking, don’t you,” he says more than asks and his mother nods at him.

“Yeah, kid. We really do need to talk about that,”

“I just…” Henry tries before sighing angrily at himself and shaking his head. Emma finds herself on the couch next to him before she’s pulling him at her side and rubbing his shoulders.

“Bud, you can talk to me. Whatever it is-just talk to me, Hen. I won’t get mad. I just… I wanna know why you’re so upset with me these days,”

“Ma-,” he tries but he stops. “I guess I just…. I guess I’m just jealous of my sister, and she’s not even here yet,” he tells her and Emma looks so confused.

“You lost me, Hen,” she admits and he sighs yet again.

“It’s just.. my sister. She’s gonna get all of you- _both_ of you and I’m just getting part of you now and that’s only because you lied about you and mom. I went ten years without you, only to get pieces of you because your job sees you more than I do. And it sucks...it sucks because she won’t have to know what it’s like to live back and forth between your moms. She won’t have to go through ten years of not knowing that she was adopted, or that you guys gave her up because you wanted better for her. She won’t have to grow up knowing how bad it feels when you accuse mom about something and watch her break and watch her fall apart all because of her own selfish reasons. Mya won’t have to know what it feels like to feel as though you’re being replaced by a newer version of the same child. She won’t have to feel like she’s not a princess because you guys will remind her everyday that she is one and spoil her the way I didn’t get to be because all I had was mom. I want both,” he tells her a little hoarsely. “I wanted both and I still want both. I want my mom and my ma and I want my sister, but I just wish… I.. I wish it had happened right after you found out about me. I wish mom had found you or you found her, or you bumped into her and I wish you guys just made life from there. Mya won’t have to live with misplacing things and seeing you guys fight and say “my son this” or “my son that” and she won’t have to choose between who she wants to sleep by when you’re both upset with each other…. She gets to see the happy ending and all I get is the turmoil before that. All of the things _I_ wanted is what _she’s_ going to get all because of fate and timing and this shit life I’ve been handed!” he belts the final piece and Emma’s heart breaks for him. She can’t say anything to calm him because everything he’s saying is how he feels and what he sees and in most of the scenarios place.. It’s everything he’s already been through. “I wanna love her,” he whispers. “I wanna love her ma, but I know I’m gonna be jealous of her...and the only reason I’m gonna be jealous of her is because she’s going to get everything I didn’t,”

“She won’t get everything you didn’t.. Hen, your mom and I will still fight. Your mom and I will still battle over the my son this and my son that. I can guarantee you we’ll do that with your little sister too because that’s just us. She won’t get to see us be happy all the time and trust me when I say that there probably will be times your mom throws me out the house and tells me to pack my shit and go, or she’ll tell me to move out when she’s upset or something. Henry, your little sister is getting us together- yes, but you know what she won’t get to see?” Emma asks him and even though his head is hung low he shakes it still. “Bud, she won’t get to see the love story actually happen. She won’t get to read it as it appears on the pages in your storybook. Henry… she’s not going to get to watch us fall in love the way you will.. Don’t you think that’s something to look forward to?” He’s silent as he mulls over the question and then his lip quirks up a bit as he thinks more and more.

“yeah,” he tells her in a whisper before nodding a little eagerly and looking up at her, the smile creeping across his face. “Yeah.. it really would be something to look forward to,”

“Good,” Emma smiles at him. “And Hen.. don’t feel abandoned, okay.. Things in life happen for a reason. Those reasons are what take us to where we need to be in life and trust me, they’re the best stories for parties when you need to make people laugh or make people feel like everything works out for the greater good,”

“I know ma,” he sighs. “I know.. But sometimes it’s hard… and I don’t feel abandoned, I just feel… perfection doesn’t exist- I know that, but my life would have been perfect if you and mom were already together because I love you guys so much that it hurts it had to happen this way. It hurts like hell to know that two people, so vastly different yet so insanely similar, couldn’t meet in a lifetime where they didn’t have to struggle or suffer and where they didn’t have to hope that they would see a sunshine filled tomorrow. I wish you and mom never went through any of that and that you just met randomly one day, fell in love like those predictable movies suggest we all do and then have me and be happy. You guys would have Mya and it’d be okay and then.. Be grandparents or something and die happy. Ma, why can’t we get those things? Why can’t we have nice things?”

“Because, everyone needs a story. Everyone needs something in their existence to help another. Everyone needs this in their life in order to exist and understand and sympathize and compromise and.. Henry, everyone needs the bad things as lessons to appreciate all the good things because the human race is a very selfish species. We take all of the special things for granted that most other people in life can only dream of having. Henry, we _do_ have nice things.. It’s just that what we want are different from what we needs. But bud, we have nice things. Us living, us yelling, us seeing, smiling, laughing, crying, eharing- everything.. Everything we have and can do that most people can’t- is a nice thing.The nice things in life are the things we end up taking for granted, so sometimes the universe doesn’t give it to us because it knows more than we do. It’s ahead of us at all times and putting down the safety tape because it knows that we’ll fall a lot as we try to advance in life. We have nice things, kid. We always had the nice things. When you’re better off than most people- you’ve got nice things. Just remember that when you complain about your mom not getting you the sugary cereal you love so much, most other children acn only complain that they need a morsel to eat. It’s a life lesson in itself that we could literally be so much worse off in life, but that we were picked not to be that way,”

“Ma, you’re making me feel guilty,” he tells her and she laughs.

“Good, then it’s working. It’s supposed to make you feel guilty.. Not about how you feel, but the small things in life we tend to roll over because it ‘isn’t my problem’..you know?”

“Yeah.. I know ma,”

“Then it’s all good. We’ll talk more later if you wanna get anything else off your chest,” she offers but he shakes his head.

“There’s nothing else.. I just wanted to know that I got something Mya probably won’t,”

“How about this.. You focus on what you and your sister will share and I promise you, it’s all the exact same things,” she tells him as she rubs his back before standing. Emma makes a move for the house phone cordless and before she exits she doubles back and says. “Oh and.. Cool name… I’ll have to run that one by your mom. What does it mean anyway?”

“It means Emerald,” he says with a smile.

“Emerald?” she questions and Henry nods eagerly.

“Yeah..like the colour of your eyes kind of emerald. I figured it’d be something good to name her if you and mom couldn’t figure out a name,”

“I like it.. I’ll run it by her and see what she says-,”

 

“-See what I say to what,” comes the smooth words from Regina who has clearly jsut woken from sleep if her mashed t-shirt and leggings are anything to go by. Her hair is somewhat flat, but it’s not surprising to either Emma or Henry that even this exotic woman would suffer the unnatural flatness that is lifeless hair. Regina rubs at her eyes and then runs her fingers through her hair as she tries to blink her eyes awake a little more than they originally were. “Henry. Emma- see what I say to what, and why didn’t you wake me for your physical therapy session?”

“See what you say to the name suggestion Henry has for his little sister,” Emma says before she bobs her head. “And he didn’t wanna go. We had a talk about some things, but we’re fine now… and he keeps calling her Mya mind you-,”

“-Mya means emerald,” Henry also inputs and Regina smirks at them. They look confused for the most part and that’s no surprise to Regina. She dips her head in acknowledgment.

“It is a rather lovely name…” she trails off and Henry looks like he wants to ask a question. He settles for,

“Buuuuuut?” as his version of asking and her head dips left then right.

“But it’s too bad I’ve already thought of it as well,” Regina says and he deflates. “Sweetheart it’s actually not a bad thing… I thought of the name because it’s the closest in representation to a part of your mother that is .. most prominent-,”

“-besides my lovely cheekbones,” Emma tries to joke and hears Regina sigh, but not annoyed. She sighs because she’s suppressing a laugh.

“Yes, minus those oh so sharp cheekbones of yours… Henry?” she calls their son and he looks up at her. She cups his chin in her hand and smiles at him. “It’s a beautiful name, sweetie. It reminds me of your mother and that’s why I said I’ve thought of it as well.. That’s one of the names on the list, and I’m even more happy of the origin of the name,”

“Why?”

“Because the origin of a name...it means something to many people, but we always seem to go with the names of Spanish or French or English descent and not ones of a native background or from ones that are a little bit more out there… Mya means emerald, and it’s the closest representation to your mother’s eyes as I could get… she’s hellbent on naming her after me, but…” Regina trails off before she rolls her fingers and a leatherbound book appears in her hand. Etched on the front just says journal but Emma knows what book that is. Regina looks over at her for permission and the blonde smiles and nods so Regina sits down on the opposite side of Henry and Emma snuggles closer. She flips open to the first page and shows Henry the list. “For the past few days when you were in the hospital and everything was terrible and both your mother and I couldn’t be anything but one another’s rock- I had started to scribble down baby names in this book. This journal was the same one I had used when I wanted to name you.. Well, not just you, it was technically just for any baby because I didn’t know if I would be approved for a baby or not. This list-,” she says. “-didn’t last long at all because I already knew what I would name you if I had a boy, but I always struggled with names for a girl, and here’s why,” she says before gliding her finger over the list of girl names.. She’s put less than a handful and none seemed like anything even remotely close to what she would name a child. It wasn’t just that, it was the fact that- “all of these names were either of Spanish descent, French descent or English descent...and then I came into contact with a little girl one day and she was from Hawaii-,”

“-Mom, please tell me she isn’t the predictable character I think she is,”

“Well, I’d assume not. If I’m correct the only predictable character so far was Lilo, but it wasn’t her.. I couldn’t quite remember the child’s name because it was...exotic in nature and mature, but it was still gentle and easing. I realized why I never could find the right name for a little girl- regardless of how badly I’ve always wanted one.. And now I do,” Regina admits and Henry looks even more interested than before. Emma begins to smile because this is where the good stuff comes in. “I named you after my father because he was named after his father and his father before him. Considering I didn’t know who Neal was or your mother for that matter, I named you after daddy… the reason I named you after Daniel was because… he also encompassed a new life and a new love in my life- and you became the epitome of that for me. Henry you looked like daddy as an infant more than I have in all my years of existence. You had Daniel’s mannerisms as you aged, but you had your grandfather’s heart and carefree spirit in every way shape and form… When you started getting better, your mother had the amazing idea that we think of more names for your little sister and we came up with these,” she smiles as she flips to a whole new section that’s a little bit more colourful in essence and immediately Henry’s eyes scan frantically as if his mother would shut it close in his face, but she doesn’t. She lets him look and look and look and he’s grinning at most of the names on the paper before him, but when he finds Mya written in green ink, his eyes gloss over and he smiles even brighter. He looks up at Regina and Emma who are looking right back at him and he grins cheekily. All he says to them after that is,

“Mya’s coming.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Do I really have tooooo,” Regina hears the blonde whine from her spot in the laundry as she inhaled the scent of Henry’s socks, gagged in an instant and then chucked them at the open lid of the washing machine.

“Y-you lost a b-bet, ma,” Henry tells her from the archway in the kitchen. He’s still extremely weakened and it’s not by the darkness that decided to exit through every orifice in his body, but he’s holding a smirk as he watches Emma pale slightly at the scent alone and not the sight of how black his socks got on the bottom.

_He’d finally gotten through his first PT session and nearly lost a nerve at his therapiist. He was like fresh meat in Henry’s eyes, just out of his eighth month training program he probably did online and got approved for because all he did was bubble in the right letters on the test he took. Henry had started out being tested for his upper and lower strength and then it just fell apart. The ‘therapist’ gave him ten pound weights to deal with on both arms and legs, not taking into consideration that Henry had been bedwritten and wheelchair bound for how long? Or the simple fact that Henry’s chest was barely past the stage of healing enough not to rip through his staples and stitching with the stress those weights would create. Clearly he didn’t read the boy’s file because had he done that, he’d have known that Henry could barely lift anything past spoons, pens, forks or the occasional small stack of papers he found himself throwing in a flurry of anger and later regretting because he damn well couldn’t move to get it and didn’t want to feel like an invalid where his mother was concerned. As if that wasn’t shitty enough, the ‘therapist’ argued with Emma and Regina over why he started at such a high weight for Henry to lift and Henry watched the young man flare and tell his mothers that he isn’t there to enable Henry, he has to be pushed. That didn’t end well for him as Regina bristled and flared angrily. Her nostrils widened and her eyes sparked death before she was in the young man’s face and threatening to make him watch himself remove those exact same weights from his intestines if he didn’t ease the hell up off Henry. He gulped, swallowed the possible fear he had and apologized to them before pretty much running away and informing his boss they needed a new therapist. It didn’t surprise his boss that he’d quit that quickly, actually- the man had laughed at him and told him he’d given him warning prior to not to be such a hard ass for no reason. His job was physical therapy, not new millennium methods of torture for the young and aiding. He quickly approved the transfer and sent in someone Emma was more familiar with than Regina was, but Regina quickly understood why. This young man was a sweetheart. He did the same version of assessment on Henry, but he tested his ability to lift by checking from one pound weights up to five. He’d also made sure to keep a hand firmly pressed to Henry’s chest, but still not too tight that it hurt the young boy. Through his entire session, Ian rotated between giving Henry one pound- two pound and five pound weights, moderating between putting conflicting weights in different hands. He noticed Henry’s body tilting and compressing with the weight and realized that maybe the boy’s entire body needed to be on this one particular system he’d created for things like this. So, Ian changed his strategy. He’d asked the women to help him lay Henry out on the ground, thankfully the mat below him was soft. He stretched out Henry’s legs and began to work them in a circular motion, asking Henry to just let the weight of his body be. The boy obeyed and as Ian shifted from leg to leg and arm to arm, he noticed that Henry’s legs weren’t as weak as he’d expected. He ramped it up slightly by just asking Henry to raise one leg at a time as high as he could manage, which was about four inches up off the ground. It wasn’t much, but it was more than enough to start considering Ian usually saw most- if not all of his patients barely able to lift them, let alone register their existence. They continued this practice until Henry was winded and tired and then Ian had asked Henry to attempt to just get five situps… he did it, but it took him nearly half an hour and a lot of chest and back support from Ian. It was a good thing his PT sessions consisted of two hour intervals twice a day. Ian was doing rather well handling Henry and handling his sassy brunette mother to the degree that he sassed back and she didn’t threaten to roast him on the spot. Their banter continues through his first PT session and as Henry nears the last ten minutes of the second hour, he pushes himself to the limit and everyone is in awe of how much he keeps going once he’s gotten past his third set of five sit ups. Even though they’re all proud, their fear that he might begin to bleed through his stitching- or even rip them, kept them all at bay. Thankfully, Henry doesn’t manage to strain too hard that he bleeds but his chest does turn a rather dark shade of red and the sweat from his session has him wanting to scratch at it. Ian pats him on the back and gives him a sticker- literally a sticker. After that, he picks a time for his second session for that same day._

He’s holding onto the exposed post and making his way to one of the bar stools when Regina catches him under the arm and guides him to one of the chairs that is sat at one of the many tables in the house. He grunts at her because he’s not four and he’s not that weak that he can’t sit at a bar stool chair, but to Regina, he’s only still her little prince and she was not about to chance that with him. Once he’s settled into the bar stool chair, Regina begins to make breakfast

“I lost a bet, I didn’t ask for a death sentence- and what the hell are you doing in these socks?! They’re black on the bottom,”

“T-the guys s-said that if I...wanted to get better at gripping the g-ground then I should learn to p-play rugby with no shoes o-on….and there’s mud on the f-field so that’s a t-thing,” he tells her and she tilts her head back. “A-at least you won’t… have-to w-worry about them f-f-for a w-while. I’m wheelchair b-bound,” he tells her and he just pauses to breathe. He’s still a little winded now, but with each intake of air, his words are less chopped and less messed up.

“True.. guess I did win afterall,” Emma smirks as she now turns her attention back to Henry’s laundry and tosses the rest in. She closes the lid and pushes the button and they all listen to the machine whir to life and run itself into it’s first cycle wash. Emma rubs at her eyes as she exits the washroom and plops down in the barstool next to Henry. “How’s your legs feeling after PT?”

“Good,” he nods and she smiles.

“That’s good… you ready for the second session after dinner?” she asks and Henry makes a weird noise that has her laughing at him. “I’ll take that as a no,” she concludes and shifts around on the stool. “How about this.. We tell Ian to only do fourty five minutes this time and switch all your times to two hours on the first session and fourty five on the second,or you can rotate between them, how’s that sound?”

“Like Heaven,” Henry tells her quickly and  much less tired. She grins and Regina snickers from her spot at the stove before turning to regard them both and then she’s plating off their food and serving it to them. “Oatmeal?” Henry questions her and she shakes her head.

“Cream of wheat. It’s better than oatmeal and softer on your stomach,” his brunette mother tells him and he lifts the spoon before letting the soupy mass drip from it, allowing it to splatter on whatever it splatters on after the fact.

“It looks weird,” he comments and Emma nods as she does the same thing to hers.

“Everything that isn’t diabetes inducing looks weird to both of you- now eat. We’re all going to eat the same things until you can stomach much harder and heavier foods,” she tells them and Emma groans about as loud as Henry groans.

“Baby whyyyyyyyy?” she whines her question and Regina just tilts her head at them.

“Our son has to eat this, which means that we have to eat it because it would be mean if we ate all the grease soaked bacon you love so much,”

“But he’s the one with the weak body- not me!” Emma whines still and Regina smirks at her.

“That means nothing. Henry would do the same if it were you- I hope,” Regina says as she looks at the young man expectantly. He wiggles in his chair and grins around a mouthful of cream of wheat but nods.

“I would,” he manages clearly even though his mouth is filled with the enriched goodness. Regina had made it sweet instead of salty and Henry always appreciated that much when it came to him ever eating that or oatmeal. Emma grumps about it for about another two minutes until Regina warns her that if she lets it sit any longer it’ll turn about as thick as cement and that she would still have to eat it. Emma’s face falls and she looks so sad that Regina actually has pity on her and fries her just two slices of bacon. She watches the blonde instantly perk up and she shakes her head with a smile.

“Character,” she mutters around a grin and Emma hops off the stool before she grabs Regina around the waist and buries her lips into the crook of woman’s neck before she’s kissing her endlessly and she listens for Regina’s reaction, which is about the most adorable giggle she think she’s heard.

“Guyyyyyyyssss!” Henry says a little grossed out. “Stop the cute! It hurts my soul,” he continues on dramatically and Emma pulls away from Regina long enough to look at Henry with the most confused face she could muster. He just grins at her and manages to swing his legs lightly even though they’re literally a split second growth spurt away from actually touching the ground. Emma walks back over and kisses his cheek which he grins at.

“Love you too, kid. Hurry up and eat so we can get you down on the mat for a bit. Your body’s gonna need a lot of help in recovery before the next session,” she tells him and he nods before he gets back to his food and Regina finally rests her own food down next to Emma’s and she sits next to the blonde. Emma just leans over meeting Regina’s lips halfway for a kiss and the brunette complies, kissing her back with a smile that’s glued on her face. When they pull apart, Regina’s fingers stroke Emma’s cheek and she whispers,

“Love you,” to the blonde who whispers,

“Love you, too,” back at her.

 

After they finish breakfast.. Or brunch.. Something- Emma doesn’t remember, they manage to get Henry on the mat and stretch out his body a little bit before there’s a knock at the door and it’s Ian. They get straight into his second session and before Henry fully feels the burn of it, Ian is getting up and packing his own mat away before he’s patting Henry’s shoulder and telling him that he’ll see him tomorrow.. Henry groans but that’s normal at this point. Nick comes over again by nightfall and he and Henry end up in the boy’s room. Nothing overly eventful happens because- homework, assistant work and pickup Leroy’s drunken ass kind of work.

  


It’s a good handful of days later and they’ve officially made it into the new month and into the new week of the new month. It’s the tenth of June and as the days come, the days go and no one has any idea where they’ve come or where they’ve gone. Regina feels like all she’s done is blink and watch them disappear because to her everything merged into one since she’s been home. Henry never really figured out the date considering he never bothered to ask because why do that when you’re not in school and everything is pretty much do the day you go back. Emma’s only been in to the station and back at home, and if it’s not that, she’s out on patrol which means she hasn’t seen or been in Granny’s since…. days before Henry ended up in the hospital. She makes sure to see their son and Regina, but other than that, Regina’s the one who goes shopping and Regina’s the one who deals with the little bills here and there until she caught on to online payment plans. But Emma cuts the yard and washes Henry’s clothes- technically she washes everyone’s clothes. Regina irons for them all and she still fixes Emma’s tie every morning, she still makes them breakfast- though it is getting ..greasier. They still go to all of Henry’s PT sessions with him and make sure that he and Ian don’t clash- which they don’t and Emma always helps Regina make dinner. She always calls them throughout the day to tell them she loves them and to tell them she’ll be home as soon as she can. Emma damn sure makes it all possible to still talk to Egg about it all as they go along and everyday she smiles brighter and brighter because their bubble goes undisturbed. No one tries to take away her happiness and she doesn’t let the small things get to her. The only thing that did change was that Cora was missing for a good while, but she didn’t leave Ermis which meant she either moved back into her own place or got lost somewhere and their family dinner get togethers were being cancelled left right and centre. It came from the same three people who got so comfortable in their bubble saying ‘We’re not ready’ and the decision had to be respected. Thankfully it was. But then the bubble got invaded because Mary Margaret hovers and David is a worrier which meant that Mary Margaret turned into Henry’s personal nurse and David pretty much lifted the boy anywhere he needed to go instead of allowing him to walk. Even though it did allow Regina a lot more time to work and help Clara, she also felt extremely overcrowded even in the massive six bedroom house. If they didn’t hover over Henry, they hovered over her...immensely. Mary Margaret had seemed to have turned a new leaf because she just about burrowed Regina’s little body in her arms every opportunity she got and though the brunette was happy she finally got off her ‘you have my daughter under a spell’ spiel, it didn’t quite feel right. It felt.. guilt ridden and it felt, forced all because Henry got hurt and now she felt as though she had to compensate for it. Still,, Regina was not difficult about it. She let it happen and tried to actually create conversation with the woman, not finding her as annoying as she’d initially hoped.David was just the same. Pure.. Annoyingly so, but he was a little bit more bearable because he played the XBox. Mary Margaret… she knits. She always fucking knits. And then there’s Neal. Where in the ever loving hell did that toddler come from? Right, his mother’s virginal hole. He doesn’t scream-thank God, but that’s only because he seems more obsessed with Regina than his own damn mother. And her bed is the only one he can sleep in soundly and her office is the only place safe enough- though Snow probably lied there too considering it had a damn fireplace- that he can play safely. Yet, none of that surprises her. Henry was much the same as Neal. Henry latched onto MM and now Neal was latching on to her and truth be told, the toddler was better company than most humans. But today wasn’t just another day. Today was a weird as shit kind of day and it started much too early for Regina’s blonde counterpart. It turned into something she doesn’t find out about….until that evening pretty much.

 

Emma got up at the asscrack of dawn and pattered her way through the master bedroom. Usually she would kiss Regina good morning but her phone was ringing and instead of putting it on her nightstand, she left it in her jeans pocket. _Classic_. She hears a grumble from the bed.

“Mmmm- Em. Shut that stupid thing off,” Regina manages through her sleep ridden daze and Emma rolls her eyes with a smirk as she nears the phone and answers the call.

“This better be important because if it’s not-,” she manages to start only to be cut off.

“-It is,” the person says and Emma really can’t recognize who it might be but now her eyes are opening wide and she’s highly aware.

“What is it?”

“Mister Gold escaped-,”

“-Escaped?!” she shrieks lightly only to hear a groan from Regina in the bed and she quiets down. “Escaped?” she asks a little more calmly and she supposes by the silence that the person had nodded, not realizing it until they seemed surprised and said,

“Yes!Yes..he somehow managed to sneak out just before the morning shift was set to do their rounds on his ward and no one has seen him since that,” the person says and Emma rubs her forehead.

“Alright.. I’ll see if I can find him,”

“Thank you sheriff,”

“Yeah- it’s part of the job.. Who am I speaking with by the way?”

“Flores.. Olivia Flores,”

“Alright Miss Flores. I’ll call the hospital if I find anything, but don’t have so much hope, with people like Rumple, if he doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be,” she tells the woman who hums as if she knows this without fault.

“Thank you again, officer,”

“No problem Miss Flores. You be safe,”

“And you as well, Sheriff,” she says back and they hang up. Emma sighs internally before she turns back to the bed where Regina’s petite form lay, eyes just beginning to fully come alive as she runs a tired hand through her hair. She rarely ever sleeps on her back but she’s been feeling a bit stuffy lately and has no idea why. Emma smiles at her before walking over and leaning down to capture the woman’s lips in a rather heated morning kiss.

“Good morning, beautiful,” she says to Regina and the brunette smiles tiredly.

“Good morning… who was that on the phone?” she questions and not to cause panic to arise in Regina, Emma just said,

“Some call at the station- which means I have to leave early…”

“So you can’t come to Henry’s physical therapy session this morning?”

“No, but I’ll try make it by the afternoon,” she responds and she sees Regina’s pout. In an attempt to remove it- she kisses her softly and the brunette sighs into her. “I’m sorry, baby,” she says to her and Regina sighs at that.

“No, that’s okay. You have to work and you just never know how busy your partner is until you’re the one not working… or working less in this case,” she acknowledges and Emma nods. Emma strokes the pad of her thumb over Regina’s cheek and smiles sadly at her.

“I’ll see about lunch later today.. You want anything?”

“You,” Regina says instantly and Emma looks at her and for some odd reason, she can sense the unease in Regina’s voice. Without warning, the brunette tears up right in front of her and instantly long arms are wrapped around her.

“Hey-hey.. Shhh, come on sweetie, what’s the matter?” she questions and Regina shrugs in her hold.

“I-I don’t know!” she whines lightly into Emma’s neck and her body jerks as the tears pour out in succession. Emma just hugs her tighter, kisses her cheek and rocks her back and forth.

“Baby, I’m right here. You don’t have to cry, I’m not going anywhere,”

“I know,” Regina chokes out a little pathetically for her own taste and Emma just hugs her even tighter.

“Then if you know that why are you crying?”

“I don’t know,” the brunette chokes out again and Emma sighs lightly.

“Do you not want me to go?” she questions and she’s massively surprised that Regina nods instantly. “But I have to.. Someone’s missing and I have to go find them,” she tries to explain to the woman and Regina sniffles wetly before she pushes lightly at Emma’s chest.

“Then-,” she sniffles again. “-go.. If someone’s missing, you have to go and find them. Go,”

“I can’t just go and leave you like this.. What’s the matter, Regina?”

“I don’t know.. I just,” she stops abruptly and shakes her head.

“Regina. What is it?” Emma pushes and the brunette pulls completely out of her hold. “I know you don’t want me to go, but what’s the real reason?” she questions and receives a shrug in response. “Reginaaaaa,” she nudges lightly but the brunette doesn’t budge. Emma drops her head and runs her finger through her hair before she gets up off the bed and makes her way through to the bathroom. _She’ll give her time_ -she thinks, because that’s the only thing that ever really worked for Regina. Give her time and she’ll come around, but then there were also other things that meant she probably wouldn’t come around either. So, Emma showered and washed her hair, but she could never get it quite as soft as Regina had gotten it that one time on their weekend together. She conditions and steps out in the misty bathroom before toweling her hair dry and brushing her teeth. She wraps the towel around herself and steps out of the bathroom only to notice that Regina’s missing, until she’s not. Their bedroom door opens and Regina comes back in, seemingly relieved. “Everything okay?” the blonde questions her and she nods.

“I was just checking in on Henry. He’s not awake yet, but his breathing and everything else still have to be checked. His dressings also have to be changed,” she says and Emma sees the mask back in place, so she just nods.

“..okay,” she says to Regina before she walks over to the drawer and pulls it open. She pulls out some underwear and a bra and they’re both comfort underclothes because Emma almost never wear a sports bra when she’s going to work, but to wear plain old panties to go with it...yeah. Emma shimmied into her underwear but kept the towel wrapped around her and then she dropped the towel, turned around and pulled the sports bra over her head. She bent over and picked up the towel before she threw it over the horse and walked into the closet, pulling her shirt and a new pair of skinnies out. Emma quickly dresses in them and comes back out in search of a pair of socks that Regina’s already gotten and is handing over to her. She takes them with a nod and sits at the edge of the bed before she begins putting them on. Regina brings her boots over and sets them down by Emma’s feet as she watches the blonde fight with her left sock.

“Are you okay?” Regina asks softly and she gets a grunt from the blonde before Emma says.

“Yeah- fine,” through some laboured breathing and then she’s reaching for her first boot and unlacing the top part of it.

“Are you sure?” she questions again and Emma nods, but sighs as she fights with the same damn boot. “...okay,” she manages and Emma pauses before she looks at Regina.

“What?” Emma asks a bit confused and Regina shrugs.

“Nothing,”

‘It can’t be nothing if you’re asking me if I’m okay, so what is it?” she asks the brunette before dropping the boot on the ground and Regina picks up the discarded shoe before she’s unlacing it properly and handing it back to the blonde. “Thank you, but what’s the issue?”

“Nothing, you jsut seemed annoyed is all,” Regina says and Emma pauses.

“I do?” she asks and the brunette nods. “Oh.. sorry. I’m not, probably just thinking too hard,” she tells her before she sticks her foot in the boot and pulls the laces tight and begins to tie them off.

“So.. you’re not upset with me?” Regina questions and Emma shakes her head.

“Mmf-no,” Emma tells her and she’s successful in stomping the shoe on the ground before shimmying her foot around in it to get comfortable. She breathes in deeply as she sees Regina pick up the next boot and begin to undo those as well. When Regina hands them over, she’s quicker with stuffing her foot in this one and Regina just sits there all awkwardly as she does so. Once Emma’s done with that and the foot shimmy, she stands up and pulls her jeans around her hips better before she spins, looking for her belt which is hanging off the door handle in the closet. She puts that on and then she’s sighing as she looks at her tie. She really doesn’t want to wear it, but she has to, so she picks it up and scowls at it. Even at this age, her scowl is childish,  but ultimately the cutest thing to Regina.  She feels hands on her shoulders and they’re massaging before they sliding over to grab hold of the tie that Emma lets go of without a fight. She turns around and allows Regina to fix it for her  and once that’s done, the brunette goes to sit back on the bed. Emma grabs up her phone and leather jacket before she grabs her badge and clips it on. She walks the distance to Regina before she leans down and kisses the woman’s cheek, not the least bit surprised that Regina tilts her chin that way. “I gotta go. Tell Henry I love him for me,” she says and Regina nods. “My parents are coming over again to help out if you need it, but Ian says I need to take him out of the house at some point and if I’m finished in time, I’ll take him out for lunch and then to the park before we come home. Besides that, dad says if they do get Henry today, he’s more than likely going to take him out to help him run a few errands.. A few boy errands.” she ends before shimmying into her leather jacket and zipping it just a little bit. Regina just nods.

“It would be good if they could help today.. My work has manage to pile up more now than when I was Mayor and Henry is a fulltime job all by himself, but if your mother tries to hug me again, I can’t promise she’ll have an arm by the end of the thirty seconds bonecrushing hug she thinks she’ll be putting me in,” Regina tells her and the blonde smirks.

“Alright. Deal.. I’m just surprised you guys are even getting along. It’s strange to say the least, but I guess it works out to have your mom be guilty about things if it gets her to speak to the woman you plan on marrying and having a kid with,”

“Yes, well her guilt comes from the fact that Henry was in the hospital and she wanted to blame me for it all...again,”

“Wait.. how do you know that?”

“She admitted as much.. As did your father, though he wasn’t in the mood to blame me as so much as to hug me a little bit less awkwardly than your mother managed,”

“My parents just sound like a bunch of weird teenagers,” she says and Regina hums. Emma shifts on her feet before she sighs and says, “I gotta go.I’ll call you.. Love you,” she says to Regina after leaning in once more, this time she captures the woman’s lips and they kiss like nothing bad has ever happened before Regina’s whispers it across Emma’s lips

“Love you too.” before she pulls away and sneezes like an infant which makes Emma laugh.

“I like how you try to hide the fact that you’ve been sick for days,” she teases and Regina turns red.

“I..I-,”

“It’s okay. I’ll bring you some medication when I come back too. Whatever that was you picked up clearly isn’t working. Either that or you’re allergic to happiness,” Emma jokes and Regina smiles a little at her.

“I’d hope not,” she tells the woman who tickles just behind the lobe of her ear. Regina jerks away and Emma laughs. Regina pinches her on the butt and she shrieks before laughing and inching away. The brunette looks at her and smirks before standing and closing the distance between them. “Go to work,” she tells her in a much more relaxed tone now and Emma feels her heart let go of all the worry in that moment.

“I’m going.. Just needed to make sure my beautiful wife to be is okay,” Emma informs and Regina blushes.

“She’s okay… you make her okay.. And she’s sorry that she’s difficult sometimes but having you loving her makes that so much better in her eyes,”

“Then I’ll keep loving her,” Emma announces before kissing Regina’s forehead and the brunette hums in response.

“And she’ll keep loving you,” she says back and Emma is now the one pinching Regina’s butt.

“Don’t be cute. It hurts,” she says and the brunette wiggles in her hold.

“Well that means you hurt everyday. I’m ‘cute’ by your standards, just about all the time,”

“This is true.. Still- I have to go to work and if I don’t go deal with the missing person now, I’ll be the worst officer in history to neglect duty for my gorgeous counterpart,”

“Alright, go,” she tells the blonde who nods and they have one more kiss shared before Emma leaves. On her way out, she stops in the living room where Henry is and kisses his forehead after brushing his hair back. “Love you kid,” she whispers into his hair before she exits

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

This is the earliest she has ever had to wake up in her life and it’s only because her nerves were on her. It’s only because her body alerted her and she jolted awake, it’s only because she had a dream, and said dream was a fucking reality the second she was up. It didn’t surprise her in the slightest that this happened, but that didn’t mean she actually _wanted_ it to happen either. So she’s up and she’s barely dressed in anything presentable past her matching jogging shoes and a pair of sandals. She looked like ass, but she looked like an old ass so that pretty much fit her current getup.

“Why this shit always happens to me, I will never understand,” she mutters as she grabs her keys and of course her miniature partner in crime who is still dead to the world with sleep. She tucks the little fella in her pocket and locks up her house before she twirls her hand and is engulfed by a puff of deep red smoke that carries her to exactly where her internal clock pinpointed the assailant.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

Regina’s walking down the flight of stairs just to answer the insistent knocking at the door. It can only be the two people she expects to see there and is not even remotely surprised that it is them. Standing there. Staring at her. With smiles on their faces….. _why?_

“David.. Mary Margaret,” she regards them both and they say good morning back to her before David’s resting a hand to Regina’s stomach and rubbing what he assumes is the forming body of his grandchild. If only he knew.

“How’s my little pumpkin doing in there?” he questions and it’s clear he’s only somewhat talking to Regina, but really just having a silent conversation with the baby.. The nonexistent one that is.

“She’s fine,” Regina tells him and he smirks.

“Good.. when do I get to name her,”

“The second you can convince Emma to _let_ you name her, you can name her. Until then, even I can’t name her and I’m the one having her,”

“Yeah, that sounds like Emma,” David says as he rubs the back of his head… “Where’s Henry?”

“He’s in the living room, he’s still asleep. I was going to leave him until it was time for you to take him out? Emma said something about you needing to help him run a few ‘boy errands’,” she air quoted.

“Right-right. Yeah, he said he didn’t want you or Emma to help him because it’s strange asking for you both to-you know,” David tried and she caught it.

“Yes… I’m aware of Henry’s new found independence. I’ll be in the kitchen for a minute, I assume neither of you have eaten so breakfast needs to be made and then I’ll pack a few things for Henry for later. I have paperwork to deal with so unless it concerns him, please do not bother me,” she says and David nods.

“Understood,” he says and she nods back at him.

“Good.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hi, I’m looking for a Flores.. Doctor Flores,” Emma says as she walks straight up to the counter and regards the nurse on duty. The woman looks just a tad bit confused for a moment until it clicks.

“There isn’t a Doctor Flores here… but we have a nurse under the last name.. Olivia-,”

“-yes her. Olivia Flores. She called in a missing person.. Or a runaway at this point,”

“Yes, Mister Gold. He’d disappeared before the first round of nurses came out for their usual routes and check-ups,”

“And there’s nothing there- he didn’t leave anything at all?”

“No, but that’s because Mister Gold didn’t have much past his clothing he was admitted in and his usual toiletries,”

“Alright,” Emma says before turning around and assessing the area. “Thanks,” she says absentmindedly as she taps the counter and begins to walk away. Once she’s outside, she’s looking around the somewhat barren road of the town and all she’s wondering is-

_Where the hell is he?_

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The beach- it just had to be the beach right?! Why, she’s not entirely sure, but this human already made their stop and it seemed that’s exactly where she had to be as well.

Cora sighed as she continued down the pebbled pathway and looked over to see that Rumple was just sat on the sand with his toes wiggling in the soft little specs of whatever sand actually was. She took her own sandals off because she had learned form the last time not to wear those when walking through that. Rumple remained with twiddling toes and a smile on his face as he stared over the ocean that was just shy of ceasing its last efforts of being rough so early in the morning. Cora continued to walk until she stopped just behind him and said,

“You found the beach, old boy,” for which his head snaps around and a smile slides across his face before he says,

“And you found me. You were always good at finding me,”

“You taught me that much I cannot deny when skill is skill,” she tells him and he smirks.

“Sit.. I believe we have much to talk about,” Rumple says and Cora nods.

“We do,” she agrees before she sits directly next to him and his head rests on her shoulder. Rumple sighs against her before he speaks.

“Why didn’t we work, Cora?” he questions the woman and she looks sad, but she just shrugs lightly as she says,

“Because… two bad people are never supposed to be together. The dynamics of us ruining ourselves and the rest of humanity in the process… that’s not something the universe can handle- or wants,”

“I suppose that’s true. But why were we the ones chosen to be the terrible two.. I could have lived a good life as a coward. Granted, it may have been a little hard with persons taking advantage of me, but still I could have had my son- even if Milah did still leave me, I would have been happy with my son.. But she pushed me- She. _Pushed_. Me,” he emphasizes a bit angrily, but not raging. “She pushed me to be someone I wasn’t and I let her, and that caused me my son. It caused me my marriage- my sanity. It caused me everything because I gave in like the coward I was just to please a woman who still left me for that bloody pirate,”

“And I let my father’s negligent  decisions push me to want better- to want more and to become greedy because all I’ve ever had- all that man ever gave me was an eating disorder without my control. He gave my mother stress and that killed her just as he began giving me stress and his drinking killed him. Did he deserve to die? Probably not when he did, but he made us go through the worst and in the end, he was the one who got to leave this place and be wherever the hell he is now.”

 

There’s a deep and connecting pause before Rumple sighs.

“To our equally fucked up lives then,” he says and Cora nods.

“Equally fucked up and scarring. Because, let’s be real. In turn, we fucked up our own children and they ended up hating us and loving us just the same,”

“Indeed,”he nods back before he sighs and sits up. “How about we have a little fun, like old times?” he questions and Cora’s head tilts before a smirk forms over her face.

“Pixie dust and Poppies?”

She asks and Rumple grins.

“Pixie dust and Poppies.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

“Okay you old decaying bag of bones, where could you be?” Emma somewhat sang and questioned as she drove through Storybrooke. She shifted her sight left and right but found no Rumpelstiltskin anywhere, and then she figured that Rumple being Rumple, wouldn’t go anywhere anyone expects him to be. He would have had to have been almost incognito in such a small place.. Or at least, one place… He just had to be one place. One place he’s probably never gone for any other reason than frequent memory… and then it clicked. The beach. She had to go to the beach. So, she drove and drove and drove and damn well drove herself all the way to the pawn shop, used a locator spell and ended up at one of the beaches closer to the back end of the town. Once she’s on the beach just to have to scope out the expanse of the damn thing, she finally sees Rumple and he’s with someone. From what Emma can conclude, it’s a female and as she nears them she realizes it’s Cora and that’s.. Kind of confusing.

 

“Well now I know why he went missing,” she accuses jokingly as she nears the two older people who were passing a joint back and forth. Cora looked up and Rumple fell over her lap with a giggle, one not much similar to his original cackle.

“Listen,” Cora began before hiccuping. “This mofo right here decided to play escape convict and houdini’d himself up out of there. Not my fault I found him sittin’ in the sand ready to be one with the earth,” she told the blonde who rolled her eyes and found herself slumped right next to them. Emma blinks once and comments-

“You’re both high.” for which Cora says,

“No shit Sherlock. He wanted to feel like he did all those years ago and this is what Rumple and I did in our time,”

“You got high in your spare time?”

“We didn’t have spare time. Quite frankly all we had was time… and yes, we smoked every opportunity- at least when he wasn’t teaching me how to spin straw.. which was like twice,”

“I recall once, dearie,”

“You always forget that one time on the mountain with those dwarves who tried to sell us to the Iron Gollum,”

“Ahhh yes-yes. Those little chunky bastards really did a number on our faces,”

“No, they did a number on your face. I went unscathed because I hid from them. No one told you to be captain save my bro and try fight them. They had swords and clubs, Rumple. CLUBS!”

“Fucking pip-,” he hiccupped lightly. “-pip to them and me then!” he says in  a giggly tone and Cora smirks at the man before rolling her eyes. Rumple tries to stand and succeeds until he says, “I’m going for a swim. Care to join me?” with such glazed over eyes that Cora looks at him like he offended her.

“I don’t swim,” she reminds him and he shrugs a shoulder.

“Fair enough,” he manages before flicking his wrist and altering his outfit into something that looks like it should have stayed in the Enchanted Forest. He begins to walk and literally trips on the first step he takes, pretty much busting his ass and collapsing back in his spot. “Guess I won’t be swimming anytime soon. I suppose a tan would do me justice though,” Rumple says in immediate mind change and Cora looks at him like he’d just lost his mind.

“I forgot this stuff usually fucked him up,” she commented and Emma takes the blunt from her before sniffing it.. It smelt almost sweet, but still insanely strong and musky at the same time.

“What is this stuff, anyway?” she asks Cora who quickly took the blunt back and gave Emma a side eye before puffing a long drag.

“That’s for you never to find out,”

“But you do realize this means that I’ll have to take you _both_ in for indecency-,”

“-but I’m clothed!” Cora argues and Rumples grins and hums.

“She’s right, Sheriff. We are clothed,”

“Then would you rather me take you in because you’re high because let’s be real, you’ll be in the cell in timeout for longer than an indecent charge. It’s a slap on the wrist with that… with-,” she pauses to take the blunt from them. “-this, you’ll be sitting in a cell for possession of weed- or whatever the hell this stuff is, and that could be for weeks,” she says smartly and Cora sighs heavily with a scowl before passing the blunt to Emma.

“You just said all that so I would pass this fucking blunt your way, didn’t you?” she asks and Emma grins as she takes a long drag from it.

“Maybe,” is all she gives Cora who shakes her head but internally, she’s smirking because Emma is coming into her own again.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was only about ten now and she was already tired. She’d managed to get all of the paperwork done and had called in with Clara to see how the woman was faring with her newfound position. She was still nervous about it, but a few strengthening words from Regina had Clara believing that she could accomplish anything after that. Regina’s not sure exactly what it is she said to her that allowed her to get through to the shy woman, but she’s glad it worked, besides that, Clara was the only one with enough sense that she trusted _not_ to screw the office up. Clara was the only one who worked for Regina long enough to be very familiar with most- if not, all of the people the woman had to meet with on an occasional basis- or even daily. She knew not to be difficult with Marco because he was a sweetheart. He was like Timothy, always thought of the women in Regina’s age group as their own. She knew to be stern with Whale and not to allow him to use any form of twisted idea to get her on board with clearing his want to fuse humans to dead spirits. She knew to try and stay calm with Archie because as smart as that man was, he was slow on the come up. She was learning that the outside investors all assumed because it was such a small town that they would jump at every opportunity to ‘put StoryBrooke on the map’ when in actuality, they were never even on the map to begin with. She was learning why Regina bared her teeth more often than not. They figured they could turn it into an industrial breeding ground and no one would pick up on it. Little did they know, Clara had already done the extensive research from times before. They come with ideas of investment and with that, they also bring their lies of a promising future for whichever place they plan on bleeding dry. If the investment doesn’t work out, it moves to them losing interest, and once they lose interest, the places that were functioning under their name were no longer prosperous, which left abandoned buildings the town wouldn’t be able to bulldoze simply because they didn’t own it. The crooked investors did. And when a crooked investor skipped out on the town they claimed was the next big thing, they left behind people with no jobs and racked up debt no one needed or asked for. Regina had also tried to convince Clara to just ensure that when she becomes too stressed to just take a break, even if it’s just an hour or five minutes, she had to take a break because breaks were important. The woman did listen and it worked in her favour because just after that, she found herself in need of those breaks where Whale became concerned. He was relentless at best and annoying at most, but his jokes were vulgar and inappropriate and his ideas were farfetched yet unnerving in the same breath and he was just.. No bueno- no bueno.

“Can you please just come back to the office. I’ll get someone to come in and set up a room just for Henry and I’ll even pay for it, just please put me out of my misery and come back,”

“I wish I could but if I do, I doubt I’ll still get any work done. Henry needs round the clock care and this is the only way he can get it… that and I may have told him I might stay with this position until his little sister turns one-,”

“-Regina, that’s a year!”

“I’m aware,” she tells her and Regina can hear the woman sigh heavily. “Clara. It’s not that far away,”

“It so is. You aren’t even half way through your pregnancy yet and you’re already tacking another year onto that. And who’s to say you won’t tack ona few more once you realize how much you _want_ to stay home with your daughter,”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,”

“We need to cross it now. I don’t even know what to do about Casey. Who’s going to pick her up from school or take her to the park or all of those other things,”

“You will. I keep telling you that come rain or storm, you are to leave at five o’clock regardless of the work that is piled up and I will deal with it when I get to it…. Get up,” she says and Clara makes a weird noise.

“What?”

“I said get up. I want you to do something for me,”Regina tells her and she sighs but stands.

“Okay- I’m up. Now what,” she questions and Regina smirks.

“Cut the attitude, this is going to help you,”

“I have an attitude because you’re leaving me to the four walls of pure and absolute boredome- by myself,”

“I’m aware of that still, but I need you to walk over to the wall where that painting of our first war is and then take it down,”

“Why?”

“Could you just do it and _not_ ask me a handful of questions,” Regina says all sarcastically sweet and she can feel the literal roll in Clara’s eyes.

“Fine,” the woman caves and then once she does that she’s a little intrigued. “What’s the handle for?”

“Pull it and you’ll find out,” Regina tells her and she does so. Once she pulls it, a door opens and in Clara walks without so much as another word.

“Secret room?” she questions a little distractedly and hears Regina hum.

“Mhmmm, it was for Henry when I needed him near me and no one could watch him or when he just wanted something that felt close enough to home that wasn’t as boring as my office looks as he so nicely put it one day. I had Marco build this room for him and asked Henry if he wanted a lock for it, but he’d said no. It’s sound proof and has a panic button under the flap that’s by the bookcase,”

“Swanky,” Clara commented and Regina laughed.

“It was only the best for my son… and now, you can give the same thing to Casey. It’s your office now after all…. Give her a room she’ll love. If you feel need to change the colours, change the colours, but they’re unisex and nonbinary… unless she’s obsessed with pink,” Regina jokes and Clara laughs.

“You know she is. There’s no doubt about that….thank you, Regina. This is.. This is amazing. She can be with me whenever she wants to.. Or ignore me if she wants to have the room to herself…. I can’t guarantee I won’t just stop to go in there with her because. Wow! It’s more than you expect when you go in there,”

“It truly is and no. I wouldn’t be mad if you decided to become one with youngness again. It’s well deserved...go, I have work and so do you,”

“UGGHHH, whyyy meeee. Why do you trust me so much!?”

“For the simple fact that you are like me with less sass and attitude and I will admit that,” Regina tells her and Clara makes a noise of shock.

“Well shit,” she swears and it’s a first for the usually very controlled woman. Regina’s eyes widen and she smirks proudly.

“Seems my bad behaviour is beginning to rub off on you,”

“Seems so… I’ll go now because I’m convinced if you let me- I will talk your ear off… again, thank you for the room Regina. You’ve really outdone what I didn’t even know was possible,”

“Well, we do what we can for our children,”

“True… okay, talk to you later when I need even more help to handle these assholes,”

“I will wait for your call,” she tells her and they hang up. Regina looks at her office and sighs at the slight mess that’s now there. Working from home really isn’t what she’d thought it would be and at this point in time, she is dreading the tax return season because that was coming up. Considering they weren’t on the map, their tax season was at any point that Regina decided to do it- and so far, she’s already ran through all of the months at least twice. She stands and makes her way over to her table before she’s stacking and folding away papers and folders and tucking them in the drawer at her desk. She looks around the room and figures a good cleaning is in order.. And then she’ll go spend the rest of her time with Henry- at least until Clara calls her for help again.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so… happy,” Emma says as she and Cora watch Rumple spin and spin and spin until he’s dizzy and falling over giggling to himself. She takes a drag from the blunt and passes it to Cora who tightens the leaf that’s got it all held together.… “He just doesn’t _act_ like the Rumpelstiltskin I’ve been seeing all these years,”

“Sweetheart, no one’s like that until they’re high,” Cora says before pausing to take a drag. She fiddles with it a bit before she’s holding it secure between her fingers and is rubbing the top of it with her thumb. “By the by, you were asking what this stuff was, right?” she questions the blonde before she’s taking another drag from it and then passes it over. Cora inhales both smoke and mixture before she’s breathing it out through her nose and mouth. She hisses lightly as she does so and Emma looks impressed.

“Yeah.. it’s good shit.. Cool trick,” she tells her and the woman nods.

“I’ve had enough years to practice. I’d be laughed at if I couldn’t at least do something as simple as that,” she tells the blonde who bobs her head, but it’s clear she agrees with Cora. “It’s Pixie dust and crushed poppies,” she says almost in a dead tone, but she’s not even remotely lost in thought. She’s just staring at Rumple who is now with his toes buried in the sand.

“Seriously?” Emma questions as she takes a drag and passes it back.

“Seriously,” Cora answers before flicking the ash and then taking her own drag from it. She flicks ash again before she passes it to Emma once again.

“So.. why Pixie dust and poppies-wait, _how_ do you even get a hold of pixie dust and poppies?”

“Have you ever seen Tinkerbelle flap her wings? What do you think those little neon sprinkles are- where do you think they’re going?”

“I never had to think about those before. I don’t know where,” she says back to the old woman.

“Well, if you ever held your hand out under her, you can accumulate a hell of a lot of pixie dust in one flap… I took ten flaps worth,” she told Emma and Emma giggled. “It’s starting to kick in,” Cora told her and she giggled again. “Shit… you’re a giggly high person,” she concludes with a roll of her eyes and Emma agrees, by giggling of course. And then, as if her giggling fit never happened, Emma’s face goes stoic for a second and then somber right after. Cora urges her to take a drag and she does before they find themselves being entirely consumed by the blunt. Meanwhile, Rumple is consistently talking about how his toes look like little people and Emma and Cora lose it laughing at him.

 

“You know… this isn’t real...none of this is real,” Emma says through her hidden haze of highness and Rumple pauses to ask her,

“What’s not real?” and she looks at him before shaking her head and saying,

“Nothing..nothing’s not real,”

“Technically it is considering to have nothing, something would have had to have existed to begin with, yes?” Cora nods at Rumple’s words. She takes the drag that Emma set down and puffs a few out before flicking the ash.

“True shit… but on a serious note, what’s bothering you?” she questions Emma who yanks the drag from her and nearly ends it right there. Cora yanks it back and holds it away from her as she watches Emma blow out the smoke. “You can’t kill it just yet, Swan...Talk,” she prompts and Emma starts talking- kind of. Rumple stays to his giggly self as Emma tells Cora exactly what’s not real, not registering the possible after affects of this little chat and that’s only because when she looks at Cora, Cora looks right back at her and eyes her. By the time Emma finishes telling Cora what she has to tell her, all she gets in response is, “I already knew.” It doesn’t surprise Emma that Cora says this to her,but it doesn’t not-not surprise her either.

“What gave it away?” she questions and Cora tells her in as simple as she manages to be,

“If Regina were pregnant I’d have known from the jump. If you two were even dating..or smashing headboards, I’d have known, a mother always knows and Regina gets that… glow about her when something amazing happens in her life. The announcement was lackluster on both counts and both of you seemed to only reveal somethings that you clearly had to agree on first because I’ve yet to hear the wonderful and amazing stories that are. Besides that, the cloaking spell I put over her was one like I said ‘ For those trying to conceive and those already pregnant’ or some B.S to that extent.. Point is. I know she isn’t pregnant. I knew that, but I just want her to be happy and however that may happen, it happens.”

Emma is silent for a moment until she’s not. “Then why did she feel the pain of the knots or whatever that was?”

“In all honesty, I don’t know. She may have actually been feeling it because she was- or is pregnant and she may have only been feeling it simply because the spell didn’t mesh with her system. I’m sure by now you know that she’s a happy ending child. Any form of magic practiced over my daughter- whether good or evil, can have adverse affects. Those adverse affects can be deadly or as harmless as a fly,” she tells her and Emma nods. Emma thinks for a bit and then she sighs before rising from her spot and shaking off the little bit of sand that was on her jeans. She leans down and hands Cora the blunt before stretching and saying.

“I need to get back to the station.” Cora nods and stands up as well.

“Are you going to arrest me?” she questions the woman and Emma actually laughs a little.

“No, I’ve decided that since I engaged in the same activities as you, I’m under no premise to arrest you or Rumple. You guys are cl-,” she gets cut off by her phone ringing and it’s Mulan. “Hey.. yeah.. Yeah,” Emma begins as she ventures off a little ways away to have her conversation. “Are you serious?”

“About as serious as this repetitive war that won’t leave me the hell alone,” Mulan grunts and Emma smirks.

“Sooo, how are you getting there?”

“I dunno, magic bean maybe,” Mulan says and Emma nods.

“You realize, this is really strange that you consistently have to go back to old century China and literally save their asses..again,”

“You don’t have to tell me.. I swear if I have to go and save my country from imminent danger _one more time_ , I’ll invade the place my damn self,” she mumbles angriy and Emma snickers..

“Mulan, just go. It’s cool… how long do you think you’ll be gone though?”

“Could be a week, maybe a month.. Maybe a little longer,”

“Long enough that Little John will miss you,”

“He’s only going to miss me because I’m not there to suffer with him in the room,” Mulan tells her and Emma laughs again.

“You know, you just might be right about that,”

“Oh trust me. I am.. I gotta get going, _Boss_ ,” Mulan teases and Emma smirks but sasses back.

“You’re an ass sometimes, but you’re a good worker. Be safe, Mulan,”

“I’ll try not to kick their asses too badly,” she tells Emma and they share a laugh before hanging up. Emma stuffs her phone right back in her pocket before she walks over to Cora and speaks.

“Looks like I might be needing a replacement until Mulan gets back- you in?” she questions the older woman who looks more surprised than anything.

“Are you seriously asking a high old woman to help you fight crime?”

“Well… yeah,” she says to her and Cora laughs.

“O-kaaaay,” she sings before she nods. “I need to get Rumple back to the hospital first,”

“True. Need any help?” Emma asks and Cora shrugs.

“Maybe… Rumple,” Cora calls and she can tell he hasn’t heard her because he’s still humming to himself. “Rumple!” she says louder and his head snaps up and over to look at her. “Time to go, old friend,” she tells him and he shakes his head in a nod before standing and walking over to her. Cora flicks her wrist and Rumple is dressed in some Cargo pants and a plain white t-shirt and sandals. “Comfortable?” she asks and he grins cheekily.

“Very much so,”

“Good. Come on then. We have to get you back or doctors and nurses will be mad,” she tells him and he grunts but follows her orders. She pats his shoulder before looking at Emma. “Do you think we can go to get him some ice cream before tkaing him back. Granted, the crap they give you all now, isn’t what we’re used to, but he’ll still eat it,”

“Yeah we can take him for ice cream, but we’ll need to go like now,” Emma says and Cora answers back.

“Understood. Let’s go then.”

  


So,t hey get Rumple ice cream, and they get some for themselves before taking him back to the hospital and as they walk him through the doors, Emma sees many of the nurses breathe a sigh of relief as they walk by.

“Jeez, you’d think we were something special the way they’re acting,” Cora mutters and Emma just shrugs as they near the room and get Rumple settled back into the bed. Emma gives them time to talk until Cora comes over, an idea clearly crossing her features. “I think it may a good thing if I took him out a few times a week to the park or the beach or pretty much anywhere considering I’m the one who put the poor man here to begin with,”

“I think you may have to call Belle first,” she tells the woman who scoffs.

“Umm.. no. Rumple and I have a history unlike any other. If I feel like taking him out somewhere. I will. Minus the fact that most people are under the impression that he fathered Regina even though she’s quite clearly Henry’s child- though, Rumple was much a coward like Henry had been.. Then again-wait! Shit, I think I need to do a DNA test-,”

“-Calm down, I doubt he’s her father….”

“You’re still high,”

“Maybe a little, but so are you,”

“You’re right. I am still high, but you know what else happens to me when I get high. I get logical.. Now if I drink, that’s a different story,

“Cora- you’re high,”

“I know I’m still high but-,”

“-But nothing. You’re high.. Say it,”

“It,” Cora answers smartly and Emma scowls at her. “What? You said to say it,”

“Yes, but you knew damn well what I meant,”

“I did, but right now I need something funny to help me,”

“Fine, but they still need to call Belle. She is still technically his wife and next of kin,”

“I’m fine with that. I can respect her more now considering she did help save my grandson. She gets a pass-only for now though,” Cora reminds the blonde who rolls her eyes.

“I’m getting the doctor- don’t move!”

“Where in the hell do you think I’ll go incapacitated so?”

“I don’t mean you. I mean grandfather of the year over there,”

“Me?! What have I done so?”

“Nothing...thankfully,”she mutters.

“Rumple,” Cora calls and he looks at her. “Just take a nap. I’ll call a nurse and discuss the possibility of taking you to the beach more often, how’s that sound?”

“Delightful. Can belle come too? She’s become a rather good friend to me,”

“I don’t know, but we’ll ask her when she gets here, okay?”

“Yes..thank you, Cora,” he says, almost solemnly and Cora pauses before her face softens and she nods.

“You’re welcome, old friend.”

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Alright Cora, try not to blow the place up, okay,” Emma jokes and Cora scowls at her.

“You’re leaving me here with a man whose name doesn’t even match his size...even if he’s as adorable as a teddy bear,” she mutters and Emma grins stupidly.

“Yeah, we know. You and Little John have the room today,”

“Ahh yes, the infamous room that’s apparently scarred many and only so few have survived,”

“Yes, that one. Don’t ever underestimate the room,”

“I’ll try my hardest,” Cora mocks and Emma shakes her head.

“I’ll come get you later.. Maybe another three hours or so,”

“Yes-yes.. Go. Give my daughter and kiss for me and tell my grandson I shall see him later to play on that blasted hum hum,”

“In those exact words?”

“Maybe a little less aggression,” Cora said and Emma laughs.

“Gotcha.. Alright sandbags, see ya later.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hey kid… where’s your mom,” Emma questions after having reached home, tossing her keys and heading to where her son was. She kissed the top of his head and ruffled his hair. He looked up at her and shrugged.

“Haven’t seen her since this morning,” he tells her and she looks at him strangely.

“And you didn’t bother- I don’t know, calling her or going to look for her,” Emma says at first until Henry looks at her in a manner she catches quickly. It’s a ‘Are you serious, woman’ kind of look. “Stupid question. I’m sorry… How was today with your grandparents?”

“Mmm, it was a day. Grams pretty much did what she usually does and hovers and gramps got called out for something. Grams just left to go get Neal so, I dunno. Maybe they’ll be back, maybe not,”

“Okay.. I guess I’ll go call them and let them know not to get you. I told your mom earlier before I left that if I come back in time I’ll take you out for lunch and just check in on her,”

“That would be so good right now. I could use that, but I need to change my dressings before we leave. Grams didn’t get around to giving me the gauze, so I’m sure it’s either a sticky painful mess, or it’s just nasty and full of mucus,”

“That sounds so uncomfortable,” she says and he nods.

“It’s even worse when you look at it after a while,”

“Yeah, I remember the first few times we watched them change your dressings, Your mom nearly fainted and I puked in a corner somewhere,”

“Classic dramatics,” Henry teases and she thumps his head. “Ow! You don’t hit the sick kid,” he complains and Emma laughs.

“Alright- alright. Fine… I’m gonna go check on your mom,”

“Wait! Can you bring me the gauze first. You guys might get all mushy and end up making the baby or something,” he says as if he’s entirely grossed out and she rolls her eyes.

“Sure Kid,” she tells him  as she exits and he has a sneaking suspicion she just might bring it _after_ a little affection session with his brunette mother.

  


Emma makes her way down the hall, taking a left and then finishing the last leg of her walk to enter Regina’s office. The door is unlocked, thankfully- so she goes inside quietly and finds that the brunette has passed out on the couch near the fireplace. She smiles at the cuteness and makes her way over after slipping her feet from her shoes. She removes her jacket and ties her hair up before she’s bending over Regina and kissing the woman’s cheek.

“Regina,” she whispers and is met with silence. “Regina,” she says again and this time she gets a groan. “Giiiii,” she tries again and the groan is stronger, which makes her laugh. “Come on sweetie, time to get up,” She coos and Regina mumbles quietly before her eyes open slightly.

“Hi,” the brunette says, sleep still drowning her features and when Emma smiles at her, her eyes brighten.

“Hi baby.. Good sleep?” she questions and Regina nods almost child-like. “I missed you today,” she continues and Regina smiles.

“I missed you too, Em,”

“Em huh. That’s a new one,” the blonde tells her and she blushes. “I like it. Thank you, sweetie,”

“For what?”

“For the awesome nickname, what else?” Emma questioned sarcastically and Regina reached out to pinch her. “Ow!”

“Good! That way you know not to mess around when I ask you questions,”

“God damn- yes ma’am. Jeez,” Emma whined slightly and Regina took triumph in that. “I just came to check in on you and let you know I was taking Henry to lunch. I was convinced you'd be busy with work, but you look like you were taking some time off… wanna go to lunch with us?”

“No.. you two go. It’ll give me time to clean the house considering I haven’t been able to in a good few days,”

“Are you sure, because we- I mean, I can help and then we can take Henry,”

“No, you’ll have to go now, he has another session later this evening. Ian called to ask me why he had changed his time and I told him Henry may have been tired or may have been feeling some residual pain or something and he said Henry rescheduled it for around seven or six.. It’s practically four now. We won’t have the house clean in time and then be able to take him for something to eat and have him back in time for his session,” Regina told her as she was now sitting up. Emma remained standing as she shifted from foot to foot. “You smell like Pixie dust and poppies...why?” she asks as she’s now changing the topic and Emma flails internally for a second before her brain starts working.

“Some delinquents got a hold of some and started to light up on the beach,” is what she tells Regina who seems to accept that.

“What about the missing person?”

“Found and is back safely where they belong.. Oh crap before I forget, Mulan had to go back in time.. Again,”

“I take it she must save China once again,”

“Yup,” Emma says with a pop of her p. “So I asked your mom to fill in for her and she said yes. She also told me to tell Henry she’s coming over later.. They apparently have a date with his XBox,” she continues. “And I just remember I did not tell him that.. Good going me,” she scolds and Regina shakes her head before she too is standing. She’s then closing the gap between her and Emma and she’s kissing her soundly which in turn brings out a soft squeak from the blonde woman. When Regina pulls back, Emma’s lips follow and as her eyes flutter open, the question on her lips is answered with a smile.

“You haven’t kissed me since morning. I haven’t _seen_ you since morning and what I got before you left was the equivalent to a peck on the cheek,”

“Why can’t you just say you missed me, and it so wasn’t” Emma argued and Regina snorted

“ ‘It so was’,” she copied Emma’s tone . “And I said that earlier. Were you not listening?”

“Barely,”

“Clearly.”

  


After their little.. Moment, they went downstairs and back into the living room. After getting more kisses for Henry out of the way and helping him replace the gauze and explanations as to why Regina couldn’t go with them, Emma had helped Henry into his wheelchair and was pushing him out of the door to go. She kissed Regina on the lips this time and told her she loved her and her heart never ceased skipping a beat when the woman said it back to her. She got Henry in the car, folded his wheelchair and then though better of it. She took it back out, undid it and helped him back in it. When he questioned why, she simply said,

“It’s nice out. It’s literally like fifteen minutes total and it’s honestly too much work lifting you and this thing back and forth.” He had then bobbed his head and thought better of trying to convince her otherwise. She was right. It made more sense to do it some ways than just going for convenience that turned into not really being of any convenience. So they strolled along and in the fresh air this hot ass summer was beginning to afford them, they reached Granny’s and went inside. All eyes- as usual, were on them. Emma swallowed and Henry tried to hide his face because it was really unnerving to be the centre of attention. Luckily for him, Grace and Ava were there. Nick being M.I.A was a rare thing so he must have been doing that project Henry was helping him with. Emma would have sat with them, but they’re teens and clearly they would talk about things adults probably shouldn’t hear.. Or want to hear for that matter. She just pulled a twenty out of her pocket and handed it to Henry and told him to have fun. Ruby wasn’t out front and Emma was almost positive the brunette was working today, so she goes to search for her, only to find her knocked out in the back office all wrapped up in her jacket.

“What is it with people and sleeping today,” she says loud enough that it jolts Ruby awake. It never takes much for Ruby to wake up which is why Emma was snickering when she bolted up and nearly fell off her chair. “Well good afternoon to you too sunshine,” she says as she continues to lean on the doorpost of the office. Before Emma can blink, Ruby is up and over where she is and yanking her in, shutting the door and swatting her shoulder.

“Ow sh-,”

“-I know,” is what Ruby says in interruption and Emma pauses, rubbing her arm still but sound about as mute as mute can get. “Why didn’t you tell me?!” she questions accusingly and Emma flounders terribly.

“I-I-,”

“-I thought we were friends Em!”

“Well, you’re the wolf, can’t you smell these things! Aren’t you supposed to sense shit like that or something,” Emma argues back and Ruby scowls at her.

“I can smell that you’re high off poppies and Pixie dust, but that’s not the point- you know damn well it’s limited to certain things,”

“Isn’t it thought? And that’s not what you told me. You said you can smell someone’s aura,”

“Yeah, but I also told you it depends on the situation, but that’s once again- not the point. We’re best friends- at least I thought we were….Why didn’t you tell me!”

“Because you’re supposed to know these things!”

“Well I’m sorry I’m not the K-9 you expected,”

“Yeah, not the K-9 I expected. I thought you’d be the one person I _wouldn’t_ have to explain it to,”

“Why?”

“Because!.....because you just should know this stuff already! I mean, come on. I’m sure you could smell it if it was oozing off of her-,”

“-Emma-,”

“-And I’m damn near positive you’d have sensed something from the break if we were together or if we-,”

“-Emma-,”

“-But like, if the baby existed-,”

“-EMMA!”

“WHAT?!”

“What the hell are you on about?”

“The same thing you’re on about! Mad about the fact that Regina and I aren’t really a thing and-,”

“-Emma! Emma… That’s not it.. I was meaning Henry,”

“.......oh,”

“Yeah- oh. Besides.. I kind of sort of already knew about you guys- well I mean, I suspected because I wasn’t sure and then I was because.. Things and yeah.. I didn’t know until…” Ruby trails off.

“Untillll?” Emma prompts and immediately the office door opens.

“Hey, Ruby- Granny said I could find yo- Okay, what have I done,” Belle asked entirely confused as Emma squinted at her.

“Did you tell her?” she questions the woman who still.. Looks confused.

“Tell her what?”

“You know what,” Emma says back quickly and Belle flounders.

“She means the whole her and Regina thing not being an actual thing- and no. Belle didn’t tell me, but it’s fun to know you told her before me-,”

“- I needed help. Henry was dying!” Emma argued and Ruby rolled her eyes.

“Whatever.. No, she didn’t tell me, but I smelt Rumple on her and put two and two together and that she went to him for something. I can sense the magic and sense the last time it’s been used, that’s how I knew it had to be something serious and if Regina was in danger, I’d have known that too. Wolves can still sense pregnancies and babies and births. No matter how much you try to hide it, and when she and I spoke about it I don’t know if Regina knows this or even remembers this, but even with Cora’s cloaking spell, I can still sense the baby. The whole issue with that is, we can do that in case of emergencies… back in the EF if you had a wolf travelling with a pregnant woman or around a woman giving birth, our innate nature tells us to protect, even if it’s not our own child. Look Em, I haven’t told anyone and neither has Belle, besides, if she did tell anyone- I’d have been the first person she told, but Granny knew.. She always knows, so it makes no sense hiding that from her,”

“Good Goooooood,” Emma groans and Ruby pats her shoulder.

“Look on the bright side. At least it’s you and Regina and not you and Hook,”

“Well I’m convinced that if it were me and Hook he’d claim he wasn’t ready for a baby or he’d go around gloating and rubbing it into everyone’s face as if he was the one who made them all by himself and was carrying them….Shit!” she hisses and Ruby asks,

“What- what is it?”

“Regina’s gonna kill me,”

“Because you’re high?”

“No. Because I told Cora that none of this was real-whilst I was high. Shiiiiiit. She’s gonna have my ass for that!”

“Calm down-,”

“-Calm down?! Do you know who we’re dealing with here. This is Regina we’re talking about! Regina who has murdered without blinking,”

“Yeah and she’s the same Regina who legit turns into a grinning highschooler every time you guys are together,”

“You just made her sound so predictable...and white,”

“Well it’s not my fault you both are predictable.. And slightly less white,”

“How are we predictable?”

“Really? You really want me to tell you?”

“Yes Ruby,” Emma rolls her eyes. “I really want you to tell me,”

“Alright then. Woman gets pregnant young. Woman has baby- gives baby up for adoption to have better life. Other woman can’t have kids, needs a baby- wants a baby, ends up adopting young woman’s baby. Gives kid amazing life, assumes proper role as mother and then shit hits the fan. Kid finds out mommy isn’t mommy- searches for real mommy- finds real mommy and brings real mommy back, rubs it into adoptive mommy’s face and turns into a mean little shit- sorry Hen, but.. Yeah..anyway. Mommies meet, insane sexual chemistry amongst other things. Argue back and forth, hate one another and then become reluctant partners until they turn into literal friends. Fall in love and have baby. Happy motherfucking ending. They all live happily ever fucking after,” she shortforms and Belle snickers.

“The end?” the woman asks Ruby and Ruby laughs at Belle’s words.

“The end,”she mock bows and Emma looks so stricken that Ruby slaps her on the back and say. “Look on the bright side..at least it’s not your mom who knows you guys aren’t a thing,

“”I guess,”

“You guess?...think of it this way. You already tell her you’re marrying Regina and having a kid with her. Your mother damned it to the deepest level in all seven levels of hell and then if you turn around and tell her it’s not real, she’ll find even more reason to go after Regina.. Be glad she doesn’t know,” Ruby repeats and Emma is now nodding. “Here’s a question for you. What do you _think_ is gonna happen if she finds out?”

“A whole lot of dumb shit and yelling,”

“Exactly and do you _want_ to hear your mother go off on the gloat train?”

“Hell no. I could do without that for a while,”

“Exactly and you realize how many times you could have given her a death sentence with the amount of times you chose Regina and Henry over her and your dad. She gets wind of this and she’s never getting on board. I love your mother, but she’s just too much sometimes for a woman so small,”

“God, I know and the only board my mother is on is the SS Heternormative Cruise Lines. Now boarding passengers of cisgender makeup and heternormative descent Groups A and B!” Emma went off on a tangent in her best copycat impersonation of an attendant. “Please make sure to make your way to the aft of the boat, jut not up the butt because you know..w e don’t do that stuff,” Emma says in a nono form tone and Belle snickers in the corner as Ruby gasps out a laugh. “Class groups C and D to the Bow of the ship- but! Keep in mind that we are not referring to those that go by tops and or bottoms!” she continues and Belle squeaks as Ruby smothers hers. “See! My gay isn’t sooo bad,” Emma winks and her friends shake their heads.

“No, not all bad,” Ruby tell her and she nods.

“Good, now that that’s been established, Belle did the hospital call you yet?”

“Call me? Why?”

“Long story short,” Emma begins as she bobs her head. “Rumple got out, like Houdini kind of got out and was roaming until Cora found him on the beach trying to become one with the earth.. And then I found them and he was already high off his ass but Cora sat there like nothing bothered her and I don’t know, but it was not what I expected,”

“Rumple being high, or the latter?” Ruby questioned and Belle looked interested.

“What’s the latter?”

“The fact that I ended up getting high with them is the latter,” Emma says as she tilts her head in Belle’s direction.

“Well it was either that or you'd have found them in the gutter somewhere,”

“Doubt it. Cora’s too… controlled for that. If anything, she’d probably have thrown a party before we found her cropped out somewhere.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Post eventful lunch times, Emma takes Henry back home because he’ll be meeting with Ian soon and they didn’t need to have the young man waiting. So, as she strolled along the sidewalk with her son, they talked about somethings and Emma told Henry that she may take a few days off, but not to tell Regina simply because now the two of them are sick, but Regina’s trying to act as if she isn’t. Henry understands and nods at her before suggesting that they go and get his mother something nice. Emma asks what and he shrugs before telling her,

“I dunno, you’re the one marrying. Shouldn’t you know these things?”

Emma rolled her eyes at him but turned and pushed him in another direction to go and get a few things. Once they were sure it was enough, they went home and Emma set Henry back up in the living room for the time being. She went in search of Regina and found the brunette aggressively scrubbing at the granite counter in their kitchen. Now, Emma knows and Regina knows that one proper wipe and Granite was fine. Why she was scrubbing it was clear indication that something was on Regina’s mind. The blonde didn’t know whether or not she should interrupt and try to figure out why Regina was so out of it, or if she should just leave the brunette to it. She decided to just sneak up on her and wrap her arms around her and sliding a bouquet of flowers in the front of her face. She then slides a rather cutesy movie in the front of her face as well. ‘Imagine Me and You’

“Hey,” Emma whispers in her ear and she leans in instinctively.

“Hi,” she says back and Emma kisses her cheek.

“You’re not okay. What’s on your mind?”

“A lot,” Regina admits and Emma nuzzles her.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“No. Not really. I’m not remotely sure even I know exactly what it is I want to talk about,”

“...okay… how you feelin’- you look a bit pale. I brought soup. Granny says it’s good for the baby..and you,” she adds at the end and Regina smirks before turning in her hold and wrapping her arms up and under Emma’s own.

“You feel warm,” Regina mumbles into her chest and the blonde’s body shakes with light laughter.

“Yeah, out there’s getting pretty hot,” Emma tells her. “But you never answered my question..how do you feel?”

“Sleepy.. I just want to take a complete break but I can’t stop myself from working so much because I have to and if I don’t-,”

“-you’ll feel like you’re wasting your time. I know,” Emma says solemnly and then Regina sighs and grips onto her tighter. “Ian’s gonna be here soon, you wanna go up and take a shower so we can be ready?” A sigh comes but Regina nods.

“Yes, I suppose that’ll be best for me right now,”

“Good. I’ll run you a bath. I got you some stuff for that cold anyway. It’ll be good for you to soak in it. The lady who works the baby aisle said it’s got menthol and all the good stuff they usually use for infants in it,”

“But I’m not an infant,”

“Yeah, but it works just the same for adults. Besides, you’re sick and you act like a baby when you are,”

“That was one time and I was a difficult person to deal with,” Regina tries to defend herself but Emma snorts.

“More like cranky and just in need of a tummy rub and some warm food and sleep,”

“I was not that childish,”

“Could’ve fooled me. You randomly get sick and instantly your world caves in. Regina- you cried for me to come home,” Emma teases and the brunette scowls at her.

“I did not,”

“You did so! You cried and told me that if I cared enough, I’d come home. So I left Mulan and Little John in the room just to come stay with you and then when I got home, you got cranky and told me that I didn’t love you enough because you called me ten minutes ago and I was late, not even realizing that I poofed home to begin with. And then-,”

“-Okay! I get it.. I’m dramatic,”

“Not dramatic, just a little bit of a sook when you’re sick. It’s perfectly okay, I think it’s cute because then I have ammo in case you try to act like a hardass,”

“You’re evil,”

“I only learned it from the best,” she winks and Regina nudges her. “Come on. Let me run you a bath and let you soak until Ian’s here,” she urges the woman and Regina follows her upstairs before she lays down in bed and listens to the water rush into the large tub in their master bath. Emma pours some badedas in and then pours in a baby menthol bath before swiping left and right to create bubbles. She lets the tub fill up before she’s then calling Regina and smiling as the woman comes into view and leans against the post. Regina’s feet cross at the ankles and her hip cocks to the left as she raises her arms and shirt at the same time, revealing her tight lace bra, clearly keeping her breasts from spilling over, but not leaving much coverage for lacking imagination. The brunette drops the shirt at the foot of the door and begins to shimmy out of her slacks, allowing them to pool around her feet. Emma swallows….HARD. And then Regina’s spinning around to unclasp her bra, allowing that to fall to the ground. The last to go was her underwear and with the smallest shimmy, she stepped right out of them before bending in such a way that nothing past her bare naked ass could be seen as she picked up her discarded items and turned back around. Funny enough, her clothes were settled so messily in her hand that it covered her breasts and her nether regions rather well. Emma shook her head as Regina  merely shrugged in a cutesy manner before walking into the bathroom completely and setting her things on the toilet as she then picked up a fluffy black towel and wrapped it around herself. She sits on the closed toilet seat and sighs lightly before rubbing tiredly at her eyes. Emma bends before her and moves her hands in order to talk to her.

“Cranky toddler time?” she questions the brunette and Regina nods child-like much like she had times before.  Emma smirks before she rubs the top of her head and Regina’s neck collapses inward and her chin tucks into her chest. She looks much like a child this way as well, but it’s not surprising to Emma who is much too used to it all. She runs her fingers through the tendrils of hair before scratching the nape of Regina’s neck and telling her to, “Get in and rest.. I’ll come get you when Ian’s here,”

“...okay,” Regina agrees before standing and dropping the towel and stepping into the rather hot water. It wasn’t extremely bad, but it really was hot- like, God damn Emma, kind of hot. But she gets in and she appreciated Emma’s effort. Emma smiles at her and leaves her to it before going downstairs to Henry and ruffling his hair.

“Is mom okay?”

“She will be. I forced her into a bath so she could soak and told her I’d come get her when Ian’s here,”

“He said he’d be about another two hours. One of his sessions rescheduled just before me….he just called,” Henry added and Emma nodded. She sits right by his side and curls up on the couch and the two drown themselves in some mindless television until Regina’s brought herself from the bathroom and then Ian’s knocking on the door.

 

They get through Henry’s session with a lot more light exercises and a lot less strenuous feelings afterwards. Dinner is extended to Ian who accepts it graciously and it’s settled that he’s staying. About an hour later and Cora comes over only to find out she’s a lone wolf on the hum hum until Ian offers to play with her.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


His mothers are downstairs and they’re cooking dinner whilst he and Nick are somewhere down the hall in one of the spare rooms working on Nick’s Art piece... And yes there is enough food they make for Nick as well, there’s always enough for Nick. Nick has been coming over for quite a while now and every time he does, he’s very well mannered. He greets them and talks with them for a while, but then right after that he disappears and he almost always eats dinner with the Swan Mills clan when Henry is informed that they need to eat.

“I’m starting to think Nick dislikes his home more than he dislikes school,” Emma jokes as she helps Regina grab some veggies from the fridge for a salad.

“Either that or he’s become obsessed with a home-cooked meal almost every night for the past week,” the brunette tells her and the blonde grins. Regina’s stirring a white sauce for their pasta night and then she’s turning the chicken she decided to sear instead of bake for that night.

“That too,” Emma says and Regina smirks but then she begins to cough and Emma notices this cough because for the past couple of days this is how Regina’s been solely because she kind of gave herself away. She began laying on her back more than she would on her stomach and that led Emma’s interest in that direction that she was stuffed up, but what sealed it was that when Regina assumed Emma couldn’t hear her, she would sneeze up a storm. And to add solidified foundation on foundation, she found allergy medicine that Regina would have gotten from the pharmacy but ripped the prescription sticker off of it. But, since she already got on her about it earlier, she lets it go that maybe Regina should just go and have a lie down. “At least your mom made a new friend,” she says with a light shrug and Regina laughs.

“Yes. It is good that mother has managed to become rather fond of Ian in such a short space of time. Then again- he did offer to play games with her. I believe anyone who gives into my mother’s request for destruction is instantly considered a friend,”

“True.. hey I’ll be back. I need to go check on them anyway. Gotta see if she’s killing Ian’s brain cells with how much she talks these days,”

“Considering we haven’t actually seen my mother until today, I think it’s safe to say that  her talking this much was missed,” Regina defends and Emma gives a half-hearted shrug.

“Alright, I’ll give her that.. Be right back,” she repeats before dashing over to kiss Regina’s tilted chin. Once Emma leaves the kitchen. Regina winces like she’s never winced in her life. It’s a pain that feels like shrapnel was lodged somewhere inside of her and that has her feeling so off that everything else in her body feels like it’s being pinched and pronged with needles. She swallowed roughly and turned back to the food at hand and continued to cook, placing the mask back over her face as if nothing had ever happened.

  


“Hey Cora- Ian.. blowing shit up still?” Emma asks as she walks into the room. Cora shrugs and Ian groans.

“We’ve been on this one level for like half an hour.. Shit is fucked,” Ian tells her with a grunt and she plops down next to him before yanking the controller. He yells in protest but is soon silenced when Emma fiddles and fiddles before crushing and destroying the Boss that neither he or Cora could beat. She tosses the controller back to him and stands once again before turning to Cora and asking.

“How’d you survive in the room today?” for which, Cora shrugged again.

“It was a room. It’s nothin’ scary,”

“Seriously?!” Emma asked impressed and Cora shrugged still, so consumed by the game that all she says to Emma after that is,

“Sweetie, I’ve ruled Wonderland and _nowhere-_ not even the underworld is scarier than that place. Fairy Tale Land is like rainbow stickers and unicorn kisses. The room.. was like old decrepit files that needed throwing out.”

“That sounds- so gay!”

“It was.”

“Well, I need to go and get the kid up to his room before stuff and things happen because well.. He wants to be up there, so. I’ll be back,” Emma says before leaving without waiting on a response. She gets to the room and speaks,

“Hey Hen- Nick dinner is-,” and she pauses as the sight before her stuns her mute.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“How was it today?” Henry asked his best friend as Nick shifted around in his room. This room was Henry’s to have and do with what he pleased. Which meant it was… an artistic mess to say the least. All of his old things and findings and so on were just shoved into this room. He had everything from old gaming consoles to papers and paintings and drawings that just.. Were not what they were intended to be.

“It was better.. I guess. No one’s teasing me or trying to bully me, but then again after what you did to Nico’s face, no one’s bothering to badger me anyway.. So thanks for that,” Nick tried to joke but his grin was soft around the edges and solemn. Henry just shrugged and turned back to the homework that was before him. He only got as far as writing a few words when he felt the cushions decompress in the couch. He looked up to see Nick staring at him and tilted his head.

“What is it?” he asks and the boy shakes his head.

“It’s nothin’,”

“Sure?”

“Yeah.. just…..thanks Hen. You know- for helping me,” Nick tells him and Henry smiles.

“It’s no big deal, Nick. You’re my best friend and I’d do anything for you, man,”

“I know,” Nick says before he inches over and then he leans in. He pauses to look at Henry and can feel the boy’s heartbeat speed up rapidly. He can practically hear it by the way Henry’s mouth falls open and his lips form a soft o. His eyes glaze over and so do Nick’s before the boy closes the remaining distance.

 

Their lips lock and it’s soft. It’s clearly been done before because it’s a practiced and yet so fluidly timed meshing of lips. Nick pushes against Henry and the boy whimpers as Nick’s fingers come up and run through his hair. Nick grips the nape of Henry’s neck and bites the boy’s bottom lip before their lips part ever so slightly and come right back together. Henry drops his pencil and his hands slide over the bedding. His fingers curl into the sheets as he grips them tightly and twists them. He tugs them back and as he feels Nick biting his bottom lip, he can’t really sense anything else but a stunning dizziness that has his head swinging. _God, they should stop before someone finds them...but… but… shit. Can’t think!_

 

And then he hears something drop just outside of the door and he jerks away from the boy who looks like he’s somewhat hurt. Before Nick can protest, Henry puts a finger to his lips and shakes his head.

“I think someone’s out there,” he whispers and the boy’s eyes widen. “Just act like you didn’t do anything.. I’ll call my mom,” he tells him and the boy nods. “Maaaaa!” Henry calls loudly enough and Emma scrambles to move away and pretend as though she’s coming to the room again even with her face about as flushed as flushed can get.

“Yeah kid?” she asks trying to play it cool.

“Dinner ready yet?” he asks and she shakes her head insanely fast.

“Nope.”


	19. Why I've been missing

So guys... I have no idea when I will be able to upload a chapter even though I have several. The reason is the hurricane that recently passed fucked up the entire Bahamas and by that I mean it snapped every pole possible and what didn't snap broke or ended up in someone's house. I'm safe I'm unharmed and there is no death count for us

. That being said... electricity is not happening at all right now for most of us but thanks for reading and keeping tthis story in your minds 


	20. Well, this is awkward. One line. You knew.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> no Summary Required man!

_ “Dinner ready yet?” he asks and she shakes her head insanely fast. _

_ “Nope.” _

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

That’s what she says to him... _ nope...Fucking nope?! _ What the actual Hell..what in the actual  _ hell _ ? She clammed up and that’s the response she gives him. A fucking nope- like Henry doesn’t already know when she’s lying or something- she says nope.Who says nope as a fucking crutch response.

She hears shifting and her eyes and brain snap back to reality…

“Sooooo, do you know when it’ll be ready?” her son asks and Emma’s mouth opens and shuts softly a few times before she raises her shoulders almost uneasily and says,

“Not sure, Kid. Maybe five minutes,”  _ Okay..that was better than fucking nope, but still _ .

“Well, did you need something?” he coaxes, attempting to see where his mother’s head was. He could sense something, but had no idea what it was.

“What- oh no! No! No!” she flails and his nose flairs weirdly as he looks at her a bit stunned and confused. Her aggression to answer is..almost off-putting, but minus that he’s just trying to figure out why his mother is so frazzled. She calms herself and then says. “No, Kid. I was just coming to see if you needed a snack ..or..” she looks around in the slyest manner just to keep thinking of words to say and her eyes settle on something.” …. Paint,” is what she ends up saying and now even Nick is looking at her, but he’s only looking at her because he hears the word paint.

“Paint?” Henry questions and she nods like a woman hellbent on not being caught.

“Yeah.. for his art piece. Don’t you need paint or something?” she questions and now it’s Henry’s turn to flail internally. _Good, now it’s his turn to damn panic- wait! I_ _Should not be saying this._ His eyes dart over to Nick’s body and thankfully, the boy answers because Henry has no damn idea- and he has no idea because Nick hasn’t even started his art piece, and Nick hasn’t started his art piece because there is no art piece. Like literally, there was no art piece, but if he was lucky he’d get one pretty soon.

“I haven’t really gotten as far as deciding whether or not I want to paint the piece or create a black and white portrait,” Nick tells her and she nods. “I may need charcoal pencils or the charcoal itself.. Or maybe I’ll use paint.. I’m stuck between acrylic and the real deal, but oil paint is extremely expensive and the school doesn’t supply us with it because Mother Superior said it was a waste of money,”

“Well, that’s messed up. I’ll see if I can talk to Regina about it and get that overturned,”

“Thanks, Miss Swan,” Nick says and Emma scrunches up her face oddly. Only Regina gets to call her that- hell, Regina barely calls her that anymore, anyway.

“Just Emma is fine Nick.. I’m gonna- go,” she points with her thumbs back out the door and Nick nods with a smile and Henry tries to do the same, but Emma can see he’s an awkward potatoe and she’s just as awkward.  They let her leave before they’re breathing a massive sigh of relief and Emma’s doing her own as she heads downstairs.

 

“Close one?” Nick questions with a cheeky grin and Henry smirks at him.

“Yeah, too close of a call, though…. When are you going to start your art project anyway?”

“What art project?” Nick smartly questions Henry before he tilts his head.

“You don’t have one do you?” Henry asks and the boy laughs.

“Not a physical one.. But I have others.. Or rather- an other,” he hints and it takes Henry no time to pick up on it.

“oh,” the boy whispers softly and Nick nods with an intentive grin on his face.

“But.. I still am going to do it. I really wasn’t lying about deciding on the paint and all that...but to say I actually have a physical art project, right this second...no. I mean- I  _ could _ create one if you wanted, but then I’d need a muse,” Nick further explained and Henry’s face reddened before he covered his eyes and shook his head.

“You literally just hit on me, shamelessly and I can’t believe it’s working,” Henry muttered out and Nick grinned.

“It happens,” he shrugs and Henry shakes his head again.

“It so doesn’t. Not with me,” he admits and Nick’s head tilts just slightly.

“But I’m different?” Nick asks and Henry nods shyly. Henry feels the bed dip before hands are on his and slowly removing his fingers from covering his eyes. “I’m...different?” Nick asks again a bit fractured and Henry nods again, eyes not meeting Nick’s and then the boy is smiling before he rests Henry’s hands down. “For the first time, being called different doesn’t feel like an insult,” Nick jokes and Henry manages a soft smile. 

“It’s a good thing, I swear,” Henry tells him and the boy laughs before he leans against his friend. He takes on being at the edge of the bed and then Henry’s head is in the crook of his neck before he feels the young man’s head turn and lips press against the column of his throat. He jerks slightly and feels the same lips smile against his skin. “Someone’s sensitive,” Henry comments throatily and Nick groans in pleasure before he tries to find Henry’s shirt, which he does- and then he grabs hold of it and twists it, making sure to avoid hurting the boy in the process.

“III’m..” he begins to drag his words and pauses. His breath is an airy whisper across Henry’s cheek and then… everything stops. “why?” he asks softly and Henry’s eyes are still so glazed that he just fumbles out a-

“what?” in an equally as soft voice.

“Why?” Nick repeats and now Henry is confused. He’s slowly pulling himself away from the boy who is also righting himself against the headboard in Henry’s room.

“I don’t know what you mean, Nick,” she says and he sighs lightly.

“I mean me,” he tells Henry before he continues. “Why me? Why are you doing...this-,” he gestures between them, “-for me?”

“Because I told you I would,” Henry tells him confidently and Nick fumbles for an answer.

“B-but-,”

“-Nick. I told you I would do anything for you and I meant it, even if it means-,”

“-that you’re not gay,” Nick interrupts and he seems so annoyed when he says it and Henry sags before he nods.

“Yes, even if it means that I’m not gay. Nick- I don’t find, well I didn’t find much attraction to anyone, if what I was feeling was even considered attraction or just an appreciation for someone as amazing as you guys have been. But with you… it’s different. I told you that. You’re different- a good kind of different. I don’t know if this mean’s I’m gay or if this means that I’m just… interested in you and only you, but I’ve never felt whatever this is and I don’t wanna push it. I don’t wanna push it- or you and then it all falls apart because I get scared or because you get scared, or for any reason. I’m still getting through the initial shock that everything you do to me and with me, makes my body go weak. It makes my mind freeze over. It quells my thoughts and fears-Nick! It just… It makes me feel so much different because you’re gentle and you’re sweet and you’ve seen what happens when we do things. I react in every possible way, emotionally, physically and sexually. I just… I was supposed to be helping you learn how to kiss- which let’s be fair, you clearly know how to do it. You didn’t need me to teach you,” he says and Nick blushes because, it’s true. Nick would’ve loved to have lied and said he didn’t but it was too clear that he  _ knew _ what to do and when he got the opportunity to do it... He did it without second thought. “But in that I learned that.. I may be attracted to you, or maybe my hormones are finally running rampant- whatever it is, I don’t wanna push it until I know where we stand. I want our friendship over everything else because I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you all because of this…”

“.....and that’s why I find myself so...stuck on you- so..” the boy trails off vocally as his mind continues to run rampant with thought.  _ In love with you and I don’t know how to tell you because you just told me you don’t even know what it is you’re feeli- _

“-connected?”

“Yeah,” he settles for that answer as his crutch response. “Connected,” he repeats and Henry nods. He’s positive that Henry can sense something but he won’t push it. He never does. And that infuriates Nick, but it’s why he’s so smitten with the young man just the same. Henry makes him feel and Henry makes him feel hard. Things register to Nick in a way that they probably wouldn’t otherwise and it scares the hell out of him. It takes everything in him and makes it feel...new.

“BOYS! Dinner’s ready,” they hear a shout from outside the room and neither can place who it is because it could just as easily be Ian or Cora, when in actuality it was Regina. Rare for her to shout for them, but.. Things never stay the same.

“We should probably go,” Nick says before attempting to get up only to be pulled back by Henry. He collapses on the bed and feels lips that are crushed against his in a silent plea not to shut down and not to shut him out. He jerks away, and this time, it’s Henry’s face that looks hurt and distressed and out of it. “L-let’s go,” he stammers out and instead of making it a big deal, Henry just nods.

“...okay,” the boy whispers before he manages to shift away from Nick and then he’s trying to get into the wheelchair by himself, but Nick won’t let him. He silently helps Henry in and pauses in hesitation before throwing caution to the wind and leaning in to kiss his friend on the lips.

“Sorry,” he mutters lightly after pulling away and Henry shakes his head.

“Don’t be.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma pretty much bolted down the stairs and hightailed it into the kitchen only to find Regina leaning against the counter with a wince on her face, but the second she sees Emma’s flustered state, she straightens up.

“What’s the matter? Is everything okay?” she questions the blonde who nods frantically but tries to keep her composure.

“Yeah-yeah. Totally okay,” she says and immediately Regina knows it isn’t.

“Emma...what is it?” Regina pushes and Emma shakes her head in defiance.

“Nothing-,”

“-No. Not nothing. Something’s off. Spill it,” Regina prompts and Emma wades like a child before throwing her own silent tantrum and the brunette merely raises an eyebrow at her which makes her simper.

“I can’t tell you?”

“And why not?”

“Because I don’t even know what it is,” Emma says and Regina looks at her strangely.

“Emma, what did you see?” Regina questions and Emma looks like she might cry just so she doesn’t have to tell her but she sighs, heavily- but she sighs.

“I don’t know what I saw, but.. It just….okay, don’t be mad,” she says and instantly Regina rolled her eyes.

“Well if you tell me not to be mad I’m going to get mad..was it my mother? Is it Ian?”

“No and no.. it’s..it’s Henry,” she says and Regina’s head tilts again. “He and Nick were..” she stops to make weird hand motions. “..they were.. I don’t know-,”

“Emma, so help me God if you say I don’t know one more time-,” Regina threatesn and even though malice isn’t present she still finds that her control over Emma’s fear of upsetting her is outweighing most things. This was one of those most things kind of thing.

“-Okay! They were kissing. I mean  _ really _ kissing! Nick had his tongue down our son’s throat and they were kissing! Like they knew what they were doing and if we weren’t here they may have done more of that kind of kissing!” she blurts out and Regina puts a hand over her face and drops her head. Her body begins to shake and Emma flails where she stands until a melodious laugh escapes her and she realizes Regina’s laughing- more than likely, she’s laughing at her. She looks annoyed that the brunette is giggling, but Regina’s laughing merely because she and Emma have completely switched places as of late. Where Emma freaks out, she doesn’t and where Emma panics, she doesn’t. It’s almost as if Regina’s turned into Emma and Emma’s turned into her.. All whilst still having their very different personalities. She holds up a finger for the blonde to give her a minute before exiting the kitchen and finding herself at the base of the staircase.

“BOYS! Dinner’s ready,” she calls up before walking back into the kitchen and patting Emma’s shoulder. “Stop worrying,” she says offhandedly as they get back to working on dinner and Emma makes a disgruntled noise.

“I can’t. I just watched our son have a teenage makeout session with his best friend and now I’m so confused as to whether or not that talk we had with him the other night was literally him trying to tell us that he’s gay, or that he’s afraid he might be and that we’ll be mad- or something,” she rambles on and Regina smirks. “What?”

“Nothing,” the brunette shrugs with a cheeky smile and Emma scowls.

“Regina- what?!” Emma pushes and the woman drops the spoon she was using to roll her eyes and regard her blonde counterpart.

“You’re overreacting,” she says simply and Emma is now rolling her eyes at Regina.

“I don’t think you get it-,”

“- I do,” Regina interrupts.

“No you don’t,” Emma argues and Regina rolls her eyes once again.

“Whatever, Em,” Regina says petulantly and that brings pause to the young woman who is then tilting her head and smiling. She laughs lightly and Regina juts out a shoulder in a show of playfulness.

“I hate that you know how to make me laugh when I’m trying to be serious,”

“Sometimes we need it. This is one of those times you do,” she tells the blonde who just responds with a kiss to the lips. “What was that for?” she asks when they pull apart and Emma just shrugs and grins.

“You keep me grounded…”

“You do the same for me.. But I know the second the boys are downstairs, you’ll clam up...again,” she teases and Emma tries not to laugh at the fact that she knows she definitely will.

 

“Aww guys, come on!” Henry whines as Nick pushes his wheelchair into the kitchen. His mothers spring apart even though they aren’t really doing much to begin with. “I have enough years left in life to watch you guys suck face,”

“Same could be said for you,” Emma muttered before Regina ginked her in the stomach with enough force that she was winded. She scowled at the woman who gave a her a disapproving look. Henry looked at them for a minute until he just shook his head and said.

“So, dinner’s ready?” He asks in topic change and Regina nods.

“It is. Could you call your grandmother to come help set the table?”

“Sure thing,” he agrees before putting his hands to the wheels and rotating the wheelchair before he’s pushing it to give it enough momentum to move. Nick just stands there awkwardly at first until Emma breaks the silence in an attempt to not freak out.

“So, Nick.. What’s your art piece on?”

“Oh it’s..” he pauses because he hasn’t really thought about that yet. “...representation,” he says and it’s followed with a small smile.

“Representation?” Emma asks and he nods. “Representation of what?”

“Human nature in its natural format. Like you guys-,” he begins as he holds his hands out. “- You guys represent a bond in one way or another.. Say you were leant up against the counter-,” he points to Emma. “- and you were standing just beside her, your head resting on her shoulder and a smile on your face, but a proud look would be in her eyes. Whatever you’re staring at.. That’s the representation… you guys are the nature of that representation,”

“Meaning.. We’re the predecessers to another generation-,”

“-Exactly.  You’re the natural nature that created the representation. The basis is to project the futuristic part of representation. You guys created the foundation so that  we- your kids are a representation of that. Whether it’s beliefs or anything else, we represent that. It can just as easily be articulated by anyone else, but everyone’s is unique… so I picked representation.. And Henry’s that for me.. I mean, really it’s you guys, but still,” he admits and Regina’s eyebrow quirks at that as Emma seems to be focused on something else.

“Well-,” Regina says and his eyes meet hers. “- thank you for seeing us as your representation, Nicholas,” she ends and he blushes.

“Miss Mills can you just call me Nick?”

“Of course.. Now go help them set the table, we’ll be out in a minute,” she tells him and he nods before leaving. Regina turns back to Emm and looks at her and Emma can see it’s something.

“That’s your thinking face, what is it?”

“Nicholas...is gay,” Regina tells Emma and the blonde’s eyes widen.

“H-ho-,”

“-Pause,” she tells Emma and Emma stops. “ The conversation we had with Henry a while back is oddly similar to the exact words we’re getting from Nicholas now. The whole speech about being proud and happy and feeling representation- Emma, he sees us as his representation. We are the fairytale he is trying to model his life after. That is the exact reason our son consistently has said ‘my friend’. He quite literally was referring to Nicholas...He’s a young gay teen and his only form of representation are two women who are together because of a lie. We’ve sold him a falsified story without directly doing anything…. We made a young man believe in something that isn’t even real-,”

“-It is to me,” Emma argues as she looks at Regina. The brunette is now taking notice that Emma’s eyes are tinged red and she looks as though she’s holding it all in so she won’t cry, but it’s hard. It’s hard to hear that and not feel some kind of emotion. So, she feels that and she feels that deeply.

“W-what?” Regina stumbles out in question and Emma’s lip quivers.

“I sai-said… it is to me.. It’s real to me. When I told you I was falling in love with you- I meant it-,”

“-And I meant mine as well,” Regina interrupts in argument but Emma shakes her head, miniature tears now forming in the corners of her eyes..

“You couldn’t have.. Not with the way you kept saying it isn’t real.. This is real-  _ we- _ us being together here right now.. We’re real Regina and you keep saying we’re not!” she belts tearily and Regina drops her own motive of explanation and rushes to hug Emma. Emma struggles in her hold and Regina just keeps a tight grip on her.

“I know we’re real.. I’m sorry. I know we are real and I want us to always be real, but we weren’t always,” she says and Emma sniffles wetly.

“I know that, but can’t we just forget about that now and focus on this version of us. We’re together and that’s all I care about. I don’t want old labels to remind me of what was. I just want us to be real- like how we are now. I’m tired of feeling like even our love for one another is still fake when I can blatantly see that it’s not. I-,” she breaks to turn around in Regina’s arms. Her eyes search through those brown ones and she shakes her head. “- I  _ love _ you. Like I feel like I am  _ in _ love with you and I want you to believe it- believe me. I get that it seems fast - or unrealistic in your eyes, or whatever the hell you might be thinking, but Regina. I do love you. No matter what you’re thinking or what someone else might say to you- I  _ do _ love you,” Emma enunciates and she sees that Regina’s eyes are cloudy with tears. The brunette bursts into teary laughter and then she speaks.

“You sound like me when I told Henry the same thing… I believe you,” she tells her. “I always believe it when you say it.. I can just never believe it for myself. I want to, but I don’t know how. But I’m learning everyday. I’m learning to accept that I  _ can _ be happy and that I can have happiness. I’m learning that there is someone who will love me.. And I’m learning that my happiness comes from those who care about me the most...that’s you and Henry if you didn’t know,” she makes a lighthearted joke and Emma immediately pulls her in for a hug.

“You and the kid are my happiness too, you know,”

“I know,” she answers smartly and Emma pinches her waist. She giggles against Emma’s ear and Emma swears it’s heaven to her. Regina uses the pads of her thumbs and wipes away strays from her eyes as Emma does the same for her.

“We need to go feed those four or else your mother will come in and twist the story into you and me smashing headboards as she likes to call it,” she says with a roll of her eyes but a grin set in place. She begins to walk out the kitchen when Regina one ups her.

“I’m pretty positive she referred to it as going down on me in prayer,” Regina laughed.

“Either way, we gotta feed them,”

“And you won’t have a miniature heart attack over the fact that our son is kissing his best friend?”

“I already had a massive one. Mini does not describe the fact that this is going to keep happening and I’m too chicken to tell them not to and you don’t seem to give a flying fuck,”

“I give ‘a flying fuck’ as you so crassly put it, but Henry is fifteen. Would you rather it be Grace and the likelyhood of him getting her pregnant because they won’t sell a condom to a fifteen year old and in the mind of fairytale characters- protection isn’t a thing?”

“No. God no,” Emma groans and Regina shakes her head. She makes her way over to Emma and rubs her shoulder.

“Case in point. Let him be a teenager. I keep telling you we were once his age. Secretive- in love.. Promiscuous with our partner. It’s a thing that happens Emma. I know you want to protect him and shelter him and all those things, but take it from me.. That’s not something we can do to them forever. I sheltered him so much and held him away from the world for so long that I lost him for a period of time… granted, he found you in the process, but I never thought I’d lose the person who was giving me back my heart. That’s not something he will want for us to do to him forever...except me cooking all his meals- but that’s a different thing. Henry’s discovering what sexuality is through experience and I’ve never had to give him ’the talk’ because he was rather resourceful in that aspect. His way of finding out who he is or what he identifies as, is up to him to figure out however he sees fit. We can only warn him, but what Henry does after that warning, is solely on him. We have to let him be him,”

“I know, but can he be him at like eighteen. I miss my chubby cheeked little cherub,”

“I miss him too, but no one stays young for long,”

“Except you… you’re like- how old?” Emma asks and Regina’s eyes squint.

“Old enough that it’s none of your business,” she answers back and Emma pouts.

“Awww come on- seriously! How old is the Evil Queen…”

“Much younger than Regina considering the Evil Queen didn’t come to life until I was eighteen,”

“You’re...ancient,” Emma says and Regina thumps her on the head.

“Say that again and you’re be extinct,” Regina says with no real threat or malice and Emma snickers. She moves to hug the woman tight and bites her cheek.

“You love me to much to incinerate me,”

“I’m aware,” Regina caves and Emma takes victory in the fact that Regina acknowledges it to begin with.

“MOOOOOOOOOMS! Come on, we’re starving!” Henry shouts from the other room and Emma sighs with a laugh and roll of her eyes.

“Sometimes I wish he’d go back to those moments where he wasn’t so loud and abrasive,”

“That would be his infant stage- and even still, that boy had more lungs than an opera singer,”

“Oddly accurate comparison,”

“Yes well...you get the point. Let’s go before he shouts again.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

“You guys done sucking face?” Henry asks with a cheeky grin as his mothers come into view. Emma raises a brow at him and Regina blushes, but all Emma is thinking is,  _ Have you two stopped sucking face? _ and Regina notices. So, she quickly rights herself and walks over before ruffling his hair.

“Your smartass attitude is starting to become endearing, kid,” is what she says instead, and she’s not lying, quite far from lying actually.

“I learn from the best,” he tips his head and she shakes hers. “Can we eat now.. I’m really starving,”

“Yeah sure. Pass this around and have at it,” she tells them and the four people who were already sat at the table pass the food around and then they realize that it’s not enough for the two women there. Henry’s face pinches and Nick looks sheepish because he really did have a lot of food on his plate. Cora seemed annoyed by it and Ian just looked as though he was lost on what to do. Regina sees Henry fix his mouth to say something and she watches the words dribble from his lips.

“Moms, what are you guys gonna eat? There’s nothing left! Do you want us to put some of it back?”

“No Henry, that’s perfectly okay. I’ve actually made something else for your mother and I to eat,” Regina tells him and he looks stricken still, but he nods.

“You sure?” Nick questions and Regina turns to him before giving him a soft smile and nodding.

“I’m positive, Nick,”

“Okay Miss Mills… I guess we’ll wait for you both to  get yours and then we’ll eat?”

“No, you guys eat. Regina and I will be in the kitchen. We have some last minute things to clean up in there,”

“Can’t you guys leave it until afterwards?” Henry questions and by his face, he looks sad still about the food and now probably because they both have to clean it up and he doesn’t have a way of offering to help.

“No sweetheart, it’s best if we just clean it now and put the rest in the sink afterwards to be cleaned later,” his brunette mother tells him and now Cora is speaking up.

“Regina dear, just take a seat. Ian and I will clean up, won’t we?”

“Yeah- I don’t have a problem with that. You’re feeding me and I keep hearing how good your cooking is. It’s the least I can do. Besides, it’ll give me a chance to give this old bag of bones here a few pointers on Mario Kart-,”

“-No offense Ian, but if you’re shit at basic level games, you can’t be the one to give Mario Kart advice… if anything, ask Henry- or Nick, Cora. They’re your best options,”

“Sheriff, I take insult to that,” Ian jokes and Nick pipes up.

“And I actually don’t play Mario Kart…” he says and Emma looks so surprised by that until Henry says,

“Nick’s afraid of Yoshi-,”

“- I am not!” he defends before reaching out to tickle the boy instead of punch him in the shoulder and Henry jerks in his seat. He begins to snicker heavily as he tries to speak.

“You-so are!” Henry manages to blurt out through his laughter and swats Nick’s fingers away. Regina and Emma watch with their own thought in motion about it and it’s safe to say, Emma wants to jump and keep them apart and Regina just wants to see her son smile the way Nick is managing to make him smile. Emma’s not being judgmental, she’s being fearful. She just isn’t trying to see past the ten year old she knew, and Regina’s finally accepted that Henry is closer to adulthood than he is to childhood.

“Don’t worry, Nicholas, I’m afraid of that blasted dinosaur too,” Cora told him and Nick paused to shift in his seat.

“..but I’m not,” he muttered quietly and Henry rubbed his back before leaning in and whispering something in his ear. By the way he touches him and is being careful of what is whispered, Emma can tell it’s something sweet, and she won’t deny that it warms her heart a fuck ton. It’s probably something along the lines of  _  I still think you’re cute even if a cartoon dinosaur makes you a little afraid. Think of it this way, it’s just one more reason to make me cuddle with you. _

“Okay guys, we’ll be back,” she says before taking Regina by the hand and practically dragging her from the room. Once they’re in the kitchen Regina pulls her hand away.

“Did you  _ have _ to drag me like that?”

“No, but I wanted to say this before I lost my thought…. They’re so cute!” she squeals and Regina looks pleasantly surprised.

“Wowwwwww, what did they put in the air!” Regina comments and Emma glowers at her without any real malice.

“Nothing, it’s just.. Did you see that? Did you  _ see _ how sweet our son was being to his friend.. Or whatever Nick is to him right now?”

“Yes, I did see it,”

“Aaaaaand?”

“And nothing.. Henry’s a sweet boy, it’s no surprise to me that Nick finds that of some comfort,”

“Yeah- yeah… so, I know and you know that we did not make anything else for us to eat, but they don’t know that, so what exactly are we eating?”

“I haven’t the slightest clue. But, I’m sure there’s something in there I can cook rather quickly.. Either that or we eat magically made food for this one exact moment in time,”

“Sparkly pizza isn’t sounding so hot right now… don’t we have like instant noodles or something?”

“Instant what?”

“God, I forgot you’ve been used to eating all things good for the better part of your life,”

“I’ve had noodles,” Regina tries to defend and Emma snorts.

“Yeah, doubt it. I don’t mean restaurant made pasta in some homemade sauce with nicely cooked meats to go with it. I literally mean noodles,”

“I know what you mean, Emma. I’m just trying to figure out what ‘instant’ noodles you’re referring to,”

“Ramen. Cup O.. all the good stuff. That Yakisoba crap with all the instructions and plastic that they really shouldn’t be using. That stuff,”

“We have  _ that _ stuff,”

“We do?”

“Yes, we do. Henry likes them and so do I.. I just haven’t been allowing him to eat them as often because they don’t digest very well. Minus that.. I’ve been eating them more when I find that I haven’t eaten through the day,”

“I told you to call me when that happens,”

“Emma-,”

“-Regina, come on. How am I supposed to make sure you and the baby are alright if you’re not going to at least let me make sure you’re eating right- or at all for that matter. Every time I have called you recently, you keep telling me you ate something of substance…”

“I have been,” she says quietly and Emma shakes her head.

“Noodles aren’t substance, Regina. That’s wax coating and a crap ton of gluten in your system with some high ass seasoning as a liquid base.” she says to her and Regina looks away. She tries to walk towards the pantry, but Emma stops her. “ I’m just worried about you, okay?”

“I know..but I’m fine,”

“I don’t know that, and you’re trying to convince yourself of that, but we don’t know that for sure….sit down,” she motions with her chin to the barstool chair at the island. “I’ll make us something to eat,”

“E-emma-I-,”

“-Regina.. Please,” she pleads and Regina’s face goes sad. “Please just sit down and let me take care of you,” she pushes and Regina looks at her for a while before nodding.

“okay,” is what she gives Emma as a response and for the blonde, it’s enough. Emma makes her way out the kitchen and returns shortly after that. 

“I told them to eat because I wanted to make something different than what we were originally going to eat and Henry warned against me poisoning you,” she says and Regina smirks at her. “I told him I wouldn’t poison you intentionally, but the likelyhood that I’d do it because I can’t properly cook meat for shit is something to go by….but I do know how to make one thing really well and that’s bacon mac ‘n’ cheese,” she says confidently and now Regina’s smiling at her. Emma makes her way around the kitchen because she’s so familiar with it now that asking Regina where anything was would make even her laugh. She makes Regina a cup of coffee as she waits and whips up some mac ‘n’ cheese as quickly as she can. She talks to the woman as she does so and is happy at the fact that Regina didn’t shut down on her. She tries her hardest not to ask the woman so many questions on why she chose not to call her or why she chose to just eat noodles instead of going to get something to eat. And then she’s plating it off and setting it before the brunette.

“Thank you,” Regina says quietly and Emma makes a humming sound before she sits next to her and  bumps her lightly. Regina grins and they eat their food in silence for a while until Emma starts the conversation and they find themselves talking more than eating. A good while later and in walks Nick, with Henry rolling in behind him, Cora- and Ian. They’re all carrying their plates and looking at the women as they walk by. Cora comes between them and looks at their food and says,

“Looks better than what we had,”

“Only because you eat like a child,” Emma defends and Cora shrugs.

“True,” the old woman says before she  shuffles away and begins to wash all the dishes. Henry rolls his chair right up to them and puts a hand to each of their shoulders.

“Moms- you guys okay?” he questions with a tinge of worry set in his face. They both turn to look at him but Emma answers.

“Yeah, Kid. We’re good,” she smiles and he nods, seemingly accepting that as an answer. 

“What did you guys have?”

“Bacon mac ‘n’ cheese,” she tells him and he nods approvingly.

“Good stuff.. Nick and I are gonna go up to my room for a while to chill, you guys gonna be good?”

“Yeah, Kid. Go hang, Nick you plan on staying the night?” Emma questions the young boy and Nick shrugs uneasily.

“If it’s okay with you guys- I mean.. I might still need to call my mom, or just tell Ava to tell them,”

“Whatever works for you, Nick,” Emma says and the young boy thinks for a moment before nodding and grinning.

“I guess I’ll stay the night then.. Guess I should just go home and get my clothes then,” he says, but he blinks and Regina’s rotates her wrist in such a manner that his clothes appear atop her palm, folded neatly and stacked, shoes and all.

“That won’t be necessary,” Regina says confidently and the boy’s eyes flutter.

“You- guys.. are cool,” Nick says in awe before he begins to smile. Regina hands the clothing over to him and he takes them before he drops them onto Henry’s lap and his friend scowls at him, but there’s no malice. Nick puts his hands to Henry’s wheelchair and  and begins to turn it around, all without bothering to ask the boy if he was even ready to move. 

“What makes you think I was ready to leave my moms?”

“The fact that you asked them if they were okay with us going up to hang,”

“That doesn’t mean I was ready to go, Nick,” Henry argues and Nick rolls his eyes before turning the chair back and crossing his arms.

“Fine.. when you’re ready, I’ll be upstairs trying to figure out what’s so fun to do in your minimalistic room,” he teases and Henry is now rolling his eyes.

“You’re a pain.. Fine, I’ll come up with you. Mom, Ma, love you guys,” he says and they say it right back to him before kissing his face. He scrunches it up but he doesn’t complain. After that, he rolls his wheelchair right up to the staircase before he turns his head back to shout,

“NANA! DON’T KICK IAN’S ASS TOO BAD IN MORTAL KOMBAT!”

“I’LL TRY!” she yells back with a cheeky grin and no one’s even phased at the fact that Henry is swearing. He’s done it long enough now that it just sticks. Nick helps him up the stairs and into his room before he manages to get him onto the bed safely and without any form of injury.

 

“I suppose you just realized that Nicholas is rather….flamboyant in nature,” Cora says in a tone that used to be one she used when reprimanding Regina. But, this time around… the brash and abrasive nature of it cannot be detected.

“Oh yeah!” Emma says and Cora smirks.

“Join the club,” she tells the blonde. “If Ian hadn’t told me, I doubt I’d have figured it out anytime soon,”

“Well, count yourself lucky…” Emma muttered and Cora tilted her head as if she were going to ask the blonde something, but she just shook her head and wrote that response off.

“Well… Ian and I will be in the living room, kicking the shit out of one another in Mortal Kombat.. Pray we don’t stay up til six like I used to with Mayim and that birdbrain boyfriend of hers,”

“Speaking of Mayim and Denny, how are they?” Cora hears Emma ask and she shrugs noncommittally.

“Don’t know. Don’t need to know. I haven’t spoken to her since Henry was in the hospital,”

“Are you guys not friends anymore or something?” the blonde questions and Cora shrugs again.

“Ask her.. I don’t know.”

“That’s bad,” Emma says and Cora shrugs again.

“I guess,” the old woman comments and Emma looks at her as if she’s disappointed. “Don’t give me that. What do you want me to say? Hmm? She’s barely legal. She’s enjoying life and she’s clearly doing that with Dennison, so who cares!” Cora says and she doesn’t realize she says it rather angrily. No one says anything for a split second because what could you say to a woman who looks as though she wants to say so much and is holding it all back. She jerks her head away because her eyes are turning red and tears are starting to come out and before it goes any further, hands are softly on her shoulders and there’s talking that’s muffled around her because she’s drowning in the recklessness of her mind. She’s guided out of the kitchen and back into the living room before she has to sit down and then words come rushing through the canals of her ears.

“Cora?” her name comes in question and she can register that it’s Ian’s voice. “Come on.. I thought you were going to kick my ass in Mortal Kombat. You can’t cry just yet… Shouldn’t they be the victory tears?” he asks in as lighthearted a manner as he can manage. She sputters out a wet laugh and shakes her head.

“You’re an ass, Ian,”

“Eh, I’ve been called worse. That’s not so bad,” he grins and Cora shakes her head again before she begins to nod quickly and wipe her face. It’s obvious she’s going through a mantra in her head and is pumping herself up because directly after that, she shakes her head again and looks Ian right in the eyes before she says,

“Time to kick ass, or chew gum.. Guess what?”

“What?”

“I’m all outta gum!” 

“Then let’s kick ass!” Ian tells her happily and they high five.

“But like- just so you know, I’ll be kicking yours,” she reminds him and he laughs.

“We’ll see,” he says and Cora thinks..  _ I can cry about my problems another day...I’ve got until I die, anyway! _

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

“You think she’s okay?” Emma questions as she turns to look at Regina and she says it just before they hear the Mortal Kombat theme kick in. Emma laughs and Regina tilts her head with a smirk.

“I think she’ll be alright,” the brunette says as she takes up their bowls and begins to clear them to be washed. Emma gets up immediately and goes to help and they work silently for the short period of time to clean the bowls and put them away. Once they’re done, they walk past the living room and smile as Ian and Cora have already set up their station and it’s clear Ian will definitely be staying the night much like Nick will. Then they go up the stairs and are just about to go to Henry’s door when they hear laughing and some commentary happening. Emma puts a finger to her lips and Regina follows behind her quietly. They near the door and hear Nick and Henry joking about how they almost got caught and Emma smirks because they did get caught, she just didn’t make it a vocal thing. The laughter dies down and then they hear a thump, and that thump comes because Nick actually collapses on Henry’s bed next to him and well… they can’t physically see what ends up happening, but Nick looks up at Henry who looks down at him and they smile at each other. Henry turns on his tv so they can drown out any possible sounds and they manage to watch it- for a bit, but soon directly after that, Nick’s hands go searching, and they search for bare skin… the bare skin of Henry’s very flat stomach. He feels his friend quiver beneath his touch and in his mind’s eye.. That was a good thing. His hands trail lightly and they both take note how vastly different their body temperatures are. Henry’s is a luke warm feel and Nick’s is completely ice cold. When their skin makes contact it’s shocking- literally. Nick stops searching and instead his lips meet the base of Henry’s jaw. He kisses the entire outline of the boy’s chin and Henry’s head tilts in the opposite direction, exposing more skin for Nick to taste if he wanted to. He does and it’s nothing short of body shuddering as Henry’s stomach folds in on itself until their lips meet and Nick  _ has _ to kiss him. He has to taste him. He has to know that Henry is there for him. Not just to experiment, but to love hopefully. He wishes with all of him that it wasn’t just ‘to help you learn how to kiss’ because that would ruin him. He wants the predictable love affair. He wants the high school sweethearts thing. He wants all the things he sees his straight counterparts get without trying and throw away without second thought, but he watches people like him fight like hell to have it and fight to keep it. So Nick wishes and he pours this wish into every kiss he shares with Henry. He pours himself into it and he pours his hope into it. Nick puts his last into these kisses and he’s just there...waiting for life to deal him his hand.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“let’s go,” Emma whispers to Regina and the brunette nods before following behind the woman and they make their way into their room. The door clicks shut softly and then Emma sighs out in relief.

“Paranoid,” Regina comments and Emma spins around to regard her.

“Pardon?”

“I said- paranoid,” Regina shrugs a shoulder and Emma rolls her eyes.

“Not anymore- no. I expect something to happen now,”

“Doesn’t mean you’re still not paranoid about it,” she says and Emma doesn’t comment, because.. she just might be.

“Fair enough… You wanna take the first shower,” she asks Regina as she goes to sit on the bed with a graceless thump. The brunette smirks before walking over, shaking her head and then she’s falling gracefully onto the bed. Regina rolls over and lies on top of Emma’s stomach before she’s idly tracing as she usually does.

“For the first time, I don’t feel like showering,” the brunette admits with a soft sigh and Emma grins.

“You that tired?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Regina says back and Emma lets out a soft laugh.

“I don’t know why you won’t just let my parents help you with Henry-,”

“-I do.. It’s not even them anymore. It’s Clara,” she says and Emma looks confused.

“What’s the matter with Clara? She having withdrawal issues cus you’re not there?” Emma asks in a joking manner, but Regina doesn’t laugh at all as she speaks.

“I made her mayor and now she’s having mental breakdowns every few times I blink,” she tells her blonde counterpart and Emma makes that sound she usually does. It’s like a disgruntled moan or something and Regina’s just gotten used to hearing it recently.

“I mean- well, you know why right?”

“No. Do enlighten me because I’d love to know how to prevent her from dying young,” she finally says in her own joking tone and Emma laughs.

“You pretty much threw her to the wolves- without any form of warning. You just went- I’m stepping down- you’re mayor. Do my job now. What did you expect her to do?”

“Step up to the plate and be the person she always was, just with her actually being IN the meetings instead of interrupting them when you or Henry called,”

“You really can’t blame her interrupting those crapshoot meetings on me and the kid,”

“I can try though,” Regina jokes and Emma pinches her side. She flinches but laughs against the woman’s stomach before her fingers start to trace again and Emma hums.

“Feels good,” she comments and now Regina hums.

“I know… I used to do this with Henry when he was younger and he only seemed to sleep when I did this. You can imagine how devastated he was when he realized after a while that I no longer did it after he fell asleep,”

“I’m surprised he let you stop doing that at all,”

“He probably wouldn’t have.. But my hours got in the way of that, and more often than not… Graham had to watch him. I’m not sure if I regret it, or if I finally accepted it and just moved on,”

“It would be contradictory if I said a bit of both.. But that’s what it’s sounding like to me,”

“It sounds the same in my ears as well… but you still haven’t told me how to prevent Clara’s premature death,”

“Give her more days off,”

“I already did that,”

“Give her a longer lunch,”

“I did that as well,” Regina said and Emma huffed.

“Well, what about your direct line so when she panics she can reach you,”

“Emma… this is me we’re talking about. She has that- she’s always had that number. It hasn’t changed and she still uses it even when she doesn’t panic- just to reach me,”

“Well….. What about the room?”

“Which room?”

“The one you had for Henry-,”

“- I did that as well-,”

“-Then what the hell else is she expecting?”

“Me to not leave her there by herself. She has City Hall all to herself. She’s the only one there- all day, everyday. She’s tried to convince me that she’d get someone to build a room just for Henry and I told her about his already secret room. She had worries about Casey and I told her that Casey would be safe and protected in that room. It has a bed and it’s always stocked with snacks. It has books that Henry no longer reads. It’s pretty much another bedroom. It’s soundproof and has a panic button. You’ve seen this room- granted, you went snooping in my office from the get go. But you have seen this room. You know what’s in there and you know how well kept it is,”

“Yeah I do… our kid was spoiled,”

“He still is, he’s just more receptive to what it is he has and he appreciates it more,”

“Pretty positive the only thing Henry learned to appreciate more- is you,”

“That would sound nicer if I wasn’t referred to as a thing,” Regina smirks and Emma scowls lightly.

“What is with you and him and the sass for days,”

“Mine comes as a residual effect from being the evil queen… Henry just gets that from you,”

“But I’m not sassy,” Emma defends.

“No.. but you have that ‘smartass’ demeanor about you,”

“Good or bad though?”

“Both,” Regina says with a head tilt and Emma bobs hers as she contemplates that.

“I can work with that.,” is what she says and Regina laughs.

“You can work with that?”

“Yeah- I can work with that. I don’t see it as a bad thing- so I can work with that,”

“My, the confidence!” Regina says sarcastically and Emma reaches down to tickle her this time instead of pinching her and the second she does so, the woman bursts into a fit of laughter. Regina sputters out a cute,

“St-stop!” in a lighthearted shriek, but Emma continues to tickle her and through Regina’s adorable child-like giggle, she finds herself in absolute awe of this woman in so many ways that even she is surprised at how amazing it feels.

“My God I love you,” Emma says out of nowhere and Regina’s laughter dies down as she comes back to an almost somber state. Her eyes bat with a glow of happiness and it’s clear that she’s mulling the words over in her head. She sighs heavily, yet happily and says,

“Love you too, Em… go shower,” she groans out in pleasure as she rolls off the blonde and onto her stomach. Emma huffs and sits up a little before stretching and letting out a cat-like sound as she went across the flooring of the room. Her feet went in a timed thump across the hardwood and as she made her way to the drawers, she pulled out something for Regina to wear and tossed it at the woman, managing to get it to fall on her head and Regina grunted.

“Put those on since you don’t wanna shower. I’ll be in there for a while, so unless you plan on coming in with me.. Put those on,”

“fiiiiiineeee,” Regina groaned from her spot on the bed and Emma shook her head as she headed into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and began to strip herself of her clothing. She slid a hand past the curtain and felt the temperature of the water before flicking her fingertips and  then moving her hand to pull the hair tie from her hair. She shook it once it was down and then took the rest of her clothes off. Emma then stepped in and shook herself to let the water fall all over her. She turned around and around before dipping under the hot water and running her fingers through her hair. She still wishes she could get it the way Regina did, but she guesses she’ll have to settle for just normal once again. She begins to hum to herself and drowns out in the pulsing sound of the water against her skin and against the bathroom tub.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She didn’t want to move, but she supposes it’s best if she did. She heard when the shower started up and she heard when the curtain was brushed aside and Emma stepped in before closing it again..and she can hear the humming. She can hear it all and she doesn’t mind it in the slightest. But what she does mind is the fact that Emma always picks out a pair of shorts for her and a tight camisole. Sometimes the brunette just wanted to wear baggy pjs and a t-shirt.. Emma’s baggy pjs and Emma’s t-shirts. Sometimes she just wanted to wear Emma’s things, but she’s clearly noticed Emma believes she sleeps in something either revealing or ‘sexy’ to bed. Who in the hell wore sexy underwear to bed...just to sleep? Sure as shit not Regina Mills.

 

She sits up and rolls her eyes at her own clothing before she stands and walks towards the bathroom. She knocks lightly, but doesn’t get an answer. So, instead of knocking again, Regina opens the door and goes into the steamy room, also allowing cold air to rush right in and the draft hits Emma’s backside. She shivers and her eyes open as she listens to the door be closed again and then there’s shifting. She doesn’t know what the shifting is until something happens and that has her spinning around, eyes wide and her mouth agape in the form of a small o.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Boom! Blew your shit up-again!” Cora teased Ian as the screen showed that he’d been K.O’ed from another round with Cora on Mortal Kombat. He rolled his eyes and waved a hand at her.

“Yeah-yeah.. This is just practice,”

“Practice my old, senile ass. I beat you fair and square Ian. You know this-I know this.. The game knows this,”

“Then how about you go tell the world that I lost to you in Mortal Kombat,”

“Oh- I will.. I just need to build up my cred first…”

“Your cred?” he asked and she nodded before pointing to the screen.

“See that number there?”

“Yeah,”

“That’s my cred. It’s my rank.. Pretty low right now cus I just started, but the more ass I kick-well, the more worldwide ass I kick, the better it all is for me. I need to up my cred so I can compete in the tournament they’re having next year,”

“What tournament?”

“Well, the Mortal Kombat tournament, what else? PandaxGaming’s gonna host it so you can stream that when I continue to kick ass,”

“Continue, huh,”

“Yes, Ian. Continue my reign in asskicking...now, Henry said something about signing in or signing up on his Xbox account,” Cora muttered as she trailed through the categories, finally finding what her grandson was telling her about. “Ahhh, there it is.. Now,” she begins before signing in and as she watches the circle rotate and rotate and rotate to sign her in a giant exclamation comes up and then she’s squinting at it. “What?”

“It says you need a parental email for them to approve your registration,” Ian tells her and she looks at him.

“I don’t have a bloody email account- I barely get mail, what makes them think I can manage electronic mail? I blew up my damn computer the first time I got it…good shit, I need Regina for this,” she then says before rising from her spot on the floor and beginning to leave the room.

“So can I play whilst you go be a child again!?” Ian shouts his question at Cora and she stops just shy of the exit to flip him the bird. He laughs as she makes her way up the stairs and towards Henry’s room. First off, she needed to ask him why in the hell he still hadn’t bothered to sign up yet and why in the hell they were still asking for parental permission.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“What do you wanna do?” Nick asks Henry as he shifts to move off the boy, but he’s surprised when Henry tugs him right back down and kisses him on the cheek.

“Hang with you,” Henry tells him.

“We’re already doing that,” Nick tells him through a smile and he shrugs in response.

“So.. I mean, I’m still not due back to school for a good while, and you’re pretty much staying the weekend, soooo…” he trails off and as he trails off, his hands go roaming and they’re roaming until they hit skin. Skin that’s icy to the touch and reactive to his warmth.

“Devil,” he hears Nick say and he laughs.

“Well aware.. I get it from my mothers,”

“Good. Then that means-,”

“-shhhh. Shut up and kiss me,” Henry whispers against his ear and Nick moans before muffling a squeaky nod. His lips don’t have to search long because he feels Henry’s against his in a rush of the moment. It’s not overly heated and it’s not so soft either, it’s just enough and it’s just enough because it’s their enough. Henry smiles agains’t Nick’s lips and pushes him back onto the mattress before straddling the boy as best as he could with his given state. It proves successful as his legs and thighs tighten around Nick’s lower stomach before Henry’s hands are then being dragged up the boy’s chest, bunching his shirt as he does so. Nick’s chest caves in and he tries not to whimper, but he can’t quite hold it back. The sound comes out and it’s a loving vibration against Henry’s body that has him in a frenzy after that. His hand dips below Nick’s back and it’s a swift gripping move where he jerks Nick’s body against his that it has the boy going,

“Ahhh fuck,” in such a hoarse and ragged tone. Nonetheless, he kisses Henry back and he kisses him with meaning and with the hope he’d always has when it came to the possibility of him and Henry being a thing. 

 

He neither Henry register the soft footsteps that move closer and closer to the door- or the soft clank and thump against the door that goes as knocking. Hands continue in their frenzy as Nick’s shirt is discarded and next to go becomes the buckle on Henry’s pants. And then it happens. The door swings open and the words,

“Henry! What the fu-,” riddle out. It startles both boys and has Cora frozen on the spot. Henry’s hands jerk away from whichever part of Nick’s body they were currently fondling and his head drops onto Nick’s shoulder. Nick tries to bury his face somewhere in Henry’s body, but knows that Cora can still blatantly see both of them. “Well, this is awkward,” Cora comments as she looks at them and one of them groans. Cora huffs out a sigh and rolls her eyes before she puts her hands akimbo and speaks to them as if she saw nothing.

“When you two are done being embarrassed, horny little rabbits, would you mind explaining why you  _ haven’t _ signed up your Xbox yet?” she questions her grandson directly and Henry’s face scrunches up. He manages to shift himself off of Nick and immediately Nick’s hand goes over his crotch. Cora raises her brow but says nothing still. She sees Henry rearrange himself as well and concludes, “Why did I have to walk in when you to have your armies standing at attention?”

“Nana!” Henry shrieks and she shakes her head at him violently.

“Don’t ‘nana’ me, boy! You in here fladoodling around with this one in your mothers’ home. If you’re gonna sword fight, at least lock the door!” she reprimands in a haughty tone.

“I thought we did!” he shrieks back and Cora fixes her lip in an unimpressed smirk before turning to flail her arms at the door.

“Well, clearly you didn’t! Get your shit together, Henry!”

“Alright-alright!..Jeez,” he grounds out and she scowls at him.

“Watch it. You’re already on thin ice with this one a throbbing mess in your bed.. You know weird shit happens to fairytale characters and you wanna knock back headboards because he’s cute and got you feeling like you don’t have a thing to worry about-well, newsflash- you do!”

“I get it, nana,” Henry answers her unimpressed and she narrows her gaze.

“Do you really?”

“Yeah. I get it.. Now can we focus on something else,” he says as he turns so that he’s sitting at the edge of his bed. Nick rolls over and rubs at the sore spot on his body. He groans quietly but both Henry and Cora catch it. Henry leans over and rubs his shoulder. “You okay, Nicky?” he questions and the boy groans again.

“He’s suffering from blue balls- I’ll get this over with quickly,” Cora interjects and Henry looks back over at her after Nick points and puts up a weak thumb in agreement. “ Your Xbox isn’t signed up, or signed in, they’re still asking for parental permission. I thought you said you signed it up already?”

“I thought I did.. It’s never needed mom’s email before.. I don’t know why it would need it now,”

“Neither do I, but it needs it- do you know it?”

“Not off the top of my head, no,” he answers and she huffs. “You’re gonna have to get one from mom or ma.. Mom might have more than one and ma would only have it if mom made her make it,”

“So, I definitely need Regina for this one,”

“Yup… or you could just use your own,” he suggested and Cora laughed.

“I don’t remember my own right now. After I signed up for the food delivery company, that was it. My email’s been dormant,”

“Then you’re gonna have to get mom,”

“Seems so.. Okay, I’ll be going- please hurry up and help this boy before he explodes. Either that or he’ll have to get it drained if you don’t,”

“Nooooooo,” Nick groans from his spot on the bed. Cora smirks and Henry looks at her weirdly.

“Drained how?”

“They’ll cut it open and drain him,”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Nick belts louder and Cora snickers to herself. She flicks her wrist and tosses two packets at Henry.

“I may be old, but I did do my research on this world.. If you two do decide to sword fight- wear those-,”

“-My God, Nana! Go! Go now!” Henry says embarrassed but truth be told he appreciated her concern. She snickers and puts her hands up in surrender.

“Fine. I give.. Time to bother your mothers, anyway. Maybe I can catch them before they sleep… they’re worse than I am, going to bed at such an early time- maybe they’re the old ones,” Cora finds herself muttering as she walks away from Henry’s bedroom and towards Emma and Regina’s.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Regina didn’t think when she did this. She just went with how she was feeling in that moment. And in that moment- her brain told her to strip down and climb in. She listened- she listened quicker than she usually did and found herself hastily undoing her pants and peeling her shirt off of her body. Everything gets dropped on the floor as she steps out of the pooling fabric and brushes back the curtain lightly. The water is still aggressively pounding against the blonde’s pale body and against the flooring of the tub. The steam hits her in her face and it’s welcomed because she loves hot water more than anything. She steps in and immediately the hot water brings her body life. Her skin is starting to increase in temperature and that’s when she finds herself drifting away in happiness. She takes the smallest step forward and is met with the wet expanse of Emma’s back. She watches the way the water trails down one sector of Emma’s spine and then it’s rolling over the cusp of her behind. Regina’s head tilts in interest when Emma’s body shifts oh so slightly and it reveals the tiniest dimple on her lower back. She reaches out and her pinky fits into it perfectly before her entire hand flattens and curves around Emma’s waist. It slides forward and pulls the blonde back and against the shorter brunette with little force. Regina revels in the little ‘oof’ that comes from Emma’s lips and smiles when the blonde relaxes against her.

“hi,” she hears the soft whisper come and her heart thuds rapidly.

“Hi, nice butt,” she whispers back and feels Emma laugh against her and hands grip hers to keep them there in that moment. It’s in that moment of time where Regina’s making her feel safe and Regina’s the one who put her foot forward, or the fact that Regina flat out dove in head first and thought about consequences after.

“Mmmm, this feels familiar,” she acknowledges and Regina hums.

“It does.. It may not be the lake, but it is a close second,” the brunette tells her and she nods against Regina’s head.

“I think I’d put this in first if you washed my hair for me,” Emma joked and Regina laughed as she pinched her.

“Always looking for a prize, hmm?”

“I don’t need to look for a prize I already had-,” she says and Regina’s heart stops. Her eyes go somber and her body melts with the words. “-I mean, have you seen my bug,” Emma continues and Regina pinches her again, pleased to hear when the woman yelps.

“Smartass,” Regina says petulantly as she releases Emma and moves to get in front of her. Emma allows it and manages to keep her eyes from grazing over Regina’s nude behind.

“You said it was a good and bad thing..it’ll always work with you, though,” the blonde says in defense and Regina scoffs as she dips her head under water.

“I wouldn’t be so sure to bet on that,” she tells her as she runs her fingers through her now damp hair.

“It’s not a bet. You love me. Trust me when I say, my smartass behaviour is what will make you keep me,”

“And you’re sure it’s just that and not the fact that I actually do love you.. Or am in love with you at some point?”

“That too,” Emma tells her before she kisses the back side of Regina’s neck. Regina’s head lolls until it finds safety on Emma’s shoulder. Her breathing hits a ragged cord and her legs begin to shake lightly. Regina’s eyes dip shut as Emma’s right hand slips over her shoulder and goes down the expanse of the brunette’s stomach, stopping just shy of her shuddering point. She’s noticed that the lower half of Regina’s tummy is where everything breaks. It’s where every sound ever dreamed, escapes this woman. So, instead of pushing an early climax, her hands wrap around the woman’s body and they mould together. They stay in a comfortable silence as their bodies stay glued together, the hot water adding to the already rising temperature. Regina turns in Emma’s hold and Emma feels arms around her as if they were holding on for dear life. She kisses the top of the woman’s head and when Regina’s head tilts up, she kisses her lips and whispers,

“I love you,” to the brunette who grins against her cheek, bites her earlobe and whispers back.

“I love you too.”

 

They do stay like that for a moment before Emma’s urges win over and she begins to kiss the brunette in need and in an uncontrollable want. Their hands begin to go loose around each other and explore each other’s bodies in a blind passion. She spins the brunette around and pushes Regina up against the cool tiled wall in the tub before she pins her there as she uses the strength of her mouth and her head to nudge the woman’s neck in whichever direction she pleads. Her nose trails the column of Regina’s throat and her lips press hotly against the skin there. Regina hisses when teeth sink into the soft and supple flesh of her body and it has her inching up the wall, trying not to hold onto Emma and pull her closer; but in a blind move, Emma manages to find her hands and make them do just that. Their bodies clash in perfect tandem and Regina wraps a leg around Emma’s thigh. Her nails sink into Emma’s back as the blonde bites harder and harder, her right thigh coming up between Regina’s. And then it starts a stroking motion that immediately makes Regina jerk back flat against the wall until her back arches up off of it and onto Emma. She groans in pleasure and feels her body begin to rock on its own accord. She knows the difference between being wet and being  _ wet _ ...and right at that point- she was  _ wet.  _ She was wet and couldn’t stop her hips from bucking against Emma’s thigh and she could feel Emma’s lips getting closer to her ears, urging her to go faster. She obeyed and found herself being a slippery mess on the verge of a climax. She could feel the blonde hold her steady when her legs began to go weak and it drove her off the edge when Emma jerked her forward by the waist so fast that it was just the perfect amount of force to get a short, quivering climax out of her. She felt herself sputter in silence, eyes shut tight and her mouth agape as the climax rolled through her small frame. Her body jutted in a perplexed manner before it collapsed back against the wall and her head dips in every direction. She lets out a tired laugh and Emma smirks at her before leaning in to kiss her all over. She feels when lips go from her collarbone, and hears Emma ask her if she can go lower. She nods and eases the blonde’s head lower and lower down to her stomach and then they settle at the lips just shy of protecting her clit. Emma deviously wiggles her tongue against the lips and is pleasantly surprised when Regina’s body reacts with a small burst of liquid. She licks and sucks at every drop that’s leaking and hums against the woman’s thigh. Regina juts forward on command, causing the blonde to smile. Her slender fingers find themselves slipping through the tresses of wet hair on Emma’s head and urging her to bite. They’re urging her to taste the pulsing wet mess she created. Emma takes the hint and bites. She bites lightly before getting fully on all fours like a puppy and looking up into Regina’s darkened eyes. Her own green orbs are glimmering balls of fire at this point. Regina feels the intense tugging inside of her and it’s all adding pressure right to her clit. It’s swelling so fast that she pushes her hips forward in a greedy need to be sated. Emma takes the hint and buries her face into the soft tuft of curls and her nose nudges upward, spreading the lips as her tongue goes behind and swipes lovingly at Regina’s entrance. The brunette cries out a ragged,

“E-em-ma,” and it’s music to the woman’s ears as she quickens the pace, feeling that with every motion her tongue makes, Regina’s body rocks harder and harder against it. She lifts Regina’s leg over her shoulder and angles her face in such a way that she can swipe her tongue in a circular motion.“Eh-Eh-Em!” She sputters out and Emma laps up every single drip that comes from her. “fuck!” Regina hisses when Emma bites her inner thigh again. “Fuck! Emma!” she hisses once more when Emma sucks her clit harder than the first time.

“Say please,” she hears the blonde urge her and without even bothering to figure out why, Regina mumbles out a much needed, 

“Please!  _ Please! _ ” that makes Emma adhere to the command. She stiffens her tongue before she’s flicking it quickly over Regina’s clit and the brunette is groaning, legs going numb, body beginning to collapse on Emma’s face. “Faster,” she urges and Emma goes faster. She’s pleasantly surprised when Regina’s legs tighten around her head not too long after and it’s another burst of climax that has warm liquid dripping into Emma’s mouth. Some spills past her mouth and down the sides of her cheeks, but in all honesty, it’s the best taste she’s had in years. Musky and fruity all at the same time.

 

And then it all stops as the curtain is swiped open and Regina goes tumbling down the tub and is hitting her head as she does so.

“Well… this is even more awkward,” Cora says as she looks at the highly embarrassed pair of women before her..

“Cora!” Emma belts and the old woman jumps.

“Sooooorrrryyyyy! Shit! Is everyone in this house about to go to town except me?!” 

“CORA!”

“WHAT?!”

“WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!”  Emma asks loudly and angrily and the old woman pauses. The once loving heated water is nothing but a rush of angry liquid coming from the showerhead.

“I needed something,” is what she says and Emma looks up at her with a scowl.

“So you couldn’t have  _ waited _ ?!” the blonde questions rather sarcastically and Cora shakes her head.

“Not really, no,” she says honestly and Emma groans as her face falls into Regina’s chest. The brunette rubs the back of her head until she and Emma feel a cool wind wrap around them and transport them from the bathroom to the bedroom where both are wrapped in matching white robes. “I do apologise,” the woman says as she exits the bathroom. “I suppose I still haven’t learned the knock before entering rule- but in my defense, there was no sock on the door...again,”

“We had this discussion already. This isn’t college. Looking for a sock on the doorknob isn’t what we do. If the door is closed, you knock-simple,” Emma explains and Cora nods. Emma sighs and runs a hand through her hair as she walks through the room and begins to pull out something to throw on. “What did you need, now that you’ve thoroughly interrupted our time together?” she asks as she pulls out something that she’s not even sure is hers and walks into the closet before stripping and changing.

“I needed an email address from you or Regina. Henry didn’t sign his XBox up, so the registration said I needed an adult email-and before you mention mines, I can’t remember it..” she trails off and Emma walks out of the closet, looks at Cora weirdly until Regina rises from the bed silently and makes her way over to the exact same bureau.

“Mention it- I’m surprised you even have one,” Emma says from the closet and Cora shrugs.

“It was all done in the name of food, and since I know the number out my head… the likelyhood that I’d need an email address anymore is much too useless…” she trails off. Regina pulls out a pen and pad from beneath the stack of books that were there and began to scribble something onto a piece of paper before ripping it from it’s place and folding it. She hands it to her mother and says,

“This should work.. And I take it you’ll need me to check to confirm that it’s been approved, right?” Regina asks and Cora nods. Regina nods back before she tells her mother. “Then let me know when you’ve done it and I’ll check it for you,”

“...okay,” Cora says before dipping her head and attempting to exit the room. “I’m sorry I ruined another raunch moment for you both...again. This dejavu shit needs to stop happening,”

“It happened once, Cora,” Emma says and Cora snorts.

“Says you..anyway, I’ll go. Gonna kick the crap out of Ian and some foreigners. Wish me luck!” She says a little happily before flicking her wrist and disappearing in her signature swirl of smoke, but this one smelt differently.. It still smelt high and Regina picked up on it where Emma did not. The brunette winces at the smell and feels her stomach turn over. She places a hand to her mouth and walks into the bathroom before shutting the door and heaving over the bowl- this time..things come out. Once she feels herself relieved enough, she reemerges wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She doesn’t let Emma see her do so, and it’s probably because Emma doesn’t notice what she’s doing anyway. The blonde looks like she’s too focused on everything else to turn and focus on Regina. Regina shakes herself free of the feeling for a moment until it returns to her worse than before and she rushes back into the bathroom and can only make it to the sink this time..just barely though. Regina heaves and heaves and heaves until she’s on her tiptoes and frozen in that position with her stomach lurching painfully inside her body. Her throat is burning and her eyes are watering, but it won’t stop and it’s all because of this God damn Pixie Dust and Poppies. She has to wonder why it didn’t act up when Emma came in and she kissed her, but she supposes it had something to do with the fact that Cora magically activeted the fumes from both when she disappeared from sight. Emma claimed that some delinquents lit up on the beach… but she was starting to get the feeling her mother may have been one of those delinquents..and she was even more convinced now that Emma was right there with them.

Regina’s head bobs left and right in an angry and disgruntled motion before she flicks the tap on and splashes her face with cold water. She swears if she wasn’t so adamant about not staining this bloody white robe, she’d stain it quick with throw up because she couldn’t hold herself up much longer. There isn’t even a knock at the door for her as it swings open gently to reveal a very aware looking blonde. Emma leaned her head up against the doorpost as she spoke to the brunette.

“You’re not okay,” she comments and Regina looks away from the sink long enough to scowl at Emma with red-rimmed eyes.  _ Thank you for stating the obvious _ . Emma smirks before she continues to talk.

“Baby didn’t like the food?” she questions rather sweetly and Regina heaves out a very fractured- ‘no’.

“It w-was the…” she heaves again and Emma reaches over to rub her back. Regina groans painfully… “pixie dust and po-poppies,” she manages and Emma tilts her chin up and acknowledges that.

“Pixie dust and Poppies.. You mean the stuff I smell like?” she asks and a much more fractured ‘yes’ comes out after she heaves over the bowl. “But how?” she asks and Regina groans instantly as her stomach rolls over. “Okay-okay, no asking the sick lady questions that require long answers...I think you need to take one,” she suggests and Regina looks away from the bowl once more.

“Take o-one what?”

“A test.. A pregnancy test I mean. You’ve been sick and I know some people say it’s almost impossible, but you can have your ‘morning’ sickness at night too… I know I had a bit of it in the early parts and then about a week or so later, it switched back and it was worse than before….you need to take one, just so we can be sure and make sure the baby’s okay.. If she’s in there,”

“......Fine,” Regina agrees and Emma takes a bit of stride in that by grinning just slightly. She flicks her wrist and a ClearBlue Pregnancy test appears in her hands.. Immediately, Regina pukes on command and she groans again.

“Shit..sorry,” the blonde mutters and Regina blindly flips her off this time. Regina takes a moment to herself before she’s ‘alright’ enough to sit down. Emma feels her forehead and neck and concludes that she’s not running a fever or anything, so that’s good. She pulls the tube from the box and hands it over to Regina. “Do you..want me to stay here and watch you take it, or should I go?” she questions and Regina swallows thickly before she speaks.

“Stay...please,” she says and Emma doesn’t need to be told twice. She sits on the edge of the tub and as Regina tugs up the white robe, she slips the stick between her legs and sighs deeply as she tries to relax and pee. They hear the telltale sign that Regina’s going to town on the potty  and when she’s finish, she shimmies a little before she wipes and caps off the pregnancy test. She tosses it onto the counter before collapsing atop her own knees and breathing in raggedly. The silence engulfs them for the period of two minutes and somehow the timer in Emma’s head goes off.. Clearly she’d been counting down the minutes to check the test and now it was time to do just that. Regina must sense what Emma’s thinking because she’s then picking the test up and taking the biggest breath in that moment before she looks at Emma and receives a silent nod. She nods to herself before flipping it over.

 

_ One Line. _

 

_ Not Pregnant. _

 

She exhales and it’s a cross between relief and worry. She doesn’t know why and the second Emma gets up without a word after noticing the striping, the blonde walks out of the bathroom, clearly uneasy, or upset.  Regina doesn’t say anything as she taps the test against her palm consistently. Her leg begins to bounce in a slight worrisome manner and then she’s dumping the test in the trash and rising from the toilet seat. Regina looks at herself in the mirror and shakes her head.

“not pregnant,” she whispers to herself. She’s fully disappointed by this point in time and there is still no reason why.

 

Once she is comfortably back in their room and the disappointment drifts from her, Regina turns to a rather disgruntled Emma and walks over to her before she’s rubbing her shoulder.

“You okay?” she questions her and Emma sighs. There’s a hint of defeat written all across the blonde’s face and Regina wishes she could make it all go away, but nothing is ever as it seems when it comes to instant fixes and all those things. She knows this. Emma knows this and they both hate it with a passion.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I am,” Emma admits and Regina’s face falls. She could just jump and ask immediately, but Emma was like a skittish cat and with skittish kittens, you needed to ease them into things.. So, Regina was going to do some serious easing.

“What’s the matter?” she questioned instead and Emma craned her neck a bit before she sighed.

“I think it’s your mom walking in on us that’s got me feeling so… exposed. I feel like she just caught us in the act and- I don’t know… I feel like this all just comes full circle,”

“Full circle how?” she questions and Emma shakes her head. “Emma?” Regina urges in question. Emma sighs before answering. It didn’t make sense to extend it any longer than necessary.

“She knows none of this is real. Your mom, I mean. She knows that all of what we’re doing is just a lie. She knew from the beginning. Said she figured it out because our announcement was lackluster and that glow you usually get in your eyes wasn’t there.. Your mother knew and the only reason she hasn’t bothered beating the mess out of us is because she just wants you to be happy… however it happens.” Emma says and the silence that follows has her even more uncomfortable than usual.

“I suppose I shouldn’t be all too surprised,” Regina says and Emma looks over at her in shock. Regina merely shrugs and says. “Well, I really shouldn’t… my mother truly always knew more about me than I knew about myself.. Sometimes she may have been wrong, but for the most part.. She did know me. I’m not surprised she figured us out. We weren’t very well versed and rehearsed as it relates to the way this whole thing started….”

“...so..you’re  _ not _ mad?”

“No,” the brunette shakes her head. “I’m not mad. I can’t be mad about something that’s rather obvious,”

“Oh thank God because Ruby knows-,”

“- I know,” Regina interjects and she pauses.

“How do you know that?”

“She and I had a conversation a while back and she said it without saying that she knew, but so long as we’re happy.. Much like my mother in that aspect, I suppose,” the brunette says and Emma nods.

“And I had to tell Belle.. It was the only way I figured we’d be able to help Henry properly, but she hasn’t told anyone and Ruby says Granny knows-,”

“-She always knows. Nothing gets past that old woman..” Regina mutters and Emma laughs a little at that.

“Yeah, Rubes said the same thing.. I just.. I dunno. I’m sorry I opened my mouth,”

“Emma, there’s nothing to be sorry for,”

“There is.. I did it when I was high..that’s why you smelt poppies and pixie dust on me.. Your mom and Rumple were the two people lighting it up on the beach and I just caved,”

“I know...and I take it Rumple was also the escapee,” Regina says more than asks.

“He was,” Emma admits and Regina hums..

“You talked about everything else. You actually jumped to talk about everything else but the one thing that just happened.... But I take it you don’t  _ want _ to talk about the pregnancy test you just made me take or we would be doing that right now,”

“I don’t know what to say about it.. I don’t know if I just created hope and killed it for myself or just jumped the gun. I don’t know what I just did, but I know I don’t understand it and I don’t want to,”

“Then tell me what you want and I’ll do it,” Regina offers and Emma sighs.. For the third time, she sighs, but she looks at Regina and she smiles with an enigmatic grin before she falls back onto the bed and begins to laugh, not just laugh, but shake her head in disbelief as she does so…

Emma sighs happily this time and just says.

“Promise you will marry me and we’ll make our little girl,”

“We will,” Regina says as if she should know that but Emma shakes her head and sits up.

“No. Be determined. Be the Regina I’m used to seeing, the Regina who didn’t need anybody, like at all. I want that Regina to tell me we’ll succeed and I want that Regina to tell me she will marry me...please,” she begs but she’s still smiling. Regina shakes her head and her mouth opens and closes a few times before she stops. 

“Emma. Look at me,” she says and the blonde obediently does so. Regina takes hold of her hands and kisses each of them. “We will be.. Perfect,” she whispers and it’s all she says to her.. Somehow, that works. Those four words work. “I love you,” she continues. “I never thought I’d say it, but I love you and I already told you, I don’t intend not to keep falling in love with you.. Just catch me. It’s all I ask,”

“You caught me already.. I’ll always catch you, Regina.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“You sure you don’t want some ice for that Nicky?” Henry questioned his best friend and once again, Nick groaned. Henry’s face scrunched up at him. “Have you tried- you know,” he said and by the way he said it, it made Nick roll over and scowl at him.

“I live with a twin-,” he stops to muffle a groan. “- sister and my parents. If they don’t sense something- she definitely will. How do you..mmmf. Expect me to do that?”

“I don’t know, I was just asking, don’t shoot off my head,” Henry tells him and Nick huffs. “My grandma left us condoms and you have blue balls- my night  _ canno _ t get any worse,” he says with a roll of his eyes and Nick’s groan sounds even more painful. Henry gets up and goes over to his desk before he grabs his laptop and tosses it on the bed. “Incognito window is your best friend right now- use it.. I’ll be outside until you’re done..I need a cold shower anyway,” the boy told him and Nick would’ve taken offense to the way Henry spoke to him. It sounded detached and loosely bound around him not wanting to deal with Nick at that point, but Nick knew that the way his ears heard it, is not the intent behind Henry’s words. His friend is wholely concerned and confused as to how he should help and amongst other things, Nick isn’t so sure even he knows how to help himself. He blindly reaches back for the laptop and slides it over his side.a muffled, ‘thanks’ leaves his mouth and Henry grabs his towel before he’s attempting to leave his room.

“Henry?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks man,” Nick says gruffly and Henry nods.

“Sure thing, Nicky,” he manages before he walks into the hallway- bumping his Grandmother on the way. She looks at him for a moment and then the words just come out.

“You two sword fight yet? Is that why you have this towel? Gonna wash off that evidence huh,” Cora goes on and Henry grunts

“God nana, no. No we did not ‘sword fight’ and there’s no ‘evidence’ either..” he says before crossing his arms and she breathes deeply.

“Thank God because I have no idea what I’d say to your mother if you did. She’d kill me three times before she grounded you and then she’d resurrect me and pull a Scorpion and fucking make me ‘COME OVER HERE!’ before she whooped my ass,”

“Yeah.. I don’t think either of us are ready for that anyway, nana..besides.. Nick’s never...anyway. I need to go take a shower,”

“Yes, you may want to quickly unless you intend to suffer from the same predicament as Nicholas,”

“He’s fixing it,” is all Henry said and Cora’s face scrunched up for a second.

“You’re letting him drain it himself?”

“What?!-No! No..he’s.. Doing things, just-don’t go in there- got it?”

“Yes yes..well, I’ll leave you to it then,”

“Did you get the email from mom?”

“Yes and about that...nevermind,” Cora shakes her head. “Another story for another day. Good night Henry,”

“Night nana.. Try to get some sleep tonight. I don’t think I’ve actually watched you do anything but nap every time you come over,”

“And I probably won’t start anytime soon either, but we’ll see what happens tonight. Something tells me Ian is already out for the count... “ she grins and Henry smirks.

“It was the food.”

“Definitely the food.. And the ass whooping,” she laughs and Henry shakes his head, still holding onto that boyish smirk. Cora nods in finality and Henry nods back before he heads to his bathroom and goes to takes that very long and  _ very _ cold shower.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma had long since drifted asleep and Regina, well- she was still wide awake. Very much wide awake. At first she’d just laid there in the bed and stared at the ceiling- the depicted night sky she’d dreamt of times before still twirling and swirling across the ceiling in their master bedroom.  _ Their _ \- now that was a word she’d never dreamt of saying... _ ever _ . She sighed, but not from any debilitating feelings- she sighed because that was just a crutch thing for her to do. It was either that or stare at the damn ceiling for a good century and a half. Option A was sounding better in her head than it did in any other version of reality. Option B… that was if she ever lost her mind enough to actually not realize she’d pretty much have to be stoned just to do it. So, the woman lets her thoughts run wild and her ‘imagination’ take hold, though there isn’t much imagination to fall back on at this moment when all of it was being displayed across the bedroom ceiling  _ is _ her imagination.

 

She sits up and allows her feet to thump lightly on the bedroom flooring. She wiggles her toes and that’s good enough that she stands and walks over to the room door before taking her robe off of it and putting it on. It’s a little, thin thing and her equally thin, lace nightgown isn’t much of added help to retain heat. Still, she puts it on and then ties it off before she turns back to see that Emma looks like heaven’s dream girl just sleeping oh so peacefully. It’s something in the way Emma just is that has Regina drawn to her now more than ever and she wouldn’t have admitted it to anyone a while back if you asked her, but now she sees why there were so many moments that were the way they were because of how she and the blonde interacted. She’s more than aware now of why her heart raced and why her knees went weak or why she felt this surge of power come over her. She realizes that most of those interactions weren’t just because they claimed to know one another- it’s because they already  _ knew _ each other and they knew what made the other woman tick. Emma and Regina knew how to pull one another over the edge and still stay so grounded and rooted to it all. Emma was and is Regina’s excitement and she became the heartbeat that Regina didn’t even know she’d come to love. It wasn’t in that sappy way where she’d say you gave me life- no. Emma added to her already blossoming life and reintroduced her to the possibility and likelyhood of a new love; and Regina found herself accepting that new love without so much as a wink. How she’d managed to do that without feeling as though her strength was being taken away from her is once again accredited to Emma’s behaviour and Emma’s belief in her and Emma’s love for her. It was all Emma all the time and she couldn’t be happier about it. She couldn’t find herself  _ not  _ saying it wasn’t because of Emma. Yes, Henry was and still is the same thing for her, but now Emma existed, and where Emma existed.. So did most things in life. The good things at that.

 

Regina finds her feet taking her back to the bed and then she’s making her way on Emma’s side before she sighs helplessly, completely unaware that the blonde has turned over slightly just to look at her. Even in the bleary lighting of the room and equally as bleary lighting in Emma’s sight- all the blonde sees is a brunette beauty before her.

“Why do you love me?” Regina asks as she stares out the window of the bedroom. From where she’s sat, all she can see is the lighting from the moon and the tip of the library. Her fingers twitch and fidget. “Why do you care so much? Why do you- _ why _ ...why do you...why do I?” she finally asks herself before shaking her head in defiance to her own personal questions. Regina gulps and tries to reign in her runaway mind. “I don’t know why it’s you and I don’t know why it’s me with you, but I do know.. I’m falling in love with you Emma. I’m falling and I don’t want to fall and not have you catch me because I will catch you- I swear to it that I will catch you. My heart… it feels you. It feels Henry and it feels Mya.. I just.. I want this to work- _ God _ do I want it to work,” she admits quietly and in a manner akin to pleading. “I want happiness. I want your happiness and Henry’s and Mya’s and I want my own, but I want it to be with you and our children. I’m afraid...I’m always afraid. I’ve always been afraid, that’s why I had the evil queen. She was like an alter ego and a sister in one,” Regina admits with a hollow laugh. “She was the older sister though. She would be the type to get annoyed at me because I was and still am sensitive. But she would protect me when no one else would.. And since you went up against her-not as the saviour but just as Emma...she respected you and much like those predictable girls we see in movies- I fell for that charm and that...everything- _ your _ everything, Emma. I fell for you in ways I didn’t even realize were possible and I don’t regret it one single second.. And even if nothing works out-even if we don’t get the happy ending we’re fighting so hard to create, I wish there was some way I could tell you that this- _ this _ right here was and will forever be my happy ending,” she continues and another laugh comes but it’s wet. “You know, in ways I see Daniel in you. I see..everything I’ve had and it’s as if he’s reincarnated in you. I see his gentle soul and his caring nature and his quiet appeal. I see my clumsy deceased fiancee in my equally as clumsy, current fiancee-well, when you propose properly, which I know you will, then I can call you that..and I’m waiting to be able to call you that. I’m waiting to make it a reality so that I can proudly tell everyone that I got the girl- you know… I got... _ you _ . I got you and I need no one else. You were my lion tattooed love. You just didn’t exist right then and there. And if I’m still to be on this honesty run, I want more children with you.. Maybe the same little soccer team you suggested,” she jokes and laughs at the thought. “We’d need a bigger house and a hell of a lot of time off. You’d probably never go for a farm considering you’re afraid of horses… but the children would love them, and I would of course have all of them to be little equestrian riders. I see their eyes, green and bright. Filled with the envy to have better for themselves. I can see your fire in the eyes of our little ones. I see your somber attitude and your joyous flicker of life in them. Your dimpled chin- and I can clearly see you in Mya- even if I’m convinced she’s going to come out looking like your mother. But I suppose it wouldn’t all be so bad if she did look like a miniature version of Snow White.. I just pray she isn’t as pale as your mother and she’ll be alright.”

Silence encapsulates the room after Regina’s last few words have been spoken. A very heavy sigh leaves her and she stands before going towards the door once more and as if she can sense that Emma is a wake now and staring at her still, Regina turns her head only slightly to speak.

“True Love Got you into a mess, but it’s not a mess anymore.. True Love made me open my heart to you. It will forever stay open whether you leave me or stay. My heart is open to you and I can never close it. I will never close it. I just want you to accept me and the love I have to give.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s wonderfully frosty at night these times of year and though they’re going into Summer and it should be steaming, the night’s prove to be of a different breed each time any of the people who live in that extravagantly white mansion, decide to go outside. This time, it was Cora- out for God knows what reason.

  
  


“You knew,” comes those two words in a barely audible whisper. Cora doesn’t move, she doesn’t shake, she just speaks from her heart.

“I knew,” she responds, eyes not searching the expanse of the backyard, but settled on nothing but the darkness behind the bushes. It’s midnight black this time around and the entire place is deathly quiet with only the slightest hint of light that came from the back porch sconce hung on the wall of the mansion.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” she questions and Cora merely shrugs.

“I didn’t see need to,” is what she tells her and then she turns her head before making a motion with her hand. “Come. Sit,” she tells her youngest and the brunette listens. Regina pushes away from the sliding door post and makes the five steps to the first step of the deck. She sits and rubs at her legs, the chill isn’t quite gone from the season yet. Once Regina settles into her position, Cora looks at her and smirks.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Cora says smiling.

“No mother, it’s something, what is it?”

“It’s honestly nothing,”

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m just…” Cora pauses to sigh in relief. “..I’m happy I get to be here to see you find love again.. Well, I don’t think you needed to look very far considering she found you. Literally, she found you..twice if I’m correct,” Cora grinned a bit and Regina smiled.

“Emma’s found me more than twice,” Regina says with an oozing confidence encased in something Cora knows all too well.. That high school girl feeling or smitten nature where love is concerned. “She always seems to know where I am. She always seems to know..me. She always has and I doubt she’ll ever stop knowing me,” Regina continued and her mother smirks.

“I second that.. But like I said, I’m wholeheartedly happy that I get to see it reincarnate before my eyes. I see so many things that remind me of your first time with love and I wish I had never touched it. I wish I never did what I did- I wish… Regina, I wish I never killed Daniel, and I don’t want to say that it turned out for the better, because I’m sure in another universe.. Emma is yours just as you were Daniel’s. I knew but said nothing because like most happily ever afters, there’s always a little deception.. I mean, if that’s one thing I learned from watching the cartoon versions of ourselves, it’s that every single love story has started out with deception. Ariel makes Eric think she’s human. Cinderella had the prince thinking she was this rich little thing and well… you get the rest. The whole point is- You and Emma are no different- and yet..you are in the same breath. A walking contradiction of epic proportions. You both began with a degree level of deceit, but you still somehow managed to stay honest, however sarcastically put it may have been.. And before you ask how I know, I’ve always been watching, from the moment she came to Storybrooke up to now. I have been watching and well within good reason. Yes the first few times around were under a false reasoning, but since then, since I had left and came back, I see what it is you’ve been fighting to prevent yourself from falling into..and that’s love- a new love,” Cora tells her. Left is the word Cora uses to not say die considering that word gives even her an unnatural shiver in her bones…” And Ruby brought me up to speed like last week or something. So, it wasn’t a surprise when Emma told me none of it was real. I was watching from then and up until a few months ago, I’d still have believed her words..”

“..and now?”

“Now?” she questions and Regina nods. “Now, I don’t know. I feel like I’m about to watch the most beautiful story come together since..well- and I hate to admit this, but Snow White and Prince Charming,”

“Who’s Prince Charming in your eyes?” Regina asks as she tilts her head in her mother’s direction and Cora looks over at her with a smile.

“You’d be surprised if I said you, but.. It is you. And it’s not you saving Emma- no. That’s not what you exist for. It’s not how you work- that’s not your place. You’re not there to rescue her. You’re there to remind her that she already had the strength to be who she needed to be, you’re just her ‘person’ as Henry puts it. You’re the love that keeps her going and she said little about the entire thing, but if there’s one thing I know about her.. It’s that she loves and she loves hard. When she tells you she loves you, never take it lightly,”

“I don’t,”

“I know. I’m just reminding you. Never take her lightly. She means it. She always means it. Even if she gets upset, know that she means her love,”

“I know, mama,” Regina whispers and Cora nods. Regina leans until her head is resting on her mother’s shoulder and then is when a relaxed sigh escapes her.

“Good.. now that that’s out of the way.. Let’s talk about your fast handed son..and his gay best friend because I’m not dreaming that am I? I’m not assuming that Nick is gay when he’s not, am I?”

“No, mama..you’re not. Nicholas.. Is gay. I told Emma this earlier. And part of it wasn’t surprising because of the dinner she and I had with Henry before he ended up in hospital. He’d kept saying my friend this or my friend that and at first I suppose both of us assumed he meant himself and didn’t know how to tell us that he was-,”

“-wait! You two dumb dumbs thought Henry didn’t know how to tell you he was gay?” Cora asks and Regina nods. “ _ Henry? _ ” Regina nods again. “Regina, are you even hearing yourself? You do realize that his two rarely straight mothers are in a gay relationship- how hard could it be for him to tell you he’s a raging homosexual- well, minus the rage,”

“You’d be surprised. You can have gay parents and still feel the fear of coming out to them because it’s happened before. I remember one of his classmates has two fathers and when she came out to them, they’d told her that they wish she wasn’t- not because it’s a bad thing, clearly, but because they didn’t want her to go through what they went through and are still going through,”

“What? They actually said that to her?” Cora asks very surprised and Regina nods.

“ I was waiting for Henry one day and I’d overheard the conversation.. It was heart wrenching and saddening to know that as happy as they may be there’s always someone there to mess it all up. There’s always someone who tries to take away your happiness….” she trails off and scowls and Cora snickers lightly.

“I take it you just had an Evil Queen flashback?” she questions and Regina grunts, she pats her head.

“Yes, and I’m regretting those words even more now...Nicholas is gay,” Regina then says in topic change and Cora laughs.

“Yes. Yes he is. That boy is gayer than a unicorn on a rainbow with pride flags,”

“That’s a rather detailed version, but I suppose you’re right. Henry seems to be.. trying to help him figure it out,”

“And help himself figure it out too. I had to throw condoms at him and warn him not to do anything I wouldn’t.. Or at least I think I told him that.. I know I warned him,” Cora says and Regina stiffens.

“You threw condoms at my fifteen year old son?” she questions now sitting up ramrod straight.

“And Nicholas, why- is that a bad thing?”

“Yes!- I mean.. No...no, it’s not a bad thing, mama. It’s just.. “ Regina trails off and Cora shifts in her spot.

“I’ve done something- tell me what I did wrong. I was just trying to help,” Cora claims and Regina sighs.

“Mama, I know you were. It’s okay. I’d made fun of Emma earlier about being paranoid about the possibility that something may happen and the fact that you told me you gave Henry condoms is a bit disconcerting if I’m being honest...how did you even get a hold of those?”

“Mayim. She wanted us to go out and party and gave me two of them. She said just in case I got lucky, I’d be prepared. I asked her what the hell they were and she said ‘penis balloons’,” Cora told Regina and Regina shut her eyes.

“She told you…”

“Yes, granted I did understand what she meant afterwards so I suppose her term of identification wasn’t so bad. I thought I was doing a good thing giving them to him. I may be old but I know how teenagers work.. Almost the same way I’d have had to deal with you and Daniel if you both were still that age.. Or you and Emma, but I’m convinced Emma would’ve gotten in your pants much quicker-,”

“-Mother!” Regina belts but there’s no real malice in her words.

“What? I’m just saying. You held out with Daniel and you were what eighteen?” she questions and Regina nods. “Okay then. Girls are a little bit more versed in a way that men aren’t. Emma would have wined and dined you without having to physically take you anywhere and you’d have fallen for her in that second. You think the first time you two met here was explosive- try raging teen hormones and a lack of sexual release. You’d have blown up the Enchanted Forest, and that place is already as gay as those men from the YMCA song,”

“Sometimes you make me wonder, mama,” Regina says before laughing and Cora hugs her.

“Sometimes I make myself wonder… Feel better?”

“No.. I’m still worried Henry might do something,”

“He won’t,”

“How do you know?”

“Because he left the room.. Well, that was after I walked in on them-,”

“- the same way you did with me and Emma?”

“Yes, but I believe I knocked with him and he didn’t answer, so I went in.. they were having what the teens call a ‘makeout session’ and I’d interrupted. I just assumed by the way they were- they were going to go all the way or something. So I threw condoms at him and pretty much ran after that. When I came out of your room, he’d said he left Nick in there to ‘deal with it’ so to speak… I doubt Henry’s ready.. I doubt Nicholas is ready. They both looked too afraid to be remotely ready...but you will need to speak with him, you and Emma both. I may have screwed up how you should start but I’m positive he’ll come to you with something before you can figure out how to talk to him about it,”

“Emma and I haven’t figured out how to approach him on the matter. He doesn’t know we know and to reduce the possibility of him thinking we eavesdropped or something, we’re stuck hoping that he waits it out. We have some sort of blind faith that Henry won’t jump the gun and I’ve already had the sex talk with him, but as of right now, it’s as if our words are muffled in his ears. Because neither he or Nick can get pregnant, I don’t think he sees the worry. It’s not legal anyway. He’s fifteen, he still has to wait and we wish that he would because it’s not easy being the parents to a teenager who thinks he or she knows what’s best for themselves, not realizing we’ve been there and all we want is to protect him from it...Mama, I just.. I want to be a better mother to our son, but I don’t know how,” Regina admits and Cora rubs her back before kissing the top of her head.

“You’ll learn, sweetheart. You will learn.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

She climbs back into their bed and rolls over before latching on to Emma and burying her face into the blonde’s shoulder blades. She sighs heavily and it’s relieving.

“hey,” comes Emma’s sleep ridden voice and Regina smiles to herself. “You left the galaxy on the ceiling,” she continues and Regina hums against her.

“I needed something there to protect you,” Regina tells her and a soft smile flashes across Emma’s face. Emma rubs at her eyes and turns over in Regina’s hold before she looks at reddened eyes and blows into them gently.

“hi,” she whispers to the blonde and Emma’s lip twitches with a smile.

“Where’d you go?” she questions before shimmying into the hold better.

“To talk to my mother, and stress about our son,” Regina admits and Emma hums.

“That sounds like your daily routine,” Emma jokes and Regina scrunches up her face but grins.

“Well, if neither of them were so troublesome or worrying then I wouldn’t have to keep it as my regularly scheduled routine now would I?”

“Fair enough.. So…...you get anything cleared up?”

“For the most part, but after a while I just wanted to come back here and be with you,”she admits with a blush that even a blind person can see.

“You’re getting softer and softer as the days go on. I hope I don’t manage to turn you into some high school teenager again,” Emma says with a tone bordering on playful sarcasm.

“You already have.. And in the worst ways no less,” she says and Emma wiggles.

“Well,  _ sorrrryyyy _ ,” the blonde says and Regina rolls her eyes. She feels Emma’s arms come around her and nudge her head upwards so that their lips meet in a soft and tender kiss. “Go to sleep,” Emma urges and Regina lets out a huff but she nods and settles her face in the crook of Emma’s neck. Emma kisses her head and pulls her in tighter, feeling Regina burrow deeper into her. Soon, the telltale sign of the lightest little baby snore comes from Regina, indicating that she’s passed out. Emma slowly eases herself away from the woman, but there is a death grip on her like no other. “Baby..let go, I need to pee,” she says and in all honesty, she does genuinely have to pee. There’s a mumble from Regina, but somehow she’s released and Emma dashes to the bathroom as quietly as she can manage with her heavy feet and relieves herself. Not too long after, she re-emerges and walks back over to the bed. She does her usual ritual of kneeling wherever she can and raising whatever it is Regina has on before she starts the kissing. She says nothing this time in the quiet of the bedroom. All she does is layer kiss after kiss across Regina’s body.

 

By the time she nears the final few, she stops and looks up at the ceiling, the galaxy is still splayed across it and Emma reaches up before she’s tracing the outline of the galaxy. It’s cohesive nature calms her and when she looks back down at Regina, she speaks.

“Everything you could ever give me.. You’ve already given me. Every single thought of protecting me and loving me and keeping me okay..you’ve already done that too. Your mistakes saved me, whether my parents see it as that or not. My mistakes brought me to you. My life brought me to you and I’m grateful for every hectic, stressful and heated moment we had. I’m grateful that now is when I get just you. Not the mayor- not the evil queen, just Regina.”

 

She pauses, shakes her head and just continues to kiss the woman’s body in reverence.

_ 90..91..92……...93 _

 

93 Kisses on June twelfth of 2015.

93 Promises.

93 I love you’s.

93 reasons to stay.

93 days of promises kept.

93 days closer to hope.. To something.

 


	21. I did good? Movie Night? May I count the kisses this time?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's cute!

It’s been a good few days since Cora had agreed to work at the station with Emma and everyone else, but she’d just as quickly urged the blonde to take time off and just relax. Emma took that as distract Regina every single opportunity she could and enable Henry’s want to  _ not _ do his homework amongst other things. She did manage to be adult enough to carry him to his Physical Therapy sessions when he needed to be there or make sure Ian got in the house when he needed to, but other than that, Emma reverted to a little delinquent that seemed to constantly be on the prowl to avoid adulthood and get Regina into a big mess of distraction with kisses and impromptu snacking sessions and a little fondling here and there when she got phone calls. At one point, Emma had managed to make her moan on the phone with the final few investors and had later gotten a rather intense scolding after Regina promptly glared at her which she laughed off and kissed away in the easiest way she knew how. To say Regina was letting her get away with murder was an understatement for the century. The brunette usually caved with the puppy dog eyes or the apology accompanied by the pout, or pretty much anything. Emma had her wrapped around her finger and Regina didn’t know how the hell that happened, but she never once rejected it.

 

Cora for her part had assumed Mulan’s position for the time being and was enjoying herself and the asston of paperwork they gave her. She was much like Regina’s nature of being a woman of order and putting things where they needed to be, and that’s why when she disappeared for a few hours here and there out of the day, she’d simply come back looking like she just killed a dragon and emerged with more triumph that the usual saviours and princes. But today was a good few days in and she was twiddling a pencil in between her fingers and humming to herself. More than likely it was something only Rumple and Granny would remember, unless she’d sang it to Regina when she was a little girl, but part of her doubts that. She keeps twiddling and twiddling until David and Little John walk into the room with more papers.

“What’s that?” she questions and David shakes his head.

“We don’t know. We found these in the back of one of the old patrol cars lined off in the back of the station,” David had said and Cora tilted her head.

“Did you check all of the trunks?” she questions and he nods.

“Yeah and a few of them just have spare tires and car jacks, but there’s more papers. Like five boxes worth and I don’t know where the trolley is to move them,” he said and Cora snapped her fingers and one appeared. David looks at her and speaks. “You didn’t have to,” he begins but she shakes her head.

“It’s fine, besides, there are some files missing from the room. I suppose those would be the ones there that I need. However Graham filed those reports, he did them backwards and the majority of them are missing dates which means they have to be moved to miscellaneous and cold cases…” she trails off and David nods before the phone rings. He drops the box on the floor as Little John walks over to Cora and they strike up their own conversation.

“Alright-alright.. Yes we will be there as soon as we can- I know.. Yes ma’am, I know. Okay, we’re coming,” he says as he rushes off the phone and yanks up his entire vest with all of his guns in their holsters. Little John and Cora look over and they both give him that look that is a silent question of ‘what happened?’. “John, do you think you can stay here and bring in the rest of the files, Cora, I’ll need you to come with me,” he said. Little John nodded and Cora stood up quickly, grabbing her taser and whatever else they’d provided her. She couldn’t shoot for shit and it’s only been a few days, training isn’t something they could have done that fast. David puts a hand to Cora’s back and begins to guide her out. “We’ll be back as soon as it’s over. Keep your radio on you in case we call for backup,” he says and Little John nods. David then guides Cora to the car and doesn’t blink before he’s functioning on that autopilot motive she’s seen both her daughter and Emma do so often. He puts the car in drive and before Cora can fathom what exactly it is David might need her to do, they’re pulling up just shy of a corner and David’s eyes squint at what he sees. There’s three-maybe four people in total with masks on and one’s clearly in the driver seat waiting as another leans up against the car, but David can’t make out their genders considering everyone’s dressed in all black and sneakers. Cora looks up and she too squints before she’s leaning closer and closer to the windshield of the car. Her eyes go wide as she thinks she knows exactly who that is. 

“Who called it in?” she questions and David looks a little lost at the moment as he speaks, maintaining eye contact with the car.

“Mrs Buttersworth,” he’d said and Cora raises a brow.

“The syrup lady?”

“Yeah..”

“What was the distress?” she questions and he thinks for a moment before speaking.

“Vandalism and a possible robbery...get out,” David says and she listens. They do so quietly and David makes hand signals that they trail the side of the building. Once they come up close enough to keep the car in view he visually remembers the license plate and notices the driver is male. David looks back at Cora and she knows that look. Her fingers twirl and without any indication to the driver, she flattens the tires.

“You guys are taking too long!” One of them shouts and it’s the person leaning up against the car. That one is clearly male as well and he pushes off the car before going inside. “Stay here, I gotta see what’s taking these idiots so long,” he says and disappears into the building. The driver tilts his head up and laughs and David takes that as an opportunity to sneak around the driver door of the car. Cora follows as quickly as she can and watches David yank the door open and pull the guy out, smoothing his possible screams with his hands. Meanwhile, Cora can hear things crashing and smashing inside the building and then she turns back to David, still battling to cuff the guy.

“I’m..sorry-to do this-but,” he grunts out before striking the guy with the butt of the gun. He conks out cold and David zipties his hands together before he’s nodding to Cora to help him drag the body away. They neglect the car door and manage to drag him back behind the wall just in time that the other guy comes back out. He growls.

“Where in the hell did Nate go, now!” he belts and Cora’s ears flinch in acknowledgment of the name. She’s heard of the name Nate before. She quickly turns and yanks the mask off the guy, taking into account that this is the same Nate from that night she was out partying with Mayim...and Denny. Cora stuffs his mask into his mouth and taps David’s shoulder as the other masked man rants and raves about their missing driver.

“I know who these people are,” she says in a hollow tone and David looks at her for a moment before nodding his belief in her. They hear footsteps and Cora stands up before she’s taking David’s gun from him and drawing her tazer. The footsteps get closer and closer and then the guy banks the corner and gets both a jolt of electricity to the balls as well as a gunbutt to the head. He collapses in a thud and David wastes no time in dragging the body away. Once he’s stuffed that guy’s mask into his mouth, Cora shakes her head. “That’s Kevin and that’s Nate..Nate O’Neal … I’m betting that the last two people inside are Mayim and Denny,” she says and David’s eyes bulge a little. He’s about to ask her when she just nods. His body collapses into itself a bit and he doesn’t know whether to hug her or keep moving. By the indication that she’s clearly not stopping, he takes it as a keep moving sign and follows Cora. She draws her hand back and passes him his gun before she pulls her cuffs out and he does the same. The rest of what happens is a blur.

 

Cora and David get in and the place is dusty due to the breaking of items and the fact that the place hasn’t been open for the past nine years. They hear smashing and laughing and jokes being told and the words babe and baby are flying around and it just makes her sick. She hears that voice that she knows belongs to Mayim and then it happens. As she and David get closer, they waste no time in apprehending both of them. Cora remembers saying before she even got the cuffs on the woman.

“Mayim- Denny, you’re both under arrest for Vandalism, breaking and entering and disturbance of the peace. You have the right to…” and then her brain stopped as she jerked back to reality. 

 

Sat at her desk was Mayim whose fingerprints she was now taking. She filled out the paperwork and after searching both her and Denny, they’d found out that he was in possession of an unregistered gun. She’d moved on from Mayim and onto Denny, now taking his fingerprints and filling out his paperwork as David asked Mayim a few questions. The other two men were already in a cell and by the time Cora had finished with Denny and Mayim, she was only aware now that she too had functioned on autopilot. She remembers seeing Mayim’s pleading eyes not to scar Denny’s record or hers but without saying it, Cora had pretty much told her no, she wasn’t about to cover her ass.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


They were still being processed, but both were put in a holding cell for the time being. Cora sighed and rubbed at her eyes. It was too early to be putting people she cared about in jail cells, but why did they have to be idiots-reckless idiots at that. David slid the stack of paperwork on the desk and she flipped them open. Processing was done and it was now officially logged into their files. David just wanted her to make sure he’d filed everything correctly. He had. Down to the last vowel, he had. Cora stands and makes her way over to the holding cell before she looks at the first two men and tell them,

“You’ve been granted bail, but you’re both due in court for public services that will be monitored by officers. 1200 hours community service and payment for the reconstruction of the building you broke into.” She didn’t wait to hear their response and frankly, she knows they were relieved to not be put into prison for that. It wasn’t a petty crime, but it wasn’t one they could simply say is jail worthy either. She walks over to the holding cell where Mayim and Denny were and opened her mouth to speak but Mayim beat her to it.

“Did you do it?” is what she asks the woman and Cora sighs before holding her head back up and saying.

“Yes. It would be illegal to leave out pertinent information in a crime that has been committed. You’ve both been processed and are also due in court for further instruction on your sentencing. Bail has not been set and the possibility that you will both be in these cells for a longer period of time is likely. You’ve both been charged with Vandalism, breaking and entering, disturbing the peace and possession of an unregistered weapon. You are allowed a phone call to contact a lawyer if need be. If you can’t afford one, one will be provided for you,” she manages and at first Mayim just stares at her, but then there’s a smirk that sounds like a sigh of laughter in a mode of disbelief. And then it happens again and again until Mayim’s fully laughing.. And once again, Cora forgets the rest.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Why is it that doing the right thing always makes me feel shitty, David?” she’d asked him after coming to. Mayim had said some things to her- things no one should repeat and it took all of Cora not to respond and not to cry, both Little John and David watched her bite back her own words but the redness in her eyes were matched by the anger in Mayim’s. She’d walked away from the woman shortly after and disappeared into the room. Denny had tried telling her to calm down, but she raged and she raged and she threw insult after insult at the woman. When the dust had settled Cora went to sit outside on the steps and David had followed behind her.

 

David sighed. “Because we always end up hurting the people we love and care about the most as a result of it… Tell you what, take the rest of the day off, me and Little John will deal with it from here. You did your part and you helped us more than you know.. Go home, take a rest and I’ll call you if anything new comes up, okay?” he’d bargained with her and she took it. She took the offer without blinking. She wanted to leave anyway. She couldn’t deal with that.. With going back just to hear that. So, the woman nodded and took her leave. She’d stopped off to the liquor store and picked up a bottle of rum before walking the rest of the distance back to Regina’s mansion. When she gets inside, she bumps into Emma and the blonde looks confused.

“You quit already?”

“No.. your father sent me home,” she admits and Emma laughs.

“You blow something up again,” she grins and by Cora’s lost and sorrowful expression and the shake of her head, Emma knows it’s not a laughing matter anymore. “What happened?” is her next few words and Cora shakes her head.

“Nothing,”

“Something happened. You have a brown paper bag and my guess is that it’s alcohol. My dad sent you home early, so something happened. What is it?” Emma urges and Cora sighs before walking into the kitchen, which was silent invitation for the blonde to follow. Cora pours them both a drink and slides it over to Emma who takes it and drinks it.

“It’s Mayim,” she begins and in that moment, she begins to divulge everything that occurred over the last three hours of her work shift. By the time she’s finished her story,she’s drained more of the bottle than she expected and internally groans at herself.

“I envy you,” Emma admits and Cora looks up at her as if to ask- why?. “I may have covered her ass if she was my friend,”

“Mmm, maybe. That’s just it though, we haven’t been friends in a while. I suppose it only seems fitting it ended this way,”

“Hey, no. Come on.You’re saying that like it’s the end of the world,” Emma told her before putting her glass in the sink and Cora shrugs non-commitally as she swigs back a huge gulp of rum.

“Isn’t it though?” she asks, not really looking for the answer to that.

“No. Not even remotely. Look, you were being responsible and proving to Mayim and Denny that you put right where it’s supposed to be. If any of you were faced with that situation, you would all react differently. You just happened to be the one to act responsibly. She can be pissed about it and hate you for it all she wants, but listen to me when I say, she has nothing but respect for you  _ because _ of it. So, be happy and proud… you did good,” Emma says with a smirk.

“I did good?” she asks very surprised.

“Yeah, you kicked ass, Cora. Hell, even I’m proud of you,” Emma admits and Cora nods.

“You are?”

“Yeah,” Emma nods.

“Well damn, that’s good to know,” she admits.

“Makes you feel good to know that right?”

“It does..guess I shouldn’t have left big, little man and your father all by themselves at the station, huh?”

“Naahhhh, they’re good on their own,” she says before putting an arm around the old woman. “What’s say you? Movie night tonight with the kid and wife to be?”

“Do I get to invite Marco?”

“Sure, why not,”

“Can I pick the food?”

“Mmmmm..yeah,”

“Can Ermis pick the movie?”

“Not on his life,” Emma laughs and so does Cora. “I am not about to sit through the possibility that he picks a documentary to watch- a duck documentary at that,” she smirks.

“Fine,” Cora caves but she grins. Emma sticks her hand out to shake and Cora does the same. Emma shakes, but Cora..she spit shakes. The blonde cringes and slides her hand out of Cora’s grasp.

“Please tell me you didn’t,”

“I did.. Was I not supposed to?”

“Well…..no,” Emma says now wiping her hand on her jeans.

“Oh. I was just following what I saw on the television,”

“You ever hear of the word ‘don’t’?”

“Yes I have, smartass. Doesn’t mean that word registers all the time,”

“Whatever, Now you know. No spit shaking…...wanna bother Gina with me?”

“Heck yeah! Wait!... _ how _ ?”

“Oh.. you’ll see,” Emma grins.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


“ _ Pause _ ,” Regina says without looking up. “Guilty one and Guilty two, what are you two doing?” she questions with a stern tone. She’d long since heard both the house door and her office door creak and had put two and two together.

“Nothing! I swear!” Cora caves immediately and Emma groans before thumping her forehead. Regina held a triumphant smirk as she now looked at them. Emma made her way over to the brunette and kissed her on the lips softly. Regina detects that slight taste of alcohol. Sweet and musky all in the same go round. “Awwww, you two are so cute even if this is all fake as shit right now!” Cora says clapping her hands. Emma’s head falls onto Regina’s shoulder. The younger brunette dips her face into the crook of Emma’s neck and kisses her there with a soft grin. Emma shimmies the rest of her body onto the desk table and allows her legs to swing lightly even though they’re just shy of touching the floor.

“We came to be bad distractions,” Emma admits and Regina hums.

“I know,” the brunette answers toothily. “Do tell me what you had in store for me. Yesterday consisted of songs from the heart,”

“We didn’t think that far,” Cora said and Regina laughs a bit out of character. She flicks her fingers and her eyes flutter in disbelief.

“Wait, let me get this straight-,”

“-no pun intended?” Cora interjected and Regina rolled her eyes.

“You two planned to be bad distractions and didn’t actually think the distractions through?”

“Correction. We didn’t think of them at all,” her mother said and Regina sputters a laugh.

“I should have known the answer to that,” she said as she mindlessly handled a stack of papers.

“We planned movie night though,” Cora says and Regina raises her head again.

“Oh really. And who’s going to be attending this movie night?”

“Well, us,” she motions. “And I invited Marco,”

“Ahh I see. Who’s in charge of snacks?”

“Me,”

“And the movie?”Regina questions now walking away from the desk.

“Well, this one won’t let Ermis pick the movie so I guess you or something.

“Seems logical. I take it the invitation hasn’t been extended to your parents then?” Regina now asks as she turns to Emma.

“No.. no it hasn’t,” she admits, albeit a little distracted.

“And why not?” she folds her arms.

“Because,” Emma shrugs non-commitally.

“Because isn’t an answer, Emma. Invite them over. We’ve cancelled so many end of the week family dinners that I’m beginning to think they believe we genuinely despise them,”

“My parents or the dinner?”

“In the mind of your mother...both. Invite them. Please,”

“Why?”

“Because it would make me happy and it’s the right thing to do. Besides, would you rather hear do it for me  _ and _ the baby?”

“Ughhhhh fine. Cora-,” Emma begins before slapping her leg. “Call my mom and tell them the plans-.”

“-No, Emma. You go call them. They’re your parents,”

“But I don’t wannaaaaa!” she whines.

“I can see that. It’s not hard to notice when you embody the attitude of a five year old. Call them. They’re coming over for movie night. End of,” Regina tells her sternly.

“Alright-damn!,” she belts and Regina just looks at her. “Jeez, tell a woman you love her and she turns into your wife,”

“ That’s because you went ahead and told everyone I was going to be your wife and then have your baby and  _ then _ is when you decided to tell me you love me,”

“I do, so there’s that, but you’re making me do things I don’t wanna,”

“Because you love me,” Regina says, rising from her seat. She walks between Emma’s thighs and kisses her softly on the cheek.

“I do,” Emma nods and Regina puts her hands to the blonde’s thighs. She squeezes them lightly before finding the woman’s hands and tugging her off the table. Cora gets up but she goes to look for Henry instead. “Your mom’s a little broken up over Mayim,” Emma finally says once Cora has left.

“Why?” Regina questions.

“She had to cuff her, book and dock her for Vandalism, possession of an unregistered weapon, disturbance of the peace.. And something else.. Oh! Breaking and entering. Her and Denny and a few of their friends.. Mayim went off the rails at her and called her a shit person and.. Yeah. Movie night’s the only thing your mom has right now,”

“And us,” Regina reminds her and she nods.

“And us.. Let’s just hope it helps.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

Regina leads Emma up the stairs and towards their master bedroom before she’s allowing the blonde to walk in ahead of her. Before Emma can blink and register what’s going on, Regina’s shutting the door and tackling her in a gleeful mood, causing them both to tumble over. They collapse in a tangle of limbs and laughter.

“Well...hi,” Emma says and Regina smiles.

“Hi...love you,” she tells her and the blonde inches up to kiss her.

“Love you too...sooooo, any reason we’re locked up in here and not out there with everyone,”

“By everyone, you mean my mother and our son? And no particular reason,”

“Ahhh, so we’re just here to what?”

“Act like teenagers,” Regina says simply.

“Wait, you  _ want _ to act like teenagers?” Regina nods. “Why?”

“I’m feeling my youth,”

“Well, your youth is highly appreciated right now,” the blonde tells her before wrapping her arms around Regina’s lower half. She squeezes her tightly. “Wanna act like teenagers and makeout?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” Regina grins.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Henry?” Cora questions as she knocks on his door. She sees him in his wheelchair at the table with Ermis tottering around.

“Yeah, nana?” he answers, looking away from his work. Glasses are threatening to slide from his face.

“Since when do you wear glasses?”

“Since mom decided to get my eyes tested after I kept complaining I couldn’t see. Turns out Ma was and still is blind as a bat, but she wears contacts. Plus, Nick likes when I wear them so there’s that,”

“Mmm,” the old woman says before leaning up off the doorpost. “How’s that going anyway?”

“With what, Nick?”

“Yeah. How are things with you two?”

“I guess things are okay. I haven’t talked to him in like two days. I’ve been tired. He’s been busy. I have P.T. He started rugby,”

“So you’re both on other sides of the world then?”

“Pretty much,”

“And you’re  _ not _ upset about it?”

“No. Why would I be mad- it’s not like he’s my boyfriend or something,”

“No, but you two do the kissing and things,”

“Yeah, but like I said, not my boyfriend,”

“....okay then… so, guess what’s happening tonight!”

“Well, seeing that it’s a weekday and not a weekend… I dunno, what’s happening?”

“Movie night. We expect Nick and Ian and the Charmings,” Cora said.

“What if Nick can’t make it?” Henry queried and Cora gave him a look.

“You really think that boy’s gonna pass up on unhealthy snacks and shitty movies?” she questions and he grins.

“I guess not..alright, I’ll give him a call. Just remember I have a two hour P.T session,”

“What time?”

“I had it booked for 5,” he shrugged.

“Well that’s fair. Family night isn’t until like eight or something.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Less than about twenty minutes later, Emma and Regina are summoned and they have to take Cora out to find Marco and invite him to movie night. Along the way she’d suggested (ordered) they invite Timothy too and Regina had second that motion for the simple fact that the man was a doll. Much like Marco was, Timothy was this old sweetheart who just gave everyone and everything love. Henry manages to finally get a hold of Nick and tells him about movie night as well and Nick is more than excited and is happy to drop his own family dinner to come and hang with the Swan Mills clan. As if Cora didn’t already have them running all over town, they take her to a snack shop as well and thankfully nothing gets blown up because this particular snack shop is usually a ghost town in the afternoons. She picks up literally everything her eyes fall on and charges them all to the card...Regina’s debit card at that. Regina’s not even remotely mad considering the smile on her mother’s face is beyond enigmatic. It’s radiant and it’s happy. It’s what’s keeping her distracted for the time being, so she could afford to lose a couple hundred dollars on some crap snacks and pixie sticks and whatever else it was even she could identify.

 

By the time they get back, Timothy is already there..and he brought bread...and a smile. A rosy cheeked smile and his joy. Marco comes not too long after and all he brings is a smile and kisses for Cora’s cheek. He’d interrupted her call with the hospital because they’d managed to patch her through in order to talk to Rumple. He’s doing well, missing the beach and in need of some fun. Cora tells him that he can come to the next movie night at the mansion and Rumple is giddy with excitement. She also promises to take him to the beach sometime soon. He mentions that Belle told him she was taking him tomorrow and Cora tells him he better go and take pictures. He had asked her if she’d had anymore poppies and pixie dust on her and she’d shook her head no but realize the man couldn’t see her.

“No, sorry Rumple, I’m all out. I let Emma kill the last of the blunt,” she’d said as she roamed through the house, bumping into Emma who was walking in the other direction.

 

“Yes mom.. Yes, family night is tonight.. Yes we’re watching movies and we have snacks...no-no, you and dad don’t need to bring anything,” she grunted slightly as she walked into the kitchen. “Yes Regina wants you here, she practically advocated for you two to come.. Yes I’m sure-no I’m not lying-MOM! Can you just come over-seriously!” Emma belts and then she calms slightly. “Okay.. yeah okay.. Yeah-bye,” she hangs up and sighs deeply. She looks up at Regina who is making nachos and pouts. Regina takes up some of the nacho mixture and walks towards Emma before feeding it to her.

“Better?”

“Mhm… can I just go curl up in our room..and die?”

“Not until after the baby’s born,”

“Literally another five months away, but okay,” Emma sasses and Regina kisses her.

“Don’t get snappy.. Go play on Henry’s Xbox until everyone else gets here,”

“Sure you don’t need help?”

“No. I can manage nachos..go,”

“Mmf, okay.. Love you?”

“Love you.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The Charmings arrive at the exact same time that Ian arrives and he immediately heads up to Henry’s room after greeting Regina and stealing a few nachos here and there. She swats his hand with the wooden spoon and he runs from the kitchen with a laugh that proves this boy is a golden little joy bubble. 

Even though they were told not to bring anything- Snow and David bring more snacks. Everything from sodas to baked beans and a crap ton of chocolate. How they got their hands on that stuff that fast is beyond Regina and after a slight awkward encounter, Snow offers to help Regina finish cooking and without a second thought, Regina welcomes her into the kitchen to help. David slips out and goes to play on the XBox with Emma.

 

“I’ll be right back. I need to check on Henry and she how he’s managing with his physical therapy,” Regina tells Snow and the woman nods.

“I’ll just finish up the ground beef then,” she says and Regina smiles.

“Thank you,” she says before disappearing upstairs. Her smile is still on her face at how well everything is going until she gets to Henry’s door and it’s cracked open.What Regina sees has her rushing in there in a flurry of anger and words not meant to be released from her lips. Her poised and controlled little lips. There, on Henry’s floor was Ian hovering over her son and Henry’s hands twisted into Ian’s work shirt. She bursts in, yelling at Ian and then yelling in general before she’s scolding Henry- is back to yelling at Ian and then paces the room angrily. Ian and Henry have long since jumped apart and now Ian’s just standing there, not looking at her with the reddest marks to his cheeks and the embarrassment hitting him tenfold. “I expected better from you, Ian,” she says as she continued to pace.

“I’m sorry Miss Mills but-,” he tries and she raises a hand to cut him off but keeps pacing. 

“Henry is fifteen-  _ fifteen _ ! He’s not meant to be doing these things!” she says rather angrily and Henry looks up at his mother from the floor, winded. “What were you thinking!”

“I’m sorry,” he says again and that just pisses her off even more because the poor boy looks like he was about to cry.

“Stop apologising. Henry, how could you do something like this- you’re too young! What were you thinking!”

“Mom, calm down, it’s not that big a deal,” he claims, very nonchalant and very against his better judgment right this moment.

“Calm down!” she belts, finally attracting attention from downstairs. “Henry- Ian is 24. You are fifteen-,”

“-so.. You wouldn’t have had a problem if it was someone else,”

“I would- because you’re my son. And you’re not legal enough to be engaging in acts like this with someone who could end up in prison for having sex with a minor,” she growls and Henry rolled his eyes at her.

“But I wasn’t legal when I got these piercings-,” he tries and he knows it’s a weak point, but hell.

“That is completely different-,” she tells him and he’s quick to jump and answer.

“-no it’s not , mom!”

“YES IT IS! Your piercings did not include you swapping spit with your Physical Therapy doctor. Your piercings did not include a possible charge on Ian’s behalf because neither of you bothered to think far enough ahead to know that you  _ can’t _ get involved that way. You are not at the age to decide whether or not you want to have sex with someone well over their twenties. You are a minor and until you turn sixteen, you have no business kissing, cuddling or fondling the likes of Ian,”

“You’re being overdramatic,” he tells her.

“And you’re being spoiled,” she spits out and Henry’s jaw tightens. Everyone is coming up the stairs and wondering what the hell is happening. Henry shifts to get up but Ian is there and he helps him into his wheelchair. Regina watches before she speaks. “Ian. You have to go,” she says and Ian’s face falls as Henry’s fills with rage.

“Mom! You can’t do that!”

“I just did,” she tells him and he flings his arms out.

“This is so unfair!” he shouts and she sighs. When she doesn’t answer him, he scowls at her. “Why are you doing this?”

“For your own good. Ian.. please go,” she says, not budging and Ian nods. He attempts to move and Henry puts a hand to his stomach. 

“You’re not going anywhere,” Henry tells him and he looks up at Regina, his anger dead set in place.

“Ian. Leave,” Regina commands and Henry pushes him back.

“He’s not going anywhere,” the boy tells her and she shifts in her spot.

“Henry- this is my house and you will do as I say!”

“I don’t give a damn whose house it is! You’re being overdramatic! It was one kiss! Besides- you were married to the King- a man who was further into the grave than he was to the earth!”

“IT WAS AGAINST MY WILL! And I don’t care if it was one hug! This is not how we’re raising you! We did not raise you to be reckless!”

“You guys are barely raising me now! Hell, you’re both so concerned about the damn baby that you neglected me!” he argues back and Regina sighs.

“We haven’t neglected you,” she says and his face goes sour.

“Yeah, well.. Feels like it. Ian’s staying. That’s final,”

“Ian is leaving and if you undermine my authority one more time, you are grounded,” she threatens and his scowl goes deeper. His hand falls away from Ian’s stomach.

“Could you take me downstairs please?” he questions the man and Ian looks to Regina for permission. She gives a slight nod and Ian moves to help Henry get down stairs. Henry stops Ian when they’re at the door and turns around to regard his brunette mother. “I hate you,” he says but no one’s sure how much venom is behind words that sound so lifeless. Regina’s arms come up and around her and she hugs herself tightly.

“I know you do,” she says before turning away from him and just one.. One and only one tear drop streams down her cheek.

 

Everyone watching heads back down the stairs and when Cora comes up behind Regina, she rubs her back and says,

“He’ll come around,” for which Regina tells her bluntly.

“No mama… he won’t.”

 

Emma is close to thumping the absolute shit out of Henry for the way he acted and instead, when they share eye contact, she shakes her head at him and walks away. He sighs to himself and looks at Ian. He’s got words on his lips ready to apologise, but it’s not happening. Ian pats his shoulder and tells him he’ll see him whenever his parents let him have another session. And then everyone pretty much has to lie to Nick’s face and act as if nothing has happened because Emma told them to, but the boy isn’t all that slow. He looks at them and can already tell that something is off, so he goes to the room that they converted into Henry’s physical therapy room and looks at his friend dead in the eyes and says,

“Something’s wrong and you better tell me what it is.” Henry pauses for a while and looks at Nick as if he wants to tell him, but doesn’t in the same breath. He sighs and opens his mouth.

“My mom walked in on me and Ian and flipped her lid,” he says, leaving out all the important things pertaining to it all, but Nick doesn’t need him to say everything. Just by what Henry tells him in that moment, he knows...and he  _ hates _ it. He’s ready to walk out when Henry manages to wheel himself over in time and block the door. “Nicky, come on.. Don’t go,”

“And why not? You seem to be moving on fine with Ian. I don’t wanna get in the middle of your blossoming romance. Now move out the way… I need to go home,”

“Nick, come on.. Please..it’s not like that,”

“Then what’s it like, Henry? Tell me because if your mom walks in on you kissing your P.T doctor then I’m positive it’s exactly what it sounds like,”

“Okay-yes, I was kissing him, but I … look, could you please just stay. I wanted you here-,”

“-key word. Wanted.“

“I still do!”

“Then act like it!”

“I’m trying,” Henry says a little sullen and Nick simpers. He shakes his head as he looks at his friend and then his resolve breaks.

“I know…” he says but trails off.

“Please just stay.. Ian already left and I just had it out with my mom. Ma’s pretty pissed at me now too because of how I went off on mom, but..she was being overdramatic about the whole thing,” Henry tries to explain and Nick sighs.

“I’ll stay, but can you just  _ not _ talk about it anymore. I don’t wanna know,”

“...okay.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Can you all just stop acting like someone died and turn the damn movie on!” Cora yells at the people as she walks into the living room carrying food. Regina comes out behind her and brings the rest and sets them on the table. Emma comes in trailing, chewing and trailing with bowls of food. After that little blowout, no one knew how to act or what to say.

“We didn’t pick one,” Marco says and Cora throws her hands up.

“Awww, for pissing down the sink! I told you two senile seniors to pick a movie!”

“To be fair, I brought bread,” Timothy interjects and Cora spins around.

“What’s bread got to do with movies you old fart?”

“Everything! I already did something! Blame Marco for our lack of movie choices!”

“Me! You were the one complaining about watching the titanic-,”

“-Because I didn’t and don’t want to watch a bunch of white idiots  _ die, Marco!” _

“Yes, but-who wants to watch the backup plan... _ Seriously! _ ”

“Lots of women! Besides, it has a guy who knows his cheese in it.  _ CHEESE! _ ”

“Both of you-Shut Up!” Cora yells. “Shit, you two argue like you’re married, are you sure you’re not some stylishly gay couple on the low low?”

“Pfft- I’m pretty positive I wouldn’t marry a man who can’t appreciate my food,” Timothy snorts.

“I told you the bread was good!” Marco yells back. “And hell, it’s not like you appreciate my wood...work, anyway!”

“Oh-ho-ho. I am loving this!” Cora says happily.

“Mother, stop it. Marco-Timothy, we are not watching anything about food, or the downfall of structures.

“What about horror movies?” Snow suggests and Regina turns to her.

“Are you prepared to put your little one in Henry’s old play room?”

“He’ll be out soon enough so we should be ready by then to start, right?”

“Very well then… would you like some help with Neal?” Regina asks and Snow nods.

“Yes, Yes I would,” she smiles.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After getting the less than fussy toddler off to sleep, Snow asks Regina to have a so called heart to heart with her and Regina accepts, clearly surprising the pixie haired woman. Long story short, Snow manages not to infuriate Regina and instead, she asks questions that give her real answers. Real answers that also induce tears from the brunette. She finds that she’s fighting to want to hug Regina and give her space and is once again surprised when the brunette allows herself to be hugged and hugs Snow back.

 

“What’s going on with Henry? What’s going to happen with him?” she questions and Regina sniffles before shaking her head and speaking through a hoarse tone.

“In all honesty.. I don’t know,”

“It had to have been something close to home is you reacted that way...was it my father? Did you see my father?” she questions and Regina’s face scrunches. Her mind fights back at the detrimental thoughts and surges forward.

“I suppose I saw some semblance of him. the-,” she swallows. “-position reminded me of-,”

“-of the way he hovered over you... You were afraid of him and he took the last bit of strength from you. He was a monster to you and all I saw was a God before me,”

“It’s how daughters tend to be with their fathers...most of the time,”she waves off.

“What was your father like?”

“Minus the fact that he feared my mother more than anything?” she questions with a sarcastic laugh. “He was..quiet, fearless when it mattered, not when it counted,but his and Daniel’s love for horses is what fuelled my own. My love for apples-”

“-Johnny Appleseed. I remember the story,” Snow smiles.

“But because my father helped me plant the seed, I appreciated apples more from him because it was something other than horses that I had to bond with him over.”

“My father and I never bonded. He spoiled me as much, but we never had things in common. He and my mother seemed to be so much closer because they were happy my birth was in winter. My mother-,”

“-had you like a doll much the same as mines did,”

“Yes, she did. Regina… thank you,”

“For what? I haven’t given you anything,”

“You did though. That’s just it. If you hadn’t ran me-I’d have never met David. He would have never found me,”

“We both know that’s a lie. The man’s whole life relies on, ‘I will find you. I will always find you.’” she jokes and Snow tries to be stern but her smile gives away to the falter.

“Fine, but if you hadn’t been that person, I never would have had my happy ending and now I can only be even more grateful to you because you gave me something my father and mother never would have and that’s a family. You gave me a family I wanted, not something my parents would have forced me into. You ended up saving me where you couldn’t save yourself. So… thank you. You gave my life a happy ending where my own parents would have ignored it. I would have been doing it for the kingdoms. For the wars. For the alliances-and nothing would have been for me,”

“At least one of us did get out at a young age. Though, you should thank Rumple for turning me into the monster I was,”

“Even before that I know you’d have tried to plead on my behalf not to have me married off to someone all for gains,” she tells Regina and the brunette turns her head.

“What are you, a witch? Who gave you permission to break through my walls?”

“Clearly the same person who allowed you to be my blessing in disguise- give me my children and have my daughter ready to marry you and create something new. Regina, the same way you gave me my life is the same way I hope Emma gives you yours. Besides, I’m getting older-I need me another grandbaby,” she nudges and Regina smirks.

“You and David have already fought to name her, haven’t you?”

“Oh, but of course. He wants to name her Maria. I was thinking-,”

“-Eva?!”

“Well, yes and no. I was hoping to name her something after your mother, but Cora said she doesn’t have a middle name-,”

“-neither do I,”

“I learned that too, but still. He has a name and now I don’t,”

“I’m sure something will come to you,”

“Maybe. If not, would you consider Maria?”

“I’ll tell Emma about it, but yes- Maria will be considered.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


“Hey,” Emma says after knocking at Henry’s door.

“Go.  _ Away _ !” Henry enunciates and she rolls her eyes.

“I’m not about to leave your room because you’re mad your mom walked in on you and Ian.. I mean, you had Nick,” she says and Henry’s head jerks.

“What about Nick?” he asks.  _ Shit. _ “Ma, what are you talking about?”

_ Double shit _

“Nothing-Nothing! I was just saying, you have Nick, what happened to you two?”

“No, ma. You know someth- Oh My God! Were you spying on us!” he accuses in such an incredulously high tone Emma shivers, but she rolls her eyes..again.

“No. I wasn’t  _ spying _ on you. I was coming upstairs and you two left the door open.. Pretty much,”

“ _ Pretty much?! _ What the hell do you mean pretty much? You  _ spied _ on us-,”

“I did not  _ spy  _ and cut the damn attitude! Your mom has every right to be pissed about this whole thing!”

“No she doesn’t!” he scowls.

“She does. You’re fifteen. She was fine about you and Nick-hell, she advocated you two, but Ian is too old for you right now,”

“No he isn’t,”

“He is.. Can you stop being stubborn and acting like you know everything when you’re still learning. Hell, I’m still learning but at least I listen,” she tells him and he squints at her.

“You’re on her side,” Henry accuses.

“I’m on no one’s side but my own. You’re not legal yet and you shouldn’t even try something like that with Ian. I’m a cop, if you two did anything I’d have to arrest him. Would you want that?”

“...no,”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I said no, ma,”

“Well then think like an adult when it counts. She’s not pissed that it’s Ian. She’s pissed at the age difference and what it makes her see,”

“Well, she should stop looking,” he grumbles.

“Henry. You’re being a real ass right now,”

“Yeah, well. Look where I got it from!”

“....You know what-that’s it,” she says rather annoyed. Henry watches her from his spot on the bed in his P.T room and then his eyes go wide when she begins to pick up electronic after electronic. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but this- _ this _ is not the way we are or will raise you.

“What are you doing-Ma! What are you doing?”

“Since you want to act an ass, I’m taking everything your mom and I bought you. Say goodbye to your gaming stations-your laptop  _ and _ your phone and tv. This room is all you keep,”

“What am I supposed to do without those!”

“Read. You’re good at that. Maybe you’ll read about being less of a brat and more of a teenager trying to be a man- I mean, your birthday is around the corner and you still act your shoe size. So, when you learn how to apologise to your mom for telling her you hate her and when you finally apologise to me for akining your shit attitude to mines, then you can get these back. Until then-,” she said before snapping her fingers and letting his things disappear. His eyes snapped around and his mouth remained open. “-you’ll do without them. You’ll either go insane for being rude and stubborn or you’ll get your shit together and realize all your mother does is worry about you and tend to you- hand and foot…...bye,” she tells him before turning to leave, not even waiting to see if Henry will respond. She’s not surprised when he doesn’t call after her.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They buckle at their room and Emma sees something in Regina that has the brunette looking confused and..relaxed?

“You look like you just had a reviving moment,” she comments and Regina sighs.

“I...had a heart to heart with your mother,” she admits and Emma’s eyes go wide with surprise.

“How’d that go?” she asks, opening their room door.

“Strangely enough, it was rather good. She told me the name your father picked out for our daughter,”

“Ahh yeah, Mia,”

“She said it was Maria,” the brunette corrects and Emma nods.

“Mm, it is Maria, but he wanted to call her Mia for short,” she shrugged and Regina smirked.

“Cute. She asked if we’d consider it,”

“You said no, didn’t you,” Emma accuses more than she asks and Regina shakes her head.

“Actually, I told her I would run it by you and see what you said, but that Maria will be considered.”

“You really are getting along with my mom,” Emma says after a beat and Regina nods.

“I am, and I think it’s time you did the same. You said the only reason you didn’t want to talk to her is because of how she treated me. She’s trying now, you should too,”

“I don’t know, Gi-,”

“Emma...please...for me. I’m tired of fighting everyone over everything. Can’t we have some form of happiness?”

Silence

Silence

Silence.

Okay, you’re right. “I’ll try with my mom and see how it goes, but before that, can we talk about Henry?”

“Is he okay?” she questions worriedly.

“He’s...God I cannot believe I’m about to say this, but our son is a brat. A disrespectful brat,”

“What’s he done?”

“What didn’t he do!” she flairs before she begins divulging to Regina. The brunette isn’t surprised by what she’s told but she isn’t happy about what she’s being told either. “-and then I took all of his electronics, tv inclusive. He’s on punishment until he apologizes to you. I don’t even care if he apologises to me anymore, but he better come with a speech encased in apology… And now he knows we know about him and Nick-,”

“-h-,”

“-it’s okay,” Emma eases. “He thought I was spying on them, but I explained it and he got it. That was before he decided to be my seed and be rude. Minus that, I’m already tired. I don’t want to have movie night, but it’s the only thing we’ve got right now. The only sense of normalcy. And your mom needs it after that thing with Mayim. If not for anyone else right now- I’ll do it for her,” she acknowledges.

“It is.. I’m fighting with myself over this whole thing. I want to talk to him and apologise and tell him I overreacted,”

“Regina,no. You acted like a very concerned mother and you can’t be blamed for the way you handled  it. I don’t know what it is that you actually saw that made you react the way you did, but I told Henry that Ian’s age plays a big factor. He didn’t think of the fact that until he’s sixteen, anything he does with Ian is illegal- I would  _ have _ to lock him up. I don’t want that and the kid definitely doesn’t want that. I told him to think like an adult, he has to get it together. I love him but I’m not above being hated for a few days if it means he learns from his screwups. I want what’s best for him and I know you do too- besides, if he’s this bad, imagine our little girl. We’re both stubborn, she’s not missing that,”

“No...she’s not,” the brunette sighs.

“Gi, you’re not okay,” Emma says to her and she shakes her head.

“I’m not okay. I’m a mess and our son hates me. I’m a mess because I’ve been feeling for the past few days and remembered how much emotions suck! So, no-not okay. I am not okay because I feel like I’m failing Henry and I’m failing you and failing the baby-,” she goes on only to be interrupted by a frustrated and sad Emma.

“-Baby, stop it!” Emma pleads heavily. Regina’s eyes shut and she shakes her head, but Emma takes a hold of her hands tightly and guides her to the bed before letting her sit down. “You’re not a failure, you’re not failing anyone. If anything, you’re succeeding where most can’t. I’m learning how to be a better mom because of  _ you _ and I don’t want you to ever doubt that. Please don’t. You’re the only example besides our mothers and I know you’d rather I took it from you than them,” she says and she sees that the brunette is just watching her with red eyes and her chest heaving. Regina’s eyes disp shut in some form of recognition and Emma pulls her up from the bed. “You’re stronger than all of this, don’t let it beat you. I know you and I know you would rather kick the crap out of life than let life kick the crap out of you,” she says strongly and there’s a glimmer of life that sparks in Regina’s eyes. The brunette’s eyes shut once more before they open and she nods her head.

“ I love you,” she admits to the blonde and Emma smiles.

“I love you, too. Now, you wanna go and kick life’s ass or sit back and cry over it?”

“....I’d very much like to kick ass,” Regina says and Emma grins.

“Then let’s start by going out there and dragging our son down the hall for the movies and junk food and enjoy the time with the rest of our family,”

“...okay,”

“Okay?” A nod.

“Okay.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

A knock comes to the door for the third time and the boy groans in response. He picks his face up from the pillow.

“ _ What? _ ” he asks sharply and in comes his brunette mother. Henry’s face falls back into the pillow. “I don’t wanna see you,” he mutters and Regina squares her shoulders.

“Your mother and I expect you down the hall to have this family movie night and we’ve both asked Nick if he’s okay with Ian coming back and he said it was fine. I’ve already called Ian and apologised to him and allowed him to explain. He’s expected rather soon. When you’re no longer mad at the world, you may come down the hall and we’ll be waiting,” she says to him. It’s all so detached that it’s as if she either shut down or put her walls back up. She doesn’t stay at his door much longer before turning and leaving for the living room. She sighs upon entering where Nick and Cora are arguing themselves into the kitchen. Regina follows because- what the hell?!

“I’m telling you- it’s chips, veggies, meat, cheese, jalapeños!” Cora yells.

“And I’m telling you it’s chips,cheese, meat, veggies and jalapeños!” Nick argues back until someone walks into the kitchen and right back out. Clearly everyone bore witness to this running disagreement. Both catch sight of Regina and she knows where it’s going.

“Miss Mills, can you please tell nana Mills that it’s set up- chips,cheese, meat, veggies and jalapeños,”

“Pfft, my daughter knows it goes- chips, veggies, meat,cheese, jalapeños, right?”

“No mother, it doesn’t,” she says and Nick celebrates a little too early.

“Yours is also incorrect, Nicholas. Mother has the setup right, but I assume by veggies you mean salsa or pico de gallo and that’s just an entirely separate dish,”

“So I’m right?” Cora questions and Regina grins.

“Is that all you heard?”

“Well if it helps me win and be right then yeah.. So-am I?”

“For the most part- yes you are correct,” she says and then hears her mother hiss in triumph and Nick groans. Cora pats him on the shoulder as he says,

“Today just isn’t my damn day,”

“Eh, it’ll get better. We got crap movies-well...not yet. Someone has to pick them,” Cora tells him and Reigna interjects.

“Why not let Nicholas pick them. Just nothing end of the world based. Mother’s rather… strange with movies of that nature,”

“Got it. Can it be animated?”

“If you wish,”

“Cool. Disney and Pixar movies are happening tonight,” he grins.

“Ohhh! Those are definitely  _ not _ crap movies,” Cora claps happily.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Food is set before the large group of people all huddled in the living room. Blankets and pillows and sheets are everywhere and the lights have been shut off. Everyone is snuggled with their respective partners except Henry and Cora. Cora is between Marco and Timothy because the talk too much! And Henry just sits in his wheelchair awkwardly because either Nick or Ian look right at him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hey, can we talk?” Ian questioned the young boy who was sat on the porch. After Henry explained and Regina called Ian back, he’d met Nick on  the steps for whatever reason.

Nick’s eyes trail up and settle on the man’s stupidly pretty face. “Why?” he questions before looking away and sagging into himself even more.

“I think you have some sort of misunderstanding about what happened,”

“I don’t need another frame by frame. Henry already told me,”

“Then you’re okay, right?”

“No… why would I be-I’m in love with my best friend and he doesn’t even see me that way and it’s not just because he’s not gay either,”

“.....oh,”

“Yeah, oh. Just go inside and do whatever. He clearly needed you more than I needed him. Go be gay together,”

“I’m bisexual,”

“Well go be gay  _ and _ bisexual together, then,”

“No..Nick look, Henry was confused and scared because he doesn’t know whether or not he’s gay or bi like me- or pan or anything really. He’s not sure about any of it and he realized that with me- he’s not attracted to me and he felt no spark with me. He wanted to know if it was you or if it was just the situation and I think he realized.. It’s just you,”

“That doesn’t make him gay,”

“It doesn’t make him straight, either. Listen, you already came to terms with it and whether he is or not is up to him to figure out. You’re in love with him and he clearly feels something for you. Wherever it goes is where it’s meant to go.

“I just.. I dunno. I know I don’t wanna get hurt by him and I feel like I will,”

“Well, here’s a question for you- is it worth it? Is  _ he _ worth it?” he questions and Nick’s eyes slowly trail back up to meet Ian’s. There’s a deafening silence there and a defiance in his eyes, but his response is anything but.

“I don’t know…”

  
  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The night ends with a rather okay blowout and the most that comes from Henry actually comes from Nick. He asks if he can stay over again for the night and both Emma and Regina tell him it’s perfectly fine. He tells him he’d just sleep in a separate room and they once again tell him it’s fine and that he can sleep wherever he wishes. The room arrangements are also extended to the Charmings who stay in the other guest bedroom with Neal.Cora stays in her own bedroom as Marco and Timothy both leave together and Ian leaves after a while as well.

 

Once the women settle into their long showers and Regina decides to wear nothing but a pair of lace underwear and keep a towel wrapped around her and Emma is in her usual of t-shirt and boxers, they get into bed and get under the blankets. Emma’s hair is a massive mess of curls and Regina’s has significantly grown out.

“I like your hair like this,” Emma says as she fingers a few strands.

“You do?”

“Yeah, makes you look younger and way too innocent,”

“I get the feeling you wish to corrupt me,” Regina acknowledges and Emma giggles.

“Only a little,” she says before she feels a leg being swung over her torso and she notices the petite brunette settle over her gently.

“I do wish to know how you intend to corrupt me,  _ Miss Swan _ ,”

“In ways that are too illegal to say,  _ Miss Mills _ ,”

“Then show me,” Regina challenged.

“All with permission, of course,”

“My, you really are a white knight,”

“Well, someone has to set an example for the miniature version of you,” she grins and then Regina’s hands are on her stomach and sliding her shirt up. The towel is beginning to come loose and bare shoulders never looked so smooth.

“Daddy’s doing a rather good job protecting their little girl,” she compliments.

“Wait-did you just call me ‘daddy’?”

“I do believe I did. Is that an issue?”

“Pfft- Hell no! but shouldn’t that be reserved for sex?”

“ _ Kinky _ ,” Regina says a little teasingly and Emma pinches her side until she falls over into a puddle of giggles against Emma’s chest. She settles there and Emma’s long arms come around her body. A moment passes for them before she speaks.

“I tried asking for help to reverse my infertility,” she whispers and Emma’s chin settles on the top of her head.

“You did..who did you go to?”

“Mal… she said it’s not possible,”

“Why? Shouldn’t there be some spell to counteract it? It was just one potion,”

“It was, but to reverse the infertility, I’d have to have already been infertile to begin with.. And I know I wasn’t. But Doctor Keaton has said that my genes would have overrode it or it simply didn’t work because of how the girls were made, but it’s magic- therefore...temperamental,” she says before the silence engulfs them again.

“...so, there’s nothing we can do about it?”

“..no, nothing we can do.” A sigh comes. “Em?”

“yeah,” she answers very distracted.

“May I count the kisses tonight?”

“Hmm?”

“The kisses.. Can I count them this time?” she asks a bit shyly and at first Emma’s about to question how Regina even knew about them to begin with, but once she sees Regina’s face, it doesn’t matter. She nods against her head..

“Of course. Stars first though.Pick a planet,” she tells Regina and with eyes shut, intent on imagining whichever planet seemed the most peaceful, neither knew that the other had also thought of Venus. When her eyes open and she rolls off of Emma, her towel finally comes loose and it displayed her in ways nothing ever has before. She feels exposed, but she doesn’t feel dirty- and under that lit sky.. Everything seemed different.

“ _ Emma? _ ” she called in a very shallow and very timid voice.

“Yeah, Gi?”

“After we have her.. Could we have another?”

“ Another baby?” A nod and a smile. “You want another baby?”

“Another baby boy,” Regina corrects.

“As long as after him we can have another little girl,”

“Then you’ll be the one carrying her,”

“You trying to say you’ll impregnate me,”

“No. I’m dead set on impregnating you,” Regina tells her. “Mother has already said if you want it badly enough it can happen,”

“So what if you wanted all boys- or three boys and a girl or three girls and a boy or all girls- or some weird combination of children,”

“Considering we already have Henry, all girls can’t happen and I want whatever babies we  _ do _ have,”

“So, you want a soccer team?”

“If we can have one, yes, I want a soccer team,” Regina says smartly. “And I do believe you better start kissing me considering we’re in the nineties,” she sasses and Emma winks at her. “I’m serious- start counting, we have many numbers to get through,” Regina manages just before Emma puts her lips to the brunette’s and kisses her lightly. When she pulls away, she smirks.

“One.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The kisses begin at her face and then they touch down on her throat, her stomach and her thighs. Her knees to her calves and ankles to her toes. Emma kisses every waking body part and with each one she feels Regina shudder. She kisses just shy of her underwear and Regina arches up off the bed. She collapses in a heap until Emma’s tongue dips into her navel and she jerks. She managed to keep count so far and what comes out of her mouth is ragged and shallow,

“T-that wasn’t a k-kiss,” she accuses and Emma smirks devilishly.

“Oh-I know,” Emma says before doing it again and Regina groans until she feels the kisses come right back up to her lips.

“Six..ty,” Regina breathes out in a heavy grin and eyes shut tight. She no longer feels Emma’s heart radiating around her until her legs are being spread apart and the inside of her inner thighs receive a succession of kisses. Regina breathes deeply through all of them and when it comes down to the final six she shivers involuntarily.  _ 95. _ It’s all manageable until the second to last one comes.

Emma braces herself before she skillfully slips the underwear from around Regina’s hips and down her thighs before she’s tossing them haphazardly.  _ 96. _ She stares in awe at the perfectly trimmed and well kept curls that are beyond immaculate in appearance. And then her eyes settle on Regina’s extremely pink and very swollen clitoris peeking out from under the hood.  _ 97. _ She looks up at the brunette who is watching the stars float across their room in a sexually induced state of mind. Regina looks about ready to float away as Venus rotates across the ceiling. Her hands stay twisted into the sheet and her back is slightly up off the bed, almost as if she’s expecting everything to come right this second. Emma finds herself dipping her face closer and closer.

“ _ emma! _ ” it comes out in a strained whisper and she wishes she could say it but her brain is a bundle of mess and nerves and her body is urging itself closer and closer to the blonde’s tongue.  _ 98. _

“I know.. I love you, too,” she says before pressing her lips against Regina’s clit and time stops as the sharpest electrical pulse jolts through both of them, inducing a brain frying climax for Regina and something mighty painful and pleasurable for Emma.  _ 99. _ Regina’s hand latches onto Emma’s head and possessively keep the woman’s lips buried there as she rides out the orgasm. A burst of liquid comes free and fills Emma’s mouth with ease as Regina’s back finally makes contact with the sheets again and her heartbeats are sporadic at best.

She has to take a crippling breath and exhales, disappearing into the fluffy sheets- her mute bodily convulsions continuing to rattle her frame. All she can register is how deep a breath she has to take in and how much air escapes her in the same go round. Her eyes loll around on their own accord and it’s in that moment that every part of her goes weaker than before.

“Emma’s beyond sated as a result of it all and keeps residence atop the woman’s stomach. Neither can say or do anything at that point and by the time Regina gathers strength, Emma’s already managed to drag her body towards her end of the bed. She conks out immediately and Regina grins with a deeply loving look on her face.  _ I love you, so much, Emma Swan _ .

Regina raises her shirt and places the final kiss to Emma’s own stomach before whispering,

“ _ One hundred _ ,” and settling her naked self on Emma’s chest.

 

_ Two Miniscule formations. _


	22. S.S Tight Ass. Back in the room. Help Me! One Line- Two Lines. Yellow Line. Blue Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a happy filler chapter, but still deeply important. I don't remember if I have another chapter for this one, but I do have a few chapters for my other story and that one is the I can't make you love me one. Granted, I'm annoyed I haven't figured out how to get the pictures to properly show up yet, but..whatever man. anywayyyyy, enjoyyyyyyyyyy

In the wee and extremely early hours of the morning- 3:21am to be exact at that, a text comes through to Cora’s phone. The old woman groans and rolls over before slapping the electronic and rolling her eyes at herself and it. She blinks and pushes herself up enough to turn the screen on, wincing at the brightness and scowling at it like it’d done her dirty.

 

_ Meet me at the docks _ is what the text says and Cora sucks her teeth before flinging her hand out, launching the phone in an instant. It cracks against the wall and clatters to the ground and she buries her face back into the pillow. Her phone pings off again and the groan Cora lets out is carnal. She’s ready to rip someone’s throat out in a second. She flicks her wrist and it appears in her hand again before she swipes to unlock it and reads the next text.

 

_ Get your old as dust ass up and meet me at the docks or the deal is off! _ This one says and she senses the slight aggression in the text. Cora huffs and sits up, rubbing her eyes as she does so. 

“I really shouldn’t have bought you, but I need this thing….fucking sea people and their shit timing deals!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Cora reappears at the docks, courtesy of magic and smoke that now has her coughing up a fucking lung for whatever reason. She’d clad in her go to hoodie and sweats.

“Alright, I’m here you walking salt bucket,” she announces and hears the distinct click of boots.

“Aye, seems you are,” Hook acknowledges and Cora turns around. “Did you bring it?” he questions and Cora sniffs.

“I did. Did  _ you _ bring what I ordered?”

“Aye,” he nods before pointing and she slides her hand into her pocket before producing a handkerchief. She folds it back and a magic bean appears. Hook tries to reach out and grab hold of it but Cora yanks her hand back in a snapping motion.

“Tsk. Not yet. Contract first- priest second and then the trade off,” she tells him with challenging eyes and he bites the bullet on the one. He bites on the inside of his cheek before putting his hand behind his back and pulling a rolled up set of papers out his pants. Cora winces. “You did not just take those from that sweaty meat pocket of dead animal hide,”

“I could pull them from the front if you prefer,” he smirks and she winces even more.

“No thanks- I’m good on herpes.. Give it here,” she tells him and he hands it over wordlessly. Cora looks through both contract and ownership papers before signing both and procuring duplicates for Hook as well. He takes them before shoving them into his shirt. “That is one hairy man nipple. You gonna shave that?” she asks and he pauses.

“....no,” he says and she shrugs.

“Mmm, your body. Now,” she begins before flicking her wrists and the priest is before them in a cloud of smoke.. Well, yeah.. The ‘priest’. Cora stood there for a moment and turned her head in every which direction that did not have the priest in her view. She covered her eyes and Hook turned around. There, before them both, was the priest, naked and clearly not afraid considering he was looking at himself in the mirror as if he was God’s literally gift to earth. All Cora could mutter to herself was, “I’ve never seen that much hair on someone’s bare naked ass,”

“Uhh, lad!” Hook interrupts and that causes the priest to jump. “You may want to pause on the bodily worship,” Hook continued and Cora reacted by twirling her hand and clothing the man in something.

“Is it safe to look?” Hook asks her and Cora nods.

“Aye,” she says to him and he turns around. Cora says nothing to the man for all of ten seconds until something clicks inside her head and she remembers what she’s doing out so early in the morning. She pulls the vial out and shoves it against the man’s chest before she speaks.

“Cleanse the boat like I paid you to and do the same for yourself whilst you’re at it you filthy little shit!” she tells the man, not even waiting for his response as she leaves both him and Hook to go and sit on the bench.  _ So much hair on such a nonexistent ass! _ Hook follows behind her because at this point in time, it’s probably his best option. He sits directly next to Cora and for a moment, none of them speak, but then he sighs out and yawns lightly, covering it with his sleeve. “Remind me never to poof people again,” Cora finally says in breaking the silence.

“Duly noted,” Hook agrees. “I would question things pertaining to life, but I wouldn’t want to give the impression that I actually do care when I don’t,” he tells her and she snorts.

“You say that as if I’d tell you anyway.. Here,” she ends before handing the bean over to him. He takes it after she says, “It’s all yours.”

“Thanks,”

“Don’t thank me. I’m not actually helping you do anything. You traded your  _ boat _ for a  _ bean _ . The boat you claimed to love and cherish so much. The one that held so many memories of you and your brother and blah blah. The same boat you claimed to have traded for  _ Emma _ . How is it that it’s back in  _ your _ possession? I’m nearly positive a trade is a trade…”

“What do you care, love?” he questions her and she shrugs noncommitally. “What’s what I’ve done in the past have to do with right now?”

“Everything in retrospect. It tells me you’re just as much of a shitty person now as you were then. Lying and stealing and all for naught… still, you managed to do one thing right and that was leave Emma and everyone else the hell alone,” Cora says as she leans against the back of the bench some more. Hook turns to face her, holding the bean up before her face.

“And how do you know I won’t take this back to the time of her and Regina’s conception?”

“Because.. You can’t find it, besides, you don’t look stupid enough to try. You’d consider it a waste if you were a man who actually thought of it the way you should think of it. As far as I’m concerned, you never even cared- example A your precious boat-sorry..  _ My boat _ . Example B. Henry- someone’s names you hadn’t bothered to learn and used him as a pawn before you left my child strapped to a table to  _ die _ . You care about no one and nothing but all the things that you can have. God! I really can’t wait to change the name of that thing- fucking Jolly Roger, what is that? Some sexual innuendo for penises?!”

“It’s a name long since lasted throughout generations- thousands need I remind you-,”

“-yes, and it’s also a shitty trademark just the same,” she tells him and he just takes the insult as if it were nothing to him. He turns his head and stares at the boat, a certain demeanor drips over him and Cora looks at him for a moment before turning her attention to the ship as well. They both see the priest descend and Cora says nothing to him once he comes closer to them. She just flicks her wrist and he disappears, putting him back wherever he initially was.

 

“Congratulations,” Hook says as he stands and Cora turns to him. She stands as well and her eyebrow raises.

“I’m sorry, what?

“Congratulations,” he repeats with a shrug.

“On what?”

“Your ship, your daughter and the impending birth,” he lists off and she nods in a roundabout manner.

“uhhh. Thanks?” she questions and he smirks. Hook tosses the bean down and instantly a portal opens, swirling hues of magic leak out but the scent is clearly  _ ocean _ . “You going back to the ocean?” she now questions him and his head tilts, eyes cast upon the portal itself.

“It’s my life… or was my life at least,”

“So start over,”

“I don’t really know how,”

“Find the little brother you orphaned and go from there,”

“I suppose.. Thank you,”

“Don’t it’s just a suggestion,”

“Aye, but  bloody good one,” he tells her and with a smile towards to the old woman who smiles back.

“Good Luck,”

“Aye… say, if Swan ever wants-,”

“-let me stop you right there. No. No-no. Hell to the no and not on your serile life,” Cora recites and Hook laughs. “Adieu?”

“Adieu,” he nods his head and Cora gives him a push that sends him tumbling into the portal and disappearing to wherever the hell it is Hook Was meant to be. It closes instantly and Cora shakes her head as she dusts her hands and walks down the expanse of the docks. 

“Pirates.. Now to name you,” she says before turning properly towards her shit. A chesire like grin splits out across her face and and Cora walks swiftly up the ramp of the boat before her eyebrow goes up in a mischievous arch. She throws her arms up and begins to shout.

“S.S-!”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“-Titus?” Emma queries as she picks up the stack of papers that Cora had placed on Regina’s desk in City Hall. Since Henry was being a little brat and life happened and he wants non eof his mothers around him, Regina returned to work, Clara went back to the comfort of her front desk until she fell ill of course and Casey claimed the secret room as her own. Emma squints at them and all Regina can see from the glance she casts the blonde’s way is that Emma forgot her damn contacts...again. Minus that, she was dealing with many papers, amongst those being her mother’s most recent transaction.

“No-no. Tight ass. The S.S Tight  _ Ass _ . Butt clench reference. I bought it to have fun on because you two never seem to want to leave the damn town and this place is starting to bore the ever loving hell out of me. We’re stuck here, may as well make the most of the land and be mischievous, right?” she questions absolutely no one. “Besides, I have been waiting to sing ‘I’m on a boat, motherfucker!’ for a rather long time now,” she continues. So- tight ass. David can be my mascot,” she explains and Emma’s head tilts.

“I take it because my dad has perfect butt clench?” Emma queries but she’s positive she already knows the answer.

“Exactly! See, Emma gets it. We’ll get a big ole sign made and slap it on the side and every month we’ll have a new banner of butts and mascots!” she says happily and Emma smirks by her side. Regina finally takes her own reading glasses off, rubs her forehead lightly and then tucks her hair behind her ears.

“ _ Mother _ ,” Regina begins and already Cora is pouting. “It’s a rather creative idea, but I just have one question,” she says and Cora’s arms go down.

“Just one?”

“One and only one,” she tells her in all honesty and now Cora is less pouty and more...what is it?. “How do you intend to convince people to pose for your monthly banners?” she questions and her mother grins.

“I thought you’d never ask!” Cora says with a cheeky grin before flipping to the middle of her portfolio and showing a rather impressive stack of photos, clearly butt based. “That first one’s Ruby’s,” she says with a rather impressed tone after Regina picks it up and Emma is quick to yank it from her and look at it.

“Oh My God that’s.. Perky!” the blonde exclaims and Regina growls low in her throat before snatches it back and storing it in the folder. A darkening glint of obvious danger oozes from Regina’s eyes and it’s nothing short of frightening. Emma takes notice of this and thinks-  _ She might burn that later _ .

“You’re approved,” Regina finally says, the apparent anger now dissipating, but her tone was so flat it seemed she was raining on Cora’s happiness. But that’s just it, Cora was beyond floored with the fact that everything was working out for her. “Considering all that’s left is you paying the monthly- or rather yearly, dock fees- whichever you choose..everything is legal, down to the signing. I’m just surprised you bought it from Hook of all people.

“I mean, I traded a bean for it, besides, he had it in the papers,” Cora shrugged.

“Yes, you traded. Seems you’ve learned much from Rumple,” Regina tells her and Cora laughs.

“Seems I did. He is a man of repetitive action. Now, I need to announce the opening of it after I get it cleaned,”

“I thought you already did that?”

“No, that was the cleansing. It’s to ward off the spirits and whatever diseases they carried,” she cringed internally and Emma just flat out cringed. “It needs to be redecorated and cleaned.. As in actually cleaned from the possibility that those damn diseases are alive and well on the beds or something.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“The portal opened and merged funnily, not opening completely but managing to open in a stitch, on the verge of another world. It spits the person out and then it shuts. She groans before standing and brushing herself off again. “Back at the townline.. Lucky number...two?” she questions herself before shaking her head. She runs her fingers through her now noticeably shorter locks and smiles. “Never thought I’d be so happy to see this damn place again,” Mulan says with a lighthearted laugh before she begins her trot towards the police station, having one of the dwarfs pick her up on the way. It was Sleepy, granted, the man should not be driving.. Especially with the name he had, but she got there with almost no incident.. And by almost- Sleepy pretty much almost killed them at every corner, turn, intersection and red light. The only two bloody red lights in the town! She walks up the steps and into the police Bullpen. It’s empty and as she steps towards the desks, she pauses. No one’s there- so where in the hell were they?

 

That pushes her to go and look for them elsewhere and her only other choice, is the room. That’s empty too, but it’s clean. So. Damn. Clean. Since that’s empty, she walks right back into the bullpen after attempting to call someone on her cell phone. It’s dead. It’s always bloody dead. So, she reaches for the station phone, and before Mulan can dial out the third number, someone comes in and their voice drifts through the room.

“ Well, look what the war of China spat out,” Little John joked and Mulan drops the phone before dashing towards the man and tackling him with a hug.

“JOHN!” she shouts happily and he lifts her off the ground and hugs her back.

“Hey there, warrior,” he grins and puts her down. Her smile is absolutely beautiful and John’s dimples come out. “So, bring me any souvs?” he questions and she laughs.

“Does some pictures of  us fucking shit up count?”

“Oh, but of course my dear,” he says sassily and Mulan pulls out the one electronic she knows  _ is _ working and that’s her camera. She walks over to her desk and Little John trails blindly, too into the photos before him. “Magic beans are weird.. That thing spat me out at the town line,” 

“At least it brought you here and not somewhere across the universe,”

“True.. so, who filled my spot? My desk is clean. You know me. It’s never clean,”

“Cora,” Little John says and Mulan looks impressed. He senses her approval and laughs. “If you think that’s good, you should see what she did to the room.  _ Three _ days and she had the whole thing cleaned out and alphabetically filed,”

“You sure she just didn’t throw things away?”

“Not even. It’s all right there. I mean, the drawers pull out like they may never stop, but, she just compressed the files. She beat the room-Mu- Old lady Mills Beat. The. Room!” he says very… emotional and Mulan tilts her head back.

“I hope you told her thank you, you’re in here cheering and having a panic attack over it,”

“Told her  _ thank you _ ?! Mu, I practically tried to marry the woman!”

“She said no?”

“She said no,” he nods.

“Buuut?”

“Nothing else,really. She had to put one of her friend’s in a cell, though,”

“How’d that go?”

“Didn’t end well. She called Cora… things.. Things I will not repeat and she went off the rails at her,”

“Well, did she at least fight back?”

“Not even close. Cora held her tongue. I’ve never seen her hold her tongue and I don’t even know that much about her. She was about ready to cry. David gave her the rest of the day off after that,” he finishes and Mulan nods. Her eyes trail over her desk lightly before settling on the files. She picks them up and flips through them with a critical brow.

“This the girl here?” she questions and LJ nods. “Why do they sound so white and.. Predictable? Vandalism and unregistered gun charges.. Really?”

“Yup. Mayim-,”

“-McCleod and Dennison Rigby.. Very white,” she concludes.

“Very fresh out of high school and he looks like he’s been a father, at least twice,”

“I don’t wann know,” Mulan shakes her head. She drops the papers on the floor and Little John gives her a look. “What?”

“Why?”

“She was rude to Cora so I’m going to be rude to her files and possibly her if I see her,”

“Protective and Sassy,”

“All things that make a good warrior.Besides, I learned it from the best,”

“Yeah, I sense a lot of Cora behind that.. “

“So what now?”

“Nothing, since  she cleaned the room out and this place is about as in danger as my hair is of being cut, we haven’t had anything to deal with. It’s… lackluster right now. This place isn’t on the map, we can’t leave,” he shrugs.

“But I thought the barrier was already broken?”

“It might be, but as far as I or anyone else knows, that’s not the case, you either can’t go through it or if you do, you turn into a tree or something,” he waved off and she looked confused. Before she could question him though, David busts in.

“And the warrior returns!” he cheers and Mulan looks up at him and smiles. David goes over and hugs her tightly before holding her at arm’s length. “You cut your hair,” he says.

“I have to do it everytime I go back to save my country from peril,” she reminds him and he nods.

“Must be tiring,” he tells her and she shrugs.

“It’s either that or have them be confused. Can’t have that, right?”

“No, I guess not.. Any souvs?”

“ Pictures of the crew fucking shit up,”

“That works… May I?” he asks and Little John hands the camera over.

“You may,” he says.

“No one freaked out when they saw this?” David queries and she laughs.

“They either died from the flash or were too concerned with not getting their heads cut off to begin with. Besides, it was a war, I don’t think anyone had time to actually go, ‘What is that thing?’ you know?” David nods. “John told me Cora pretty much killed the room,”

“Oh Yeah! Even I was surprised. Emma said she asked her about it all and all Cora told her after she shrugged of course, was that it was just a room,”

“What in the hell did that old woman go through?”

“I ask myself the same question almost everyday now, but she’s clearly alright. Anyway- who wants to go see-,” he manages before pulling the paper from his pocket. “-this?”

“Grand opening?” LJ asks and David nods as Mulan picks up the paper. She looks it over and her brow raises.

“The S.S Tight-,”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“-Ass!” Ruby belts through a laugh. “Wait! That’s what she names it?” the leggy woman questions both Emma and Regina who are sat at the bar. Regina’s been nursing this one cup of coffee for the past half an hour and Emma’s already ran through a plate of fries. Regina was more than hesitant going to the diner, especially after Emma’s reaction to Ruby. Granted, she’d already admitted it to herself that she was jealous, but somehow, Emma convinced her to come and she went, hence why she was nursing a cup of coffee she didn’t want.

“Yeah, she wanted to name it after a butt clench reference… my dad’s butt clench apparently,” the blonde says with a shake of her head.

“So, that’s why she wanted all those photos-Granny!” Ruby yells and Granny busts through the door.

“Oh hush, child! I’m coming! Now… what is it?”

“Remember that stack of butt pictures you saw me with?”

“Yes,” Granny nods at the memory.

“Well, Cora bought a boat-I mean..” she pauses to turn to them, her eyes searching. “I can talk about it now, right?”

“I guess,” Emma says.

“Well, yeah anyway- She bought a boat, well, Hook’s boat and named it the S.S Tight Ass and Regina approved it!”

“Hold on- hold on! You let your mother buy a boat?”

“Technically she traded a magic bean for it, but yes,” Regina says, suddenly feeling like she was being scrutinized.

“And you approved her naming it ‘Tight Ass’?”

“Granny, it’s the S.S Tight Ass,” Ruby corrects and her grandmother looks at her weirdly.

“Yes ma’am. I approved the name,” Regina says and Granny pauses.

“Well… good luck with some of those pictures. They’re just atrocious,”

“Considering mother wants to change the monthly banner, I believe it’s safe to say we all need a bit of luck with them,”

“Who’s this month’s banner?” Ruby asks.

“No one yet, but she wants my dad to do it. I’m helping her pick, so I think we’ll go with you on month two,” Emma says in reference to Ruby’s question. Regina sighs heavily.

“Excuse me, I’ll be right back,” she says all too quickly, waiting for no one’s response.

 

“What did you do-,”

“-help me!” Ruby and Emma blurt out at the same time. Ruby looks at Granny who looks at Emma.

“Emm, what did you do?”

“What didn’t I do,” Emma groans before immediately feeling whoozy. Her head licks to the side heavily and her body jerks as the french fries threaten to come back up.

“Bucket- get her a bucket!” Ruby says quickly and Granny rushes to get the bucket for Emma. She gives it to Ruby, who slides it towards Emma and the blonde grabs hold of it before she’s lurching into the bucket, emptying out her system.

“Thank God we were closed today,” Granny commented and Ruby nodded with disgust on her face. Emma lurches again and this time the sound of her pain becomes vocal. Ruby rubs her back.

“I looked..at your pic-ture,” she says.

“Huh?”

“Butt picture,” she clarifies before throwing up. “ I looked at it. Said it was perky. She saw red,” the blonde recalled before wiping her mouth on her shoulder.

“That explains why she left, but it doesn’t explain why you’re in here throwing up,”

“It’s been three days,”

“Three days? YOU’VE BEEN PUKING FOR THREE DAYS AND SAID NOTHING? HAS REGINA NOTICED?!”

“Yelling,” Emma says through a wince. “And no.. it only happens when she leaves,” Emma clarifies and Ruby simpers. She comes around the counter and sits on the bar stool.

“You don’t think it’s some sort of residual magic thing, do you?”

“Residual how?”

“I don’t know. You know how funky magic gets. What was the last thing you two did?”

“We had ‘lunch’ here,”

“That’s not what I meant.. I mean-,”

“- she means, when was the last time you two rolled around in the hay,” Granny said and instantly, Emma’s stomach gave way. The old woman shook her head and passed the blonde a paper towel. “Take it easy,” she urges and Emma nods.

“Three days ago,” she begins.

“What about three days ago? Did you two have sex three days ago?”

“No.. We never actually got that far, but we did do things and.. We kissed, a lot.. And I kissed...” she pointed downward after trailing off and Ruby caught it. Granny looked lost, which required the brunette leaning over and whispering to her. Emma watched low eyes widen and go interested as eyebrows peaked and it made her feel even weirder. 

“So.. what happened after?”

“What do you think.. She..” Emma trailed off again.

“Anything else?”

“Minus the oddly sharp pain that ran through me that felt like both euphoria and the worst thing on the planet.. Kind of like…”

“Like what, Em?”

“Huh?”

“Like what?” Ruby repeated and Emma shoot her head,

“Nothing.. It felt like- I’ll be right back,” the blonde told them both before she was disappearing.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Regina, you in here?!” Emma questions after having walked (ran like hell) to the bathroom. “Gi… sweetie, you in here?” she repeats and when she receives no response, she sighs deeply and makes her way to one of the stalls before going in and shutting the door. Emma drops onto the toilet seat and sighs again, now taking notice that she’s not feeling so much like crap anymore and the sickly feeling is beginning to subside. Emma reaches into her pocket and pulls out the package before she sets it before herself and stares at it. Thankfully those stall walls go straight to the ground, that way no one knew who was in what. She almost scowled at it and when she moves to pick it up, it drops on the floor with a clatter. She thinks about leaving it there for a moment and then is still picking the damn thing back up. She sets it atop the tissue roll this time. The last time she looked at one of those, she was devastated by what it showed her. She yanks her jacket off and wiggles out of her shoes before she’s shoving her jeans down and lifting the toilet seat. She preps it and plants her ass on it before ripping the thing from it’s packaging and staring at it. “Never thought I’d be doing this again.. But here goes nothing,” she mutters before letting life work. She doesn’t know this, but in the stall directly next to her is Regina who is just sat on the toilet seat… now listening.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


“David!” Cora yelled as she walked into the station. “David! Daaaaavvvviiiiiidddd! Da- oh.. There you are,” Cora said.

“Here I am,” he says. He’s sat at his desk, fiddling with something that Cora lacks the interest in.

“I heard news,”

“And that would be?”

“Everyone’s favourite Chinese saviour has come back,”

“You would be right.. Little John took her to the diner to get her something to eat. She missed the food here,”

“I don’t blame her. Eating barely cooked anything with a crap ton of rice isn’t appealing...she kicked ass?”

“Oh yeah. Got pictures of it and everything. But she said it was nothing much… oh yeah, congrats on the boat,” he grins and she smiles.

“Thank you. Forgot to tell you, next month, you’ll be the mascot. Your ass will be seen by all!”

“How did you even-,”

“-Ruby.. But that’s another story for another day. Today’s not that day. She did what I asked, I snuck in and printed them off, Belle may be mad, but oh well. It got me what I needed.”

“I don’t know if I should feel proud, violated or confused.

“How about all three.. Where’s your wife?”

“I don’t know,”

“And your son?”

“Nursery,” he says and Cora nods.

“Well, I’ll go look for the cheery little snowflake and give her the news. I don’t suppose she’d want to pose for a month, would she?”

“I’d say that’s way too far a reach for even me to have hope she might,” David joked and Cora rolled her eyes with a laugh.

“It was worth a shot,” she said and he hummed.

  
  


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  
  


Henry was losing his mind at this point in time. He was home alone- well, technically not alone-alone. His mother still got a personal nurse sent over considering his attitude and how he was being with both her and Emma. He needed to be somewhere and do something. School was a no go and that was because there was no school. His friends were probably busy and he didn’t feel like bothering them. Ian was not coming over regardless of if Henry begged and he didn’t think it wise to invite Nick either.. So he was stuck with the nurse whose name he never learned. He was supposed to be mad at them, but he was.. But he didn’t want to be either. He wanted to be mad  _ and _ still be momma and mommy’s little boy at the same time. He wanted to grow up and not grow up in the same breath because if this was the consequence of it, he didn’t want to be grown anytime soon. His brain clicked and he rolled his wheelchair into the living room. He flipped the phonebook open and granted he should know this number out his head by now, but his head is filled with everything else but that right now. He dials out and waits. The person picks up and he speaks. By the response he gets, it’s a good thing, he’ll be seeing them soon.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


“Where in the hell do snowflakes fall?” Cora mutters to herself as she storms around Storybrooke, looking for the woman so much alike the weather element. She forgets to looks where she’s going exactly and bumps into someone.

“Ughhh, watch it you imbecile,” the voice responds very angrily at her and Cora looks up to see that it’s Crafter.

“Here we go,” she mumbles as she looks away from the man. “Oh. It’s you,” he says flatly and rolls his eyes at her, but sure enough, the old bag of dust starts up and Cora ignores him for the better part of his rant, which is all of it until she’s tired of standing there with him spitting on her because he wants to make a ‘point’. She holds a hand up in a swift motion and it silences Crafter immediately.

“I didn’t come here for this,”

“Come where? You ran into me!” he rages and she sighs.

“I need your help,” she says simply because an idea has struck her.

“My help? For what? You flattened my business!”

“You mean that building of thievery and deceit that you claimed was a fair business?” she challenges him and he scowls at her.

“What do you want?” he asks and she smirks.

“I have a job for you- and before you even think it’s due to the fact that you have good skills- it’s not. Marco simply doesn’t have the workers, however you do. So I tell you what. You let them in on this job and by them- I mean the dwarves and Marco, and I pay you whatever the cost comes to. You ensure they get there and home safely and are fed within their work hours or you lose a nut for every screw up and then the rest of your rather tiny pecker…. Sound fair enough,” she offers because she’s not asking him anything anymore. His scowl gets even deeper because he knows hse’ll make good on that damn threat. Her hand is stuck out and he stares at it before shaking it with a grudge so deep up his ass he  would have to be constipated.

“Fine.. what’s the job?”

“I bought a boat and it’s in need of some redecorating and new construction. Granted- I don’t have the idea drawn out just yet, but I needed to get this done and over with anyway,”

“.....fine. They can work on the project and all that other crap.. Can I go now?”

“Yes, but make sure you get rid of that patch of vagina hair on your head you call a toupe. It ruins the mood.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


The doorbell to the mansion rang and Snow stood there, shifting from foot to foot as she waited for it to be answered. She only waited a beat before she rang it again and the nurse answered the door just as Henry Was rolling up to the doorway.

“Hey, grams. You need something?”

“Hi, Henry,” she smiles, but she’s still very on her toes. “ I was looking for your mothers.. Are they in?”

“No, sorry grams. None of them are in. They left this morning. I think mom’s back at town hall and ma might be at the station- did you try calling them?”

“Yes, but neither of them answered,”

“Is something wrong?”

“No..nothing’s wrong,” she lies.. At least, she’s not sure it’s a lie just yet. “I just wanted to find them,” she tells him and his face falls.

“Sorry, grams. I can’t help you there,” he tells her and she gives him a quick smile.

“It’s quite alright… I’ll be going,” she said before bending to kiss his head and turning to leave. She bumps into Doctor Hopper on the way and looks up.

“Oh Jeez, I’m so sorry,” he tells her and then he’s looking at her. “Misses Nolan. I apologise,” he says much more softly and she flashes the smallest smile.

“It’s okay.. I was in a rush. I suppose we both were.. But I really must be going,” she said and he nodded.

“Very well.. Have a good day, Misses Nolan,” he tells her and she nods.

“You as well, Doctor Hopper. He turns back and looks at Henry before going up the steps and stopping at the door.

“House calls have become a thing,” he said and Henry smirked. “You rang?!”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Awww- Please! I just fought a war!” Mulan whined from her spot at the barstool in the diner. Granny tried to scowl, but that wasn’t working out because she had too much goddamn heart.

“Fine.. what do you want?” she questions after caving and Mulan hisses in excitement.

“Ohhhh a burger and sweet potatoe fries, please and thank you,” she says with a grin.

“Oh no.. You’re going to help me make it. Come along,” she tells Mulan who hops off the chair quickly and follows the woman. “You’re very spoilt, you know this right?”

“Yes ma’am,” she says, still grinning.

 

“Why are you guys closed today?” Little John asks and Ruby shrugs.

“Granny wanted a day off, she just happened to pick today,” the brunette says and Little John nods. Mulan walks out a little bit later with her food on a plate and says,

“I take it you guys know about Cora’s new boat?”

“Pretty sure I was the first person to know… that reminds me- get up for a second and turn around,” she tells Mulan and the woman looks confused. “John John- close your eyes. Mula turn around,” she repeats and they both obey. Ruby takes a few pictures with her phone and tucks it away. “Okay, we’re good. You can eat now,” she tells her and Mulan shakes her head.

“Weird Wolf. What did you just do?”

“You’ll see soon enough-,” she doesn’t get to finish.

 

“Please tell me Regina and Emma are here!” Mary Margaret begged as she burst through the diner doors.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Emma looked down at her hands and of course they’re shaking. She stands up and yanks her clothes and shoes back on before she’s lightly pushing at the stall door and stepping out of the stall before moving to wash her hands. She’s shoved the offending item back into her pocket. It’s capped off and waiting to just ruin her every being right that second, but she has to wait.. 

 

She  _ wants _ to wait. 

  
  
  


She  _ doesn’t _ wanna fucking  _ wait _ \- what kind of lie?!

 

Emma looks at herself in the mirror and scowls at her own damn face. She flips the tap on, washes her hand and flips it back off before she’s drying them and tossing the paper towels in the trash. She exits the bathroom, oblivious to the other bathroom attendant at that point in time. She makes her way to the backside of the diner and goes out the backdoor. The A/C unit that’s always up and running was oddly quiet today.  _ Great _ .. Just what she needed, silence.. To die. Emma walks forward and goes down the first step on one foot before planting her ass on that exact top step with a graceless thump. She looks up and that sky is as it’s always been. Blue. Sky blue. Nothing’s changed around her- except.. Everything  _ has _ changed around her.. And now she was losing herself to her meaningless thoughts. She sticks her hand in her pocket and pulls the item out of it before she flips it over and sighs.  _ ClearBlue _ ..  **Clear my ass!** Emma pulls the cap off of the test and stares at it.

 

She sees it.  _ Shit _ . She sees one blatantly clear skyblue line- like the fucking sky! And then she sees a faded, almost fucked up looking one next to it and.. Well, shit. The box indicated that two lines meant she was pregnant- so what the fuck?! And now she feels the queasiness and has to wonder if it’s from the test or from the simple fact that Regina isn’t there.

“Emma?” she hears her name being called and she’s not sure if it’s distant, or if it’s right there. It’s directly behind her. She jerks and shoves the stick into her pocket before turning and standing quickly. “Emma.. are you okay?” Regina asks and Emma nods like hell. Clearly she’s failing at lying today. Her eyes settle on Regina and she goes somber, the queasiness drifting from her.

“Yeah.. I’m fine. Was just lightheaded earlier.. I was actually looking for you.. Are you okay?”

“Mm,” Regina responds with a nod and Emma walks towards her before she’s hugging her and pulling her in close. She’d managed to do this after her thoughts finally left her brain long enough for her to function like a somewhat responsible human.

“You know your butt is the only but I wanna see.. Or touch otherwise, right?” she questions sweetly and Regina snickers in her arms.

“That’s good to know,” Regina says and though Emma smiles. The thought comes back.  _ I have to get another one.. Like now _ .

“It is. Besides, Ruby’s butt is too small. I’ve seen you in jeans, yoga pants and shorts. God bless Italian hispanics!” she praises.

“Do keep the compliments coming, sweetheart. They’re endearing,” Regina wisecracks and Emma kisses her head, but before they can go any further, or either can formulate words to ask the other, Snow appears.

“Emma- Regina! Thank God! We need to get to the townline.. Now!” she says and no one asks questions, they all just move.

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

“So, you said some hurtful things and now you’re fighting yourself on whether or not you should apologize,” Archie recapped and Henry shifted in his wheelchair.

“I dunno,” the boy shrugs.

“I think you do,” Archie tells him and he somewhat scowls.

“So what if I do. What does that change?”

“A lot,” Archie tells him simply and he huffs.

“The whole poitn is, I don’t know how,” Henry tells him in covering and he shakes his head.

“I’m nearly positive you know how as well,” he tells Henry and Henry pauses. “Henry, why did you call me here?”

“Dunno,”

“Yes you do. Tell me why you called me here,” Archie pushes and Henry cracks quickly.

“Fine… I wanted you to tell me that the way I reacted and what I said was normal-,”

“- even though we both know that it’s not likely I would say that considering what’s been said and how the entire thing unfolded,” Archie finished and Henry nodded oddly.

“..yeah, that.” Archie shifts in his seat.

“You have to apologise and you need to do that in a manner that is conducive to recovery. An apology has to come from the heart and there has to be understanding behind why it’s being done. So tell me, Henry.  _ Why _ are you apologising?  _ What _ are you apologising for?”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

“There’s a hole in it,” Regina comments as she feels around the seal only to have her hand slip through it and realize it’s a rather sizeable hole.

“That’s a big one,” Emma comments and Regina hums.

“It is...who found it?” Regina questions, pulling her hand from it.

“A couple who said they were walking around the area. Her husband was kidding around and throwing things at the barrier...and something went through it,”

“What was it?” Emma asked.

“Her wedding ring,”

“Typical,” Regina scoffed, annoyed as hell.

“Is it depleting,” Granny asked and Regina shrugged.

“That, I’m not entirely sure of, but either way, this isn’t good,”

“Because you can’t fill the hole or afford to put another curse there,” Ruby said.

“Precisely..has anyone else come into contact with it?”

“No,” Snow says.

“Wait, is it possible that a magic bean could have done it?” Mulan queries and Regina turns to her.

“That depends,” the brunette says.

“Okay, well every time I come back from China and I take the magic beans to get back, it spits me out at different parts of town, but for the past few times, it’s been right at townline, in this exact same spot,” Mulan says and she and Regina share a look.

“So, are we looking at a wormhole or a warped part of the universe that could suck us into another dimension?” Emma questioned and Regina’s gaze is frozen. Hollow. She swallowed before whispering as they all stared ahead, knowingly at the invisible barrier.

“Both.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“If we have no way of knowing if it’s warped or depleting, what do we do?” Snow questions.

“Nothing..yet. Someone should have called Belle,” Regina says and the humming she receives in response tells her that they agree.

“She wasn’t in the library. I think she was visiting Rumple,” Ruby tells her.

“Still, we’ll need her. Emma and I both may have magic, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be detrimental to this barrier. If we disrupt it with magic and the possibility that two versions of unpredictable magic are already present within it, disrupting it could render this world destroyed if we so much as blink out of time...Ruby,”

“Yeah?”

“See if you can reach Belle. Snow.. I need you to call David. We’re going to need tape and a hell of a lot of it. I don’t know whether it’s spanning outward or in the shape of a dome which would be both up and out.. Considering it’s how the curse was cast- to encapsulate, we’ll need a marker,” she says before unrolling her fingers and producing spray paint. Regina shakes the can and sprays the ground.

“If it disappears we know it’s coming back but how do we know if it’s going outward?” Ruby questioned and Regina felt around the barrier before she found the hole. She traced the outline in spray paint and turned.

“If  _ that _ disappears, conclude that it’s widening in circular fashion which in turn means dome shape. If it doesn’t disappear at all.. It’s the magic beans that would have warped a specific time in space that will forever render that spot… untouchable. This entire longitudinal piece will need to be taped off at least two miles back, no more, no less.” And then she stops abruptly, an idea catching in her mind. “I have an idea,” she says and everyone looks nervous. Regina whips out her phone and dials out. She talks for a little bit and she talks quickly and soon a flash of that familiar smoke comes, still tinged with pixie dust and poppies.

“You’re lucky I carry extras on me.. Here,” Cora says to her daughter.

“Thank you, mama,”

“You’re Welcome, sweetheart.. Should I stay orrrr?”

“We’re testing something.. If you wish to stay you can, but it has to do with the depleting townline barrier,”

“I guess I can stay for that..alright, do it,” Cora said and Regina turned to Mulan.

“How exactly do you get to China?” she questions and Mulan answers.

“Half a Magic bean,” she says honestly and Regina nods, her lip twitching.

“Where do you end up?”

“Most times? At the beginning where I cut my hair after the whole thing with the marriage woman thing.. Her- you get it,” Mulan fumbles.

“Your timeline isn’t affected.. And that’s due in part to the fact that your story is already written, which means nothing tamper wise could mess that side up.. However, considering this curse wasn’t in my story, it’s liable to damage and being damaging. Half a bean to come back could be what’s warping it.. I need you to go back,” she says after a beat and Mulan nods.

“Woah- hey, don’t you think that’s a little dangerous?” Ruby questioned and Mulan shook her head.

“She’s already saved China. She can travel there back and forth because it’s safe now. I just want to see if that’s what’s causing the warp in the barrier,” Regina says and Ruby sighs. Everyone looks at Emma and Emma shrugs.

“We have to try every avenue,” she says and then eyes are back on Regina. Regina gives the bean to Mulan and the warrior breaks it in half before tossing it down. The portal opens and She nods before jumping in and the portal instantly closes. Everyone holds their breath and it feels like forever, but Regina slowly backs away and they take the hint and follow suit. Soon enough, the portal opens right where the marked hole is. It jerks and rattles and on impact it creates a white and blinding effect that only appears in a circular fashion around the now jiggly barrier. It’s as if the barrier fights back at the sudden intrusion and what it does is leave damage behind, but nothing actually happens. The hole doesn’t shatter more and ripple into a bigger hole. 

Mulan pops out and she brushes herself off before looking at Regina.

“So?”

“...nothing,” Regina says after staring at the hole and blatnatly seeing the ring still around it.

“Maybe it takes a few minutes like the other ones did,”

“Maybe.. Or maybe that’s not the cause,” Regina says and Mulan tilts her head.

“Well, we don’t have many things to choose from as reasons,” the warrior tells her and she hums.

“I suppose not, but Emma and I will need to get to City Hall and all of you would need to begin warning those who use magic beans, not to.. I really wish I’d incinerated the entire damn farm now,” she muttered and felt hands instantly rest on her shoulders.

“ _ Breathe _ ,” Emma whispers in her ear and she sighs.

“I’m trying,” she says and the blonde knows she is.

“Talk to me,”

“What’s there to say… we have an announcement to make and that’s all we can do,”

“I know we have to make the announcement, but it’s not all we can do,” Emma tells her and she huffs.

“Then what do we do?”

“We ignore it for the moment and go have something to eat. I’ve got the munchies and you nursing a black cup of coffee does not count, so.. Let’s go somewhere that isn’t Granny’s or home and get something to eat. We’ll deal with the barrier announcement later, that way we’ll know if it’s the magic bean effecting it or not..”

“..that does sound like a rather good idea,” Regina admits and Emma hums.

“I know. Come on then,” she tells the brunette before slinging an arm over her shoulder and  and pulling her in close. Regina smiles softly and rests her head on Emma’s shoulder. Emma makes a come on motion and everyone follows behind them. “Love you,” she whispers and Regina wraps arms around a small waist before she’s humming against Emma’s shoulder.

“Love you too.” Regina says back and they continue to walk.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Something crackles and when it crackles, electricity jolts- and when electricity jolts...the barrier hole wiggles and jiggles with the effects. It begins to rumble and twitch, wiggling into and out of itself, the inside of it now changing in colours. It turns blue, then purple and then.. It’s black- so..damn. Black. Air begins to whip viciously and it alerts the group of people who were walking away from it. They all turn to see the public tantrum that the hole was throwing and it keeps going and going and going before something in itis being forced out. And by forced out, it’s physically being pushed out of the hole. The hole caves in on itself and then shoots out just as quickly, ejecting a human as it does so. The body goes tumbling to the ground in a pretty aggressive thud and rolls. Regina breaks off into a dead sprint for the body and upon her arrival, she notices it’s a child.. A male child at that.

“Emma! EMMA!” she shouts and Emma is there in seconds after her own dead sprint. She stutters to a stop and bends down.

“Is that..” she doesn’t finish, but Regina nods.

“He’s.. alive,” Regina comments and Emma sighs in relief.

“Thank God,” she says and instantly feels people behind them, again.

“What the hell!” Ruby exclaims and Emma turns.

“That’s a child,” Granny says and Mary Margaret looks about ready to cry.

“Where did he come from?” she asks and Regina shakes her head before turning the little boy over. His hair is sandy brown and his chin is dimpled, but his eyebrows are arched much like Regina’s have always naturally been. She looks at him and begins to lift him up. His breathing is light, but he’s alive. Thankfully. She begins to walk with him towards her car and everyone helps her get him in. The little beanie that he was wearing, tumbles off his head and onto the floor in the car. Regina picks it up and sees that there’s a little imprint on the inside. She pulls it out and reads it.

 

“Kohana.”


	23. Now you know.

There was pacing. A whole crap ton of pacing. Ruby had gone to look for Belle. Granny was sat in one of the hospital chairs with her knee bouncing, knitting away at a blanket for the little boy. Mulan had gotten called back to the station but they’d told her they’d keep her in the loop and Emma and Regina were.. Well, they were like two worried mothers. They were the ones pacing the floor of SB medical hospital like there was nothing else for their legs to do. When they brought him in and Whale was given the go ahead to deal with the unconscious little boy, he’d tried asking them many questions as it related to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_“Where did you find him? Do you know if he has any breathing problems?”_ ** _ It was just the usual. All questions they could not answer. They couldn’t tell Whale if he had siblings or if he was conscious when thrown through the hole because none of that registered to them when all they got was the body of a boy not even remotely close to being a preteen being spat before them. Nurses had come to help because he’d called for them and as they were discussing and discussing, one had made the comment that. _

**_“He doesn’t seem to be more than seven or eight,”_ ** _ and that had caused both Regina and Emma to speak very shortly after. Regina’s arms were folded and Emma’s hands were in her back pockets. _

**_“He’s six,”_ ** _ they’d both told her and all of the nurses, Granny inclusive, looked at them. _

**_“How do you know that?”_ ** _ that one nurse in particular asked and Emma and Regina looked at one another, confused by their own knowledge of it. Emma shrugged slightly, but Regina didn’t give a reaction or an answer at all. _

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` _

Emma sighed, ran her fingers through her hair and then her legs were moving, carrying her towards the counter. Regina paused her pacing and just watched until Granny called her.

“Sweetheart, you need to sit down, there’s nothing worrying will do but make you think of the worst possible outcome,” Granny tells her and she swallows, nodding- yet still, her feet don’t guide her to a chair. Granny shifts her knitting supplies over and pats the chair beside her and Regina’s hesitant. She wants to sit, but she doesn’t want to sit at the same time. She shakes her head just slightly, indicating to Granny that she just can’t do it and she sees the look in the woman’s eyes. Granny leaves a hint of a smile, one of understanding. One that Regina can decipher as understanding and not anger or disappointment or stubbornness. She starts to pace..again. Granny lets her, she watches her only for a moment more before her fingers begin to weave around her knitting needles.

  
  


“Hey,” she began and the nurse looked up.

“Oh, hi Sheriff,” the woman had responded and Emma had to glance at her name tag before she spoke.

“Allison- hi.. Umm where’s the in-hospital pharmacy?”

“In..hospital-,” she began in a whisper before it clicked. “-oh! It’s to your left after you pass the natal ward,” she tells her and Emma nods with an anxious smile.

“Thanks.. Do you know if they carry...nevermind,” she said, thinking better of it all. Allison looked at her for a moment before letting it go. “Thanks,” she mutters before walking away and toward Regina. The brunette catches her eyes and they both pause before Emma turns to look back slightly. Her eyes trail the empty hallway and then they go back on Regina.

“What’s the matter?” Regina asks her, coming closer and Emma shakes her head lightly.

“Nothing,” she admits, because in technicality- nothing is wrong.

“Sure?”

“Uhuh.. just thinking.. I need to go down to the natal ward for a bit,” she says and Regina looks oh so confused by that. Her arms are folded and Emma takes notice of that.  _ Were they always? _ And her eyes arch in both confusion and contemplation.

“Why?” comes her simple question and Emma lies this time.

“Tampons,” she says very quickly and Regina lets that be. “You need any?” she then questions and Regina somewhat smirks, albeit a bit darkly.

“No. When I married the king, mother stopped those from happening,” Regina tells her, not going into detail as to why exactly they had stopped.

“So you haven’t seen your period since you were….”

“...Eighteen,” the brunette recalls “ ..that was until the miscarriage, but either way, had I actually given birth to an heir I’d have seen it. The miscarriage seemed to just be a formality of that. Blood is blood, that was until mother told me it was a disgrace and she decided to do away with it,” Regina tells her and Emma looks stricken.

“She was really that bad?” Emma questions her and she nods.

“She was.. But she’s better now. I suppose in some way I have her to thank for it. I was always afraid of many things and that would have been something that may have frightened me to never be around any man ever again. I was ignorant to it all… and sadly, twenty eight plus years later, I still am ignorant to it all. I didn’t bother to learn about something I never had to deal with. And I was embarrassed that at this age I still didn’t know,”

“So.. you  _ still _ don’t know, even up to now?” Emma asks her because she’s not sure what she’s hearing.

“No, even up to now- I know little to nothing. The nothing more than the little,” she tries to joke and Emma eases her by smiling slightly.

“Guess we’ll have to teach you then,” she tells the woman and Regina smiles.

“I suppose so-,” Regina begins to answer and Whale comes out of nowhere and cuts her off.

“-Ah, well, teaching will need to be put on hold for the time being. I have some information about our little traveller here,” he tells her and if she wasn’t so interested in knowing the where or the who as it related to Kohana, she’d fling him into a wall. Both she and Emma look back at Granny who is already standing and she walks over to them.

“What do you have?” Emma questions and Whale smirks.

“Two things-well three..follow me,” he tells them and they do. They all walk into the hospital room and Kohana is surprisingly not hooked up to any IVs or anything. Sadly, the little boy is still unconscious. His face sports a light scratch on it and his breathing still looks ragged.

“Why isn’t he receiving care?” Regina begins to ask, her teeth grinding tightly together. Her teeth are bare before him and she continues. “What do you think we brought him here for? For you to treat him like a science project?!” she somewhat belts, angrily. Regina breaks away from the group and goes over to the bed before resting her hand on the little boy’s head. Emma walks over to the bed as well and puts a hand to her shoulder which she doesn’t jerk away from, but her eyes fall on the little boy as well. Granny’s face is saddened, very obviously saddened and the room falls quiet for a while.

 

Having noticed that the women are looking at the little boy, Whale speaks again. “His body rejected all possible versions of medical treatment,” he begins to explain and Granny is the first to talk, looking at him with question.

“What exactly do you mean he rejected it?” she queries and then Regina’s looking around Emma’s torso and directly at Whale. He turns his face to the brunette just slightly, but his reference is to Granny.

“ _ He _ didn’t,” Whale tells her seriously. “But his body did.. Listen, I know that in most cases I’m deemed less than capable of doing my job or you fear I may morph humans and monsters, but I’ve since come to terms with my own medical issues and am on medication. That being said- what I’m saying to you as of right now, comes from a man of sound mind. Yes, he is rejecting the treatment, not of will though. His body…” the man trails off. “I suppose it’s better if I just show you,” he says to them before walking over to his table and picking up a needle. He walks back and Granny shifts out of the way as Regina’s eyes follow his hand as he tilts the needle to pierce the boy’s skin. Whale presses it against Kohana’s skin and… it doesn’t go in.

The needle doesn’t penetrate his skin, instead, it snaps on contact and Granny places a hand over her mouth in shock. Regina’s eyes widen only slightly and Emma looks impressed.

“That looks like rejection to me,” she says into the room and Whale nods.

“Because of this, we’re unable to determine his blood type, and if he’s in need of a transfusion. We’ve been unable to do Cat Scans and MRIs because the machines tend to go haywire. It’s much like a magnet would be with a compass. The machines have become beyond sensitive and with him in the examination room, we’re now in need of new machines… again,” he tells them and Regina recalls the first set of machines they’d replaced when Keaton was testing the DNA. “Usually I would have tried something off the grid to attempt, however, like I’ve said, on medication. I no longer have those crazy ideas… the most I can offer is that you take him home with you and tend to him. There’s no point in keeping him in the hospital at this rate. It would be both a waste of money and time,” Whale finishes and Regina inhales before brushing back the little boy’s hair. Because Kohana was spat through the whole, she hasn’t bothered to take notice of anything past his scratches and unconsciousness, so she hadn’t noticed that the little boy had a pair of glasses in his pocket, quite clearly made specifically for him. She also hadn’t noticed that he was wearing a plaid long sleeve shirt over a plain blue t-shirt and a pair of black khakis. His shoes were a pair of sandals, also black. Even though his hair was long, it was trimmed to form to his face. It was healthy and soft and for some reason it had reminded Regina of the softness of Emma’s hair. He was clearly not homeless, but it was obvious he did belong to parents who cared about every aspect of his life. “His dental record is impeccable. H e showed no visible sign of medical distress, minus the unconsciousness and as far as I can tell, this little boy is pretty well off. Where he came from may be a mystery but we can conclude that he’s very well cared for,” Whale says, bringing all the things finally noticed, to the light. He bows out of the room and leaves the three women there until Granny speaks.

“I’ll call Ruby.. You are taking him home now, aren’t you?” Granny questions and Emma answers for them both.

“Whale said it was best.. So, I guess we are. I just need to go to the pharmacy for a couple of things.. Can you..” she trails off in hopes that Granny understands. The woman nods.

“Go,” Granny tells her and she leaves quickly. Regina’s still looking at Kohana, her eyes are somber and then she feels a hand to her shoulder. “You’re afraid, aren’t you?”

“A little bit,” she admits and Granny hums.

“You’ll do fine. He’s.. six?” she asks and Regina nods. “Well, you’ve had experiences with a six year old, he should be no different… you can do this, sweetheart. Stop worrying,” she tries and Regina sighs.

“I can’t.. I feel like how I handled Henry at this age was worse than how I might handle this little boy until we can figure out how to get him back to his parents,” Regina admits, still in blatant fear and Granny pulls her up off the bed and holds her tightly at her side.

“Do what you know how and let life do the rest,” Granny says to her and she sighs again, this time, fully listening to the words. “Okay,” Granny says before releasing her. “I need to call Ruby and let her know. I’ll send her over later this evening with a few meals for you and the boys and that nutty mother of yours,” she tells her and Regina grins. She grins back. “ _ You _ need to gather this little flitling up and I need to get started on some meals for you all. Considering the diner is closed today, those ovens would be happy to get fired up today,” Granny said and Regina sighed out a smile. The old woman hugged her tighter before letting her go and making her way out of the room. Regina sighs again, her head turning to the door and then back toward Kohana. She stands and walks around to the table where his glasses and little beanie are and picks them up. She hears the door creak and looks over to see Mary Margaret in the doorway. They share the smallest moment of saddened smiles and MM looks at the hospital bed.

“He’s still unconscious…” she says and trails off. Regina ndos.

“He is. Whale says his body had rejected the treatments they were trying to give him.... His skin snapped a needle,”

“Impenetrable,” Snow comments and Regina lets out a soft grunt.

“Very much so… Emma and I are taking him home with us. Whale said it was our best option….we don’t know when he’ll wake up, but I hope it’s soon. He’s just a child,” she comments and Mary Margaret smiles sadly.

“He’ll wake up. I know he will,” is what she tells Regina and in that moment, the woman believes her. “For what it’s worth.. I think he’ll be better off with both of you. If you don’t find his parents, or figure out where exactly he came from...maybe you and Emma could adopt him,” she says and it’s clear she’s serious about it.

“Maybe, but I hope we find him a family.. Or better yet, his family,” 

“We’ll figure it out,”

“I hope so.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Pregnancy test..pregnancy test,” Emma muttered to herself over and over before she was walking through the aisles with enough speed to create a small wind. She browsed quickly and found her feet leading her to the feminine aisle. Directly on the endcap at the back were stacks of pregnancy tests. All ClearBlue.  _ DAMN IT! _ Does she really need to pick up the exact same test..again? The same one that made her nearly shit herself at the result….

_ Yes..yes she did-God damn it!  _ “Alright,  _ fine.  _ I’ll get the damn test,” she argues with herself before yanking it off the shelf and walking away. She doubles back and grabs at least two more for good measure before she does in fact pick up the tampons just to make it look good. Thankfully the cashier in the pharmacy, doesn’t know her or care… granted, it might be because it’s a teenaged boy who recently graduated and is beyond even caring about anything on his job.

“$26.80,” he mumbles and Emma hands over the money after muttering that things are way too expensive, then again- she picked up the most accurate pregnancy test, and three of them at that. The teen puts them in a brown paper bag and hands her her change. She shoves them into her leather jacket pocket and exits the pharmacy before making her way over to the room where Kohan was still laying down asleep. Emma sees her mother there and they share the smallest moment of understanding. She surprises herself by going over and hugging the woman and in that hug, she feels okay. She’s not mad or anything, but she knows their relationship hasn’t been repaired and there will come a day when Emma has to deal with all of that, but in her mind, due time meant what it meant..due time.

“You ready to take him?” she questions Regina after releasing her mother from the hug. Regina nods and she nods back. Emma turns to her mother and looks around the room..”Where’s Granny?”

“She went back to the diner. She’s going to send Ruby over later to bring food for the boys,” Regina tells her and her lips twitches before she addresses her mother.

“Could you open the car door for me.. I need to lift him in. I don’t want Regina to hurt herself carrying him,” she says to her mother and Mary Margaret nods quickly. Emma fishes the keys from her pocket and hands them over. “Thanks, mom,” she says and MM smiles before leaving. Emma then makes her way over to the bed and begins to lift him up. There’s nothing she or Regina need to say. They were taking this little boy home with them and that was that. Regina squeezes his things tightly to her chest and then she’s moving to open the hospital door for Emma. She trails behind the blonde carrying the six year old like he was nothing. He was light and that’s something they’d realized when they’d first lifted him. He was extremely light. Not malnourished in the slightest, he was just genetically tiny. Emma settles him into the backseat and pulls the blanket that was folded and set on the back of the car, over him. She looks at him for a moment and then sighs, shifting the blanket again as she tightens it around his body. She shuts the door and looks at her mother. “Thanks again..for getting the door,” she tells her and Mary Margaret smiles.

“It’s fine.. I called your father. He was wondering if you both wanted to get started on figuring out where he came from or how he got here… and he wanted to see him,” she tells Emma and the blonde looks confused.

“Why?”

“Because.. I told him I see similar features in someone and that may help us figure out what to do,”

“You think you know who he belongs to?” Emma questions and her mother looks modest.

“I think I might. I’m not entirely sure, but it’s a start,” she says and she sees that Emma is on the verge of asking her who it might be, so she changes the subject. “Should I bring anything over for him? Is he going to need clothes? Shoes?” she goes on in question and Regina answers as she pulls the car door open.

“I still have Henry’s old clothes from his younger days. I’ll go through those and see what fits.. If they’re too big or too small, I’ll let you know and you can take them for Neal so that when he gets older he can wear them. I’m positive I have clothes that will fit your soon to be two year old,”

“Thank you, Regina,”

“It’s really no issue...but we need to go. It’s best to get him in a warm environment and outside is too windy for him to be out here right now..besides, no one knows about it, I’d prefer it if it stayed that way,”

“I understand. You two be safe. I’ll call?” Mary Margaret questions, making the motion with her hand and Regina nods. They go their separate ways and Emma goes around to Regina’s side of the car before closing the door for her and then getting in. She starts up and begins to drive towards Mifflin. There’s a little whimper coming from the back and it sounds like it’s nightmare driven. Regina looks back at the little boy and his face is surely scrunched into a fitful state.  She instinctively reaches out and runs her fingers through his hair and his features soften. They no longer look stricken or angry and distressed. Her face saddens slightly and Emma glances from the road to look at her.

“Is he okay?”

“I’m not sure.. He seems to be. He may be having a nightmare,” Regina says and Emma nods.

“We’re almost home, hopefully he can hold out a little longer.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I’ve got him, can you just get the door for me,” Emma says to Regina and the brunette nods. She’s still got that death grip on Kohana’s beanie and his glasses as she rushes towards the door, hearing the faint voices within the house and opening it. She pushes it open wide enough and Emma comes in with Kohana shortly after. “Which room are we putting him in?” she stops to question and Regina swallows lightly. They both instinctively reach out and pull the blacket over the top of his head to cover him. Both sets of eyes settle on him and he looks so peaceful now. He looks comfortable.. He looks a hell of a lot like he belonged in that house.

“Ours..for now. It’s closer to the stairs and we’ll be able to hear him if anything happens… I’ll go check on Henry,” Regina responds and Emma nods.

“I’ll get him upstairs and come check on him after,” Emma tells her and now she nods. They split up and Regina heads towards the living room, noticing that there’s a pen and a pad on the table and a chair had been moved. Henry was laying in the chair, waiting for whoever it was to come back. His nurse was nowhere to be found and now Regina had the urge to fire the woman but she just shook her head. She was too tired to deal with that right now.

“Oh- Regina! I’m so sorry,” Archie interrupted her train of thought as he came up behind her and she turned around to see the man.

“Doctor Hopper,” she begins in acknowledgment. “It’s not an issue,” she assures him and now Henry’s pushing himself up to look at his mother. They just stare at one another for a moment, Regina dead set on not saying anything to Henry, not because she wanted to be petty, but because she knew that he was just as temperamental as both her and Emma.. and pretty much everyone except Mary Margaret and Neal. Regina blinks and turns to Archie, a not so convincing smile is placating her gorgeous face and he can see through it but he doesn’t comment, having learned why they are being the way they are. “Was, I disturbing your session?” she then asks Archie but is beyond surprised when Henry responds.

“No.. Archie was just giving me some advice.. We’re almost done,” he says and it sounds detached, but Henry’s convinced she wants nothing to do with him. His guilt was finally starting to kick in and his initial anger was hurting him more than it was ‘protecting’ him. “Grams was looking for you and ma,” he then tells her and she swallows before nodding.

“We know, she found us,” Regina responds and Henry’s face breaks with the way she just responds to him. No more, no less. Regina sees it but it confuses her because she knows how Henry is, but right now he looks so broken and she’s entirely confused by that. She squares her shoulder and tries to ease his distressed face. “Granny said she’ll send Ruby over later this evening to bring you something to eat and your grandmother is coming to collect a few of your old baby clothes for Neal,”

“You still have them? But I’m fifteen..”

“I know, but every single thing you’ve ever had still matters to me. They’re just wrapped up and put away in the attic…” she trails off and there’s a hint of a smile there on his face as he drops his head. He appreciates it, clearly and then Archie’s clearing his throat. “Right.. I’m sorry, I’ll leave you to your..advice-,” she says, ready to exit but Henry stops her. She pauses, her back still turned to him, hand on the wall of the living room.

“-is Ma home?” he questions and she nods.

“She is, she’s just upstairs,”

“Is it okay if Nick, Ava and Grace come over later.. I need help studying for my exams. Mother Superior sent a message earlier today that I have to take them starting next week since I’ve been out of school for so long..which reminds me. School’s apparently closed already,” he trails off, clearly awkward in his stance with his mother. 

“It’s perfectly fine, sweetheart,” she says, not missing the opportunity to still prove to him that as much of a brat as he can be, she loved him beyond bounds. She loved him beyond every I hate you and every tantrum he was still throwing at this age. She loved him and she still loves him.

“Thanks mom…..love you,” he whispers the last part, but she hears it and he knows she does by the hitch in her voice. She nods, shaking her head more than anything so that the tears don’t escape.

“I love you too, Henry,” she tells him before rushing away and bucking Emma at the staircase. The blonde’s face instantly looks worried and her arms are immediately around Regina, pulling her in and holding her close.

“Good or bad?” she questions in a soft whisper and Regina just falls even more into Emma’s embrace, rubbing her face against the blonde’s chest. She grips onto Emma’s shirt and pulls, trying to bring her even closer, but that’s as close as they can be.

“Good...Henry said he loved me,” she whispers and Emma sighs in content.

“He does love you, Regina.. He always has, he’s just..growing up, remember?” Emma asks and Regina nods. “Yeah, so he’s gonna be a brat but he never loses the love he has for you..” Regina sniffles at that.

“He said Archie’s giving him advice,”

“That means he’s probably trying to fix what he broke. Part of Henry being the man he claims he is means he figures out how to fix his problems and fix the screwups he knows he’s guilty of. He’ll come around. He’ll take time, but he’ll come around, okay?”

“...mhm…...How’s Kohana?”

“He’s asleep.. He looked a bit stressed when I put him down, but he’s still asleep. His feet are so small,” she comments with a soft smile that Regina can sense and the brunette hums. “I gotta admit though, kid’s got some really nice shoes on. Just looking at him I know whoever his parents are...they love him. They look like they make him the center of their attention,” she continues and now Regina can sense the small hint of jealousy in Emma’s voice. She can hear something akin to pain

“Em… your parents love you,” Regina finds herself saying and she’s saying it because she knows Emma needs it.

“I know that.. I know, but-,”

“-There’s no but, your parents love you. I love you, and Henry loves you. That’s all that should matter. Your pain doesn’t have to go away, but never let it take away the small moments of happiness life afford you,” she tells her and the blonde shakes her head.

“I’m trying...I really am-,”

“-I know, baby.. I know. Let me take care of you. _ Let me love you _ ,” Regina offers her and she hugs her even tighter.

“You have no idea how many times I have and it’s felt so freeing… It’s felt like something I’ve always needed. Something I’ve dreamt of..just to be loved, that’s all I ever wanted and I don’t know why, but I don’t care anymore. Your love keeps me grounded.  _ You- _ ,” she squeezes tighter. “-keep me grounded.. I love you, Regina,” she admits and Regina smiles before looking up at her and kissing her softly. She mumbles the words across Emma’s lips.

“I love you too, Emma,”

“I feel..better now,” she says with a sigh the allows all stresses to escape her and Regina holds onto her.

“That’s good..” she tells her before shifting slightly. Her hand moves so that she can see the time. “Ruby and your mother may get here shortly. It’s nearly four,” she says in acknowledgment.

“Already? That was f-,” Emma almost manages to finish her sentence but then she’s cut off by a loud shriek. 

It’s crippling to say the least.

Crippling and it sounds beyond fearful.

It’s a vocal plea and as both women break apart from each other, they’re rushing up the stairs quicker than they thought they could. Emma busts the door open and there’s the little boy, flailing and thrashing and screaming loudly.

“Momma! Momma!” he screams in his fear ridden sleep. They both rush to the bed, Regina catching the lights on the way in and Emma yanking the curtains she’d just closed, back open. Kohana is dripping sweat as he continues to flail and thrash and cry out. “MOMMA!” his body allows a glass shattering yell to escape and immediately they’re at his side, taking the blankets away from him and cooing him so that he wakes up. He’s ramrod straight, but his strength is uncontrollable and the lights in the room begin to flicker before they spark and one of the bulbs blow. Both Emma and Regina duck and cover him, her words drifting into his ear after hear the second bulb shatter with his shriek.

“Sweetie! wake up,” Regina tries softly but urgently, but it’s not use. He convulses angrily, almost spazzed out in the moment. Emma grabs a hold of him and wraps herself around him as his body jerks unforgivingly.

“Buddy...hey, come on little guy-wake up!” Emma says just after her and still- no use. She doesn’t quit though, she squeezes him tighter and even though she can feel the force behind his movements, she can also sense the minute amount of ease he can clearly feel. Regina continues to rub the top of his head and Emma’s rubs his leg. The brunette glances back to see that the lights are slowing with the flickering just as Kohana is coming to a stalemate with his strength.Then it clicks. Something goes off in both of their minds and before they realize what they’re doing- they speak at the exact same time.

“ _ Kohana _ .” The name comes out in both command and in love, almost as if they were reprimanding the child for a tantrum.

The little boy’s body stops immediately and his eyes snap open widely. It’s clear he hasn’t actually been looking at anyone, more so ahead, or past them. His eyes are focused though, but it’s clear he is definitely in a daze. One that seems to be draining his body of the last bit of energy. He goes limp in Emma’s arms, but his eyes are still glossy.

“Kohana,” Regina whispers his name and she sees the way his face goes somber in recognition. His eyes cloud over and his face goes soft. “It was just a nightmare, sweetheart,” she tells him in the exact same motherly tone she’s always used with Henry. Emma feels him sag further in her arms, but once again- his eyes are still there, glassy, and now that they’ve taken notice.. They’re kaleidoscopic in colour. Flecks of dark brown flit away as the blue-green comes back and even a dip of hazel is in there somewhere.

“You’re safe now, little man,” Emma whispers to him and that sparks tears to come streaming down his little face. And then he blinks. He blinks once. He blinks twice. He blinks a third time and Emma releases him gently, giving him space for him to move around if he needed to. He finally looks between the two of them, but his body immediately reacts to Regina. He smells something familiar on Regina that he can’t smell on Emma and that soothes him. Whatever the scent is that’s on her, it keeps him in sound mind.

“m-momma?” he questions the brunette and by the way her face softens before him, he can tell he’ll get a response. His sight is bleary, but he can make out her dark hair and her soft eyes. The little boy rubs at his eyes in aggravation because he can’t see her full face and he wishes he could. She shakes her head, and then his eyes dart over to Emma. His vision slowly clears and then his panic sets in. He freaks out and flails before backing away from her. Because he can’t smell that particular smell from Emma, he panics because he believes she’s someone who could hurt him. Since that scent is missing, Kohana doesn’t know who she is.

Emma puts her hands up quickly so that he knows she won’t hurt him but that’s not registering. He keeps panicking, backing away from her and closer to Regina. Emma looks at Regina in confusion and in need of help and Regina gives her a look of sorrow as Kohana finds himself in her lap and burying his face in her chest. “m-momma,” he stutters out.

“Where, sweetheart? Where is your momma?” Regina questions softly but the little boy squeezes her tighter and buries his face deeper.

“momma,” is all he says again and she sighs.

“I know. We’ll find her, sweetie. We’ll find her and we’ll get you back to your momma,” Regina tries to assure him but then he’s shaking his head and pulling away from her. She lets him go and her head tilts to the side. He scoots away from her slightly so that he can show her. His little hand comes up and a finger points at her. He shakes his head again.

“Mo-mma,” he enunciates and Regina is confused. His hand presses to her chest, most specifically- her heart. “You- momma,” he tells her and her eyes widen He turns to Emma, eyes seemingly less fearful and he points to her. “Ma?” he questions and then he pauses, his little lip curling inward. 

“Am I?” Emma questions him, but he looks lost, like he doesn’t understand the question. “Who am I Kohana?” she asks him, forgetting he was frightened of her a minute ago. In all honesty, she did expect him to run straight to Regina. The woman looked more motherly than she ever did and Regina really was a comfort zone for a lot of people, Emma being amongst those who felt her motherly vibe times before. Kohana scoots over on his knees and straight up to Emma’s face. He stretches his hand out and presses it to her heart. Emma holds still and let’s him feel for whatever it is he’s looking for considering he did the exact same thing to Regina. His face scrunches up in thought and he looks at Emma curiously before his hand moves away from her chest. He looks down at her stomach for a moment and then back at Regina and grins. The smile that splits out across his face is endearing and Good if he didn’t look like Emma when he did it. His dimples were so deep a thump could sit comfortably in it. His lashes, insanely long and curly and his eyes.. Beautiful as always.

“hana,” he smiles at them as he points to Emma’s stomach. His fingers form into small fists and then they’re covering his grin.  Regina looks at Emma who looks beyond afraid, but the little boy continues to grin. “Hana-Hana!” He says excitedly as he bounces up and down and up and down. Regina leans down next to his cheek with a soft smile and he hides his face.

“Who’s in there, sweetie?” she questions him and he giggles.

“Hana, momma!” he says even more excited and Regina continues to smile.

“Hana’s in there?” she asks and he nods, still smiling. “Is that  _ you _ in there?” she now asks and he nods eagerly.

“Me-Hana.. In there, momma!” he tells her in urgency, but he’s still extremely excited. He points anxiously at Emma’s stomach and Regina’s now grinning just like him. He begins to bounce on his legs and bounces straight into Emma’s stomach before placing his head there and making sure his ear is snuggly in place to listen. His arms wrap around Emma and he holds onto her which somehow makes the blonde relax and hold onto him as well. Her face goes somber for a moment and she sighs in relief before her eyes find Regina’s. The brunette doesn’t even look remotely angry at her. In all honesty, she looks saddened by it. Granted, she was happy that the little boy was and is okay and she is happy that he seems to think he’s in Emma’s stomach- or was in Emma’s stomach, but that just confuses her. 

_ Is that pregnancy test she took really about him? _

_ Is he really in Emma’s stomach? _

_ Is he our son? _

_ How did he get here? _

_ Is he here for a reason? _

_ Is this going to mess with the future? _

 

All of those questions were questions Regina couldn’t answer and a big part of her didn’t want an answer to it because they were almost always coming with negative answers.

“Tv?” Regina hears a little muffled come from Kohana. He was asking Emma if he could watch tv, but his sentences seems to be more fractured than anything else. He knew how to form words coherently, but he was stuck with asking things in short form and referring to others just as shortly.

“You wanna watch tv, bud?” Emma questions him and he nods eagerly. She smiles at him before shifting to get off the bed, Kohana still latched onto her. She lifts him up and his legs wrap around her. Emma walks towards the armoire and  gets the remote before flicking the tv on and heading back to the bed. She fiddles with it more and switches it to a kids station before tossing it onto the bed and setting Kohana down. He scrambles towards the middle and gets comfortable, his little feet bobbing left then right, clearly indicating he was already pulled into the world of cartoons.

“Thank you, mommy,” he said to her and Emma smiled before bending and kissing his head.

“You’re welcome, bud,” she responds before she speaks again. “Hey hana, I need to talk to momma for a little bit, can you be good and stay right here til we come back?” she asks him and he nods, but he’s so into the cartoon, she’s almost positive he won’t move even if the house was on fire. “Alright- I’ll bring you a snack when I come back-,”

“-Poptarts?” he questions,instantly cutting her sentence off. Regina shakes her head and Emma smirks.

“Oh, but of course.. Which kind?”

“mmm, strawberry,” he tells her and she high fives him.

“Good choice, kiddo. Alright, strawberry poptarts and lemme guess...milk?”

“Uhuh!” he nods eagerly and she smiles.

“Alright.. Momma and I will be back, okay?”

“Kay,” he nods again and Emma ruffles his hair before she stands and Regina follows her outside of the room. They shut the door and stand in the hallway. Emma’s smile immediately fades and she can tell Regina’s already fixing her lips to question her . She sighs and shoves her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

“I took a pregnancy test,” she admits and Regina exhales a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

“I know,” she answers the blonde and Emma nods, not really surprised about that. “I was in the stall next to you.. And I saw you holding the test when you were on the step,” Regina tells her and Emma tilts her head back, taking it all in.

“Why didn’t you answer me when I called for you?” is what she asks, because the whole pregnancy test thing flies out of her head and her worry somewhat takes over. Regina shrugs.

“I was still mad about the whole Ruby thing,”

“But she’s like my sister…” argues.

“It wasn’t like that between you two in the beginning, though,” Regina counters and Emma sags.

“Ruby’s like that with everyone.. Especially you, you just don’t see it that way,” Emma tells her and now she sags. She wraps her arms around herself, but immediately after she does that, Emma pulls them apart and wraps her own arms around Regina. Regina holds onto her and buried her face between Emma’s chest. Emma’s hand rests on the back of her head and she runs her fingers through Regina’s scalp. “It was positive,” she whispers against Regina’s head and the brunette starts to shake. Her shaking is light, but Emma knows she’s crying. She keeps speaking because she has to tell her everything. “I didn’t know if it was right or not, but I got a couple more so that I could make sure… but if he is our son.. Then that’s him in me right now, and we would have to tell Henry,” she had continued and Regina sniffed. It was wet, which meant she was definitely still crying, but not as much. She digs her nails into Emma’s back and they stand there for some time. She says nothing because there is nothing she can say to help the situation and Regina just stands there in her arms, equally as quiet.

 

After they pull apart and Emma wipes away the last few tears that threaten to stain Regina’s face, she smiles sadly at the woman. 

“So, which one do we do first? Make little man some poptarts or tell Henry?” she asks the brunette and Regina thinks for a split second, immediately knowing which answer was their best option.

“We have to tell Henry first, though by Kohana’s scream, I’m nearly positive he already knows,”

“Yeah, that wasn’t normal, even for someone his age,” Emma adds and then she sighs before holding out a hand and giving Regina the go ahead . Regina begins walking and Emma follows behind her until they both enter the living room and Henry shifts his wheelchair. Emma sits in the couch and Regina settles at the archway of the living room. Henry knows she’s not coming that close to him for a reason, and that reason was because of the way he treated her and has been treating her. Regina standing this far away from him meant that she was putting distance between herself and the young man she’s loved for so many years. He tries his best not to make it obvious that he knows as his eyes settle on his mothers and he speaks.

“Hey, everything okay?” he asks them and Emma nods a little, just enough that he can see she did in fact nod. “Soooo, the screaming isn’t just in my head right? I did hear a child shriek about twenty minutes ago?” he questions them both and Emma nods. “Are they upstairs?”

“Yeah, he’s upstairs..he’s watching tv and waiting on poptarts and milk,” Emma tells him and Henry smirks.

“He sounds like you,” Henry tells her and Emma tilts her head to the left.

“Yeeaaah, about that..we may need to talk about that,” she lets him know and he shakes his head.

“I think I know where this is going already,” he answers and Emma breathes out deeply. Henry’s smirk fades and then he gets very- very serious. “Can we talk about the other night first, though?” he asks hopeful and Emma looks at Regina before looking back at Henry.

“You should ask your mom that, she’s the one you had the argument with,”

“Yeah, but I was an ass to both of you,” he admits, awkwardly shifting in his wheelchair. Emma looks at Regina again.

“What do you say? Do it now...or later?” she questions the brunette and Regina lets a soft shrug come from her shoulders.

“Now is fine,” she tells them both and Henry looks at her, smiling just a little.

“Can you sit down..please?” he asks her, begging and she humours him by sitting. She sits directly next to Emma and Henry rolls up to her. His knees knock her knees and his fingers fidget just as his head hangs low. “Mom,” he starts, but he turns his head to the entrance of the living room and then he shakes it. He sighs, gathers himself and holds his head up. Regina can see the terror in his eyes and the pain there. She can see his guilt and how sorry he is, he just.. Hasn’t been able to say it.. Not until now at least…..hopefully. Henry slips from his wheelchair and onto his knees, gripping at his mother’s thighs. “Forgive me,” he begs her and she places her hands on his.

“Henry.. I already have,” Regina tells him and he shakes his head, and squeezes her thighs tighter.

“No mom, just.. Forgive me-  _ please _ ..” he begs her again and her face looks so broken for him. “Please just, don’t hold it against me. I’m a terrible person- I know that, but I just...momma, please don’t hate me.  _ Please _ … I didn’t mean it- I swear I didn’t. I didn’t mean to be such a brat. I didn’t and I don’t- I  _ don’t _ hate you, mom. You have to know that. I don’t hate you at all. I just get frustrated and I get angry and this wheelchair is making it worse and being injured is making it worse. Everything I can’t do that I used to be able to- they just make it all worse. And you were right- you were so right. You were right about me and Ian and about the piercings and about how I was acting. I was being a brat. I was being spoiled. I’m just so used to getting my own way that I didn’t think consequences applied to me anymore. And I thought you just stopped being so protective. I thought I could get away with it because you were convincing ma that I could do these things and you could trust me.. I guess I proved you can’t,” he shifted uncomfortably. Henry smirked uneasily after his own comment and then sighed. His grip on his mother loosened, but he was cut off before he could finish apologizing to Regina and even start apologizing to Emma.

“Momma?....momma?” they hear the little voice calling. The three of them know it’s Regina he’s calling for and as all of their heads turn, Kohana comes into view. His eyes scan the room and then they settle on Henry. Without another word, he broke off into a dead sprint and ran straight into Henry.

“HENRY! HENRY!” he shouts happily and wraps his little arms around the teen. He manages to scramble into Henry’s lap at the same time and as Henry hugs him back, he looks between his mothers for help. One of them mouths his name and Henry nods. The little boy loosens around him and pushes himself comfortably back against the arm of the wheelchair. His grin is enigmatic. It’s beyond megawatt beautiful and that makes Henry smile. Kohana turns his head and looks at the women. “Momma...mommy,” he calls them respectively and they both smile at him. There was no need to worry him. They still had to learn if he really was their child, but until then, it was best to keep him comfortable considering there was no one else there to keep him, and he clearly was a skeptical child.  Kohana sniffs and sniffs and all three people look concerned, but then he smiles and bobs his head. “Mommy..smell like momma!” he grinned cheekily and Regina smirked. Emma still looked confused but by her smile, she found the little boy beyond endearing.

“I do, huh?” Emma questioned him and he nodded quickly.

“Uhuh..mommy smell like...home,” he then said after a beat. His facial features softened and looked reminiscent. Emma’s face followed and so did Regina’s and Henry’s.

“And what does home smell like, little man?” she asked him softly and then he smiles. He doesn’t speak, he just points at her and then at Regina and turns just enough to point at Henry, but he doesn’t point at himself.

“You’re home too, Kohana,” Henry tells him, but he shakes his head at Henry. His eyes then settle on Henry’s chest and he starts to tear up. It’s obvious he’s tearing up, but then he puts his hand to Henry’s chest and closes his eyes. The slight pressure against the teen’s chest is painful and Henry winces until he feels something pull and push inside of him. His eyes open and he looks down at the little boy. He feels the cool air being sucked from him, but the just as cool air being put back in at the same time. Emma and Regina stare on in shock and in awe because what is emanating from Kohana’s hand is a lilac hue. It’s that mix of lilac wrapped in a gold shimmering hue and it’s legitimately sucking the blackness from Henry’s chest, pushing white light into him. Kohana is still and so is Henry, but Henry begins to take even deeper breaths and his lungs- he can feel them expanding more and more, back to their original size. His chest scar completely vanishes and the rest of his body feels new. Henry smiles until he sees blood, and it’s not coming from him.

Kohana looks beyond pale which indicates he’s practically been drained of whatever was in him. Henry quickly takes his hand away and shouts for his mothers to help him. Emma gets to him first and pulls a handkerchief from her pocket before tilting his head forehead. Regina disappears. Henry internally panics as he holds the weak little boy in his arms. His nose was bleeding quite a bit and then he started to cough and blood came up then too. He coughs harder with each second and Regina’s nowhere to be seen for about ten seconds until she pops through with water, another cloth and a bowl that’s clearly got something in it that doesn’t look consumable. Emma lifts him from Henry’s hands and lays him out on the couch and both she and Regina bend down before him. Regina dips the towel in whatever the hell that thing is and then folds it before resting it on his head. She then lifts his shirt and gasps, nearly falling back on her butt. Emma looks at where her hands were and then back at Henry. She’s too in shock to register the bleeding and the pain she feels.

“What?” he asks and Emma can’t answer. “Ma- what?”

“H-h…” she swallows thickly. She shakes her head and since Henry can now get out of the wheelchair.. He does. He stands tall and he feels all the best things about being okay again. His hand rubs across his chest absently as he makes his way towards Kohana. He squints because he can’t really see what it is and then he’s bending down and pulling the little boy’s shirt up.

“W-w..w-why?” he asks shakily and Kohana weakly smiles at him. He lifts his arm up as much as possible and pushes against Henry’s chest.

“Home,” he whispers and Henry’s tears drop free as he nods with a tearful smile.

“You are home, Kohana. You are home,” he tells him and the little boy smiles wider.

“Henry nice to mo-mma a-and mommy?” he then questions the teen and Henry nods so fast he’s afraid this little boy could slip under at any second.

“I will, I promise I’ll be nice to them. Just hang in there, okay? Can you do that for me?” he questions the little boy, brushing his hair back and Kohana manages to nod. “Good, okay, just hold on and mommy’s gonna make it better..she always does,” he tells him as if he were advocating for her rights. Kohana nods again, but this one was lacking the strength of the one from earlier. Henry looks back at both Emma and Regina and his eyes are pleading with both of them. His eyes are begging them to try and fix it, try and do something- to just try. Try whatever the hell they can just to make all their bad luck stop.

Regina finally reacts and shifts closer to the couch and exhales. She looks sadly at the little boy’s chest and then at Emma.Regina can see that Emma’s now going pale, but for what reason? She’s not entirely sure. Her eyes settle again for the final time and then she raises Kohana’s shirt before she reaches for the gak like substance in the bowl and then she’s spreading it across his chest and around the now new scar he’s sporting. The entire thing had transferred to him. All of Henry’s weakness, and pain and lack of lung capacity. The only thing that made it worse is because he’s six. Henry was older, had larger lungs, had more tolerance for pain… still, Kohana was a trooper. He wasn’t crying, he wasn’t screaming, but dear God was he still smiling. He was still smiling no matter how weak it looked.

“You got it, Kohana. Just hang in there, okay?” Henry asks him just to make sure he’s still coherent.

“..’kay,” he finally gets from the little boy and he sighs happily at that. Emma gets up and she leaves the room, but Henry doesn’t notice. Regina does, but the little boy before her looked like death. Emma glances back at Regina and she tries to not looks like she’s about to faint, but Regina can see it. Regina averts her gaze and focuses on Kohana. She continues to spread that gak like thing across his chest and once she’s done- he’s out cold. She stands quickly and tells Henry-

“-watch him. If he wakes up, call me,” and then she was attempting to leave the room.

“I got it.. And mom?” he questions and she pauses to turn. “I really am sorry… about everything,” he says again and Regina walks back over to him swiftly before taking Henry’s face in her hands and kissing his forehead.

“I know you are, honey…. I need to go and check on your mother. I’ll be back,” she tells him, waiting a moment for his response. He nods.

“Okay.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Emma?” Regina calls fairly normal as she ascends the stairs. She’s nearly positive Emma is upstairs and when she sees their room door is cracked and Emma’s jeans are thrown on the bed, she knows the blonde is either in the bathroom or their closet. “Emma?” she calls again and their a groan coming from the bathroom. Regina doesn’t hesitate, she rushes for the door and pushes it open. “Emma!” she says shrilly and Emma just groans again. She’s curled up on the floor in the fetal position and there’s blood that’s almost dried on her thighs. Regina sees Emma’s stomach quiver and jerk. She sees the woman’s skin rise and a lump begin to move around behind her flesh.  It’s pushing against the wall of her stomach and by the colour contrast, it looks black. Regina’s worry stricken face stays as so, but she manages to pull the blonde up and against her chest before she rocks her.

“Shh- shhhhh, you’re going to be okay. Just try to breathe. Come on, Emma- breathe for me please!” Regina begs her, and as she begs her the tears somehow stream down her face.

“I-I-I...nnnnggg, R’gina!” Emma grinds out painfully and Regina kisses her head. The little bulge stops moving around in her, but Emma’s stomach is now bruised.

“Emma breathe. Please just breathe. Just breathe for me, come on sweetheart. Breathe!” Regina urges in worry and Emma clutches onto her as the pain runs straight through her and she yells out in pain.

“FUU-uu-ccck!”

“Tell me what hurts,” Regina says to her and Emma winces, she can’t actually speak at this point in time at all. “Emma, please try and tell me what’s hurting- is it your stomach?” she questions and she sees Emma’s lips quivering to answer. She sees the veins in her forehead bulge. She watches the light bulbs of sweat begin to drip down the expanse of Emma’s chiseled jawbone. Regina sees the blonde’s teeth clench. She sees that it’s blatant pain wracking the blonde’s entire body. “Squeeze my arm if it hurts, okay?” she questions and she gets an immediate arm squeeze in response. “Is it your stomach?” she asks and Emma squeezes her arm hard. She winces but she’s gonna hold onto this pain. She needs answers and Emma needs relief. “Are your limbs hurting- your arms-legs..anything like that?” she queries and Emma squeezes even harder.

“P-p-p-p-p-pa-pa..per,” she manages but Reigna coos her.

“Don’t speak- it’s okay… it feels like paper.. Is it burning?” she asks and Emma squeezes her arm. “Are your lungs hurting?” she then asks and Emma manages to shake her head.

“Nnn.n-o,” she grits out and Regina breathes. Emma begins to sputter in pain. It’s clear she’s having issues with many things, but Regina has to figure something out and in figuring something out, that means she has to get every piece of information.

“Is your heart hurting?” she questions and the blonde huffs and puffs rapidly but squeezes her arm. “Okay- okay..” she says before trailing off. “I may have to put you to sleep, sweetie,” she tells her and Emma lets out something between both groan and shriek. She shakes her head violently at the brunette. “Emma-Emma! Calm down, sweetie. I have to put you under, you’re in pain. I need to put you to sleep so you don’t feel it.

“NO!” Emma manages to yell into Regina’s ear and she grips her tighter. She shakes her head again. “C-C-Can’t l-l-l-le-leave y-you,” she argues and Regina sighs.

“You won’t leave me, you’re not leaving me, but I won’t have you going through pain either,” Regina tells her and she flicks her wrist. Instead of putting her out, she casts a spell to ease the pain. She prays to God it’s enough to work. She also prays Emma doesn’t hate her for using magic on her without her permission, but she can’t stand to see her in so much pain.

Regina then twirls her wrist and Doctor Keaton appears at the doorway with a slight drop from the air and she buckles against the wall. She looks around, but when her eyes settle on the ground with a blood-soaked blonde, she immediately goes into Doctor mode and starts up the shower. She runs the warm water and once it’s at a proper temperature, she wordlessly manages to get Emma up as best as possible. The blonde yelps in pain and Doctor Keaton can see the way her skin bruises oh so quickly. The brunette on the floor burst with emotion. “Be careful with her!” Regina shouts but she’s not yelling at the woman, she’s begging her in vain. Doctor Keaton barely nods and helps Emma into the shower. Immediately the dried blood becomes wet and it starts to drain off her thighs and go down the drain. Emma’s grey v-neck becomes soaked as well but she looks like she’s been through the ringer considering her hair is sticking to her face and is caught up in itself in knots. Emma’s arm just limply hangs over Keaton’s shoulder and Regina’s still sat on the floor, dazed by it all. There’s blood on her hands and she’s wet from Emma’s sweat. Her clothes are wrinkled and she is beyond frazzled at this point, but she can still register sound and she can blatantly distinguish Emma’s groan for pain and her groan for relief..thankfully, this one was relief. 

Doctor Keaton then sets her down in the tub and lets the water rush over her, at the same time,she’s doing her assessment of the blonde and she concludes the usual- at least, what she can with no equipment. Emma’s skin is clammy, but bruising easily as well. Her heartbeat has slowed drastically and her eyes are glazed over. Pale doesn’t begin to describe her face but around her eyes are blackened due to the lack of life in her. Doctor Keaton puts her hand to Emma’s stomach and feels gingerly. A small thump against her hand comes and when it comes she recoils slightly. She’s only surprised by it- not disgusted. She looks back at Regina but the woman isn’t looking at her so she can’t even begin to pull her from her stupor and ask her what’s inside of Emma’s body. The thump comes up as much as possible and presses to Doctor Keaton’s hand. She feels it flatten against hers and the woman nearly faints by what she feels and ends up seeing. Pressed into a tiny impression against Emma’s stomach that was now turning red and clearly burning the woman, was a small handprint. One small enough to mimic that of an infant.

“You’re..pregnant,” she whispers in disbelief. It’s got nothing to do with anything but the fact that Doctor Keaton has only ever dealt with this kind of thing once… and in that time, the mother died- or the baby died..or worse. Both. “This isn’t good,” she says to no one in particular. Her mind races as she retraces exactly what she did the last time- all without the equipment of today. She had to take Emma out of the tub- and fast. She doesn’t think, she just does it. Doctor Keaton cradle lifts Emma out of the tub and Over to the bed, ignoring the fact that she’s getting water all over the floor and on the bed itself. She keeps moving on autopilot- grabbing towels and the remote for the air-conditioning. Doctor Keaton Strips Emma bare and then dries her before laying the towel across her body. She turns on the air and watches Emma go from a wheezing groan to a stuttering beg. She has to shock both the blonde and the infant inside of her because something reactive had to have happened. She hopes to hell this works because the last time the woman was in hot air, it sped up her reactions to everything.. It also sped up her pain and made the infant inside of her worse.

Doctor Keaton goes over to Regina and bends down by her side.

“Regina...Regina,” she says but Regina seems to be so lost in her mind that it’s null and void trying to reach her. “Regina,” she says again before snapping her fingers and Regina jerks from her stupor. Her eyes blink rapidly and adjust to the lighting in the bathroom. Doctor Keaton turns and shuts the shower off before she bends by Regina’s side again.  Regina looks around for Emma but the Doctor answers her. “She’s in the room. She’s stable… for now. She’s shivering a bit, but that should go away.. Regina, Emma’s….” Doctor Keaton pauses. She scratches her head and rubs at her face before sighing. “Emma is pregnant and I’m almost positive this child is in just as much danger of dying or being harmed as she is… She’ll need to stay in cold air so that it shocks her nerves and keeps the pain at bay until I can figure out how to help save her...the last mother I tried to help...she..nevermind. I’m going to figure out what  it is and I will help you save her. I just need you to tell me everything you know and everything I need to know as of right now that could possibly help me,” she tells the brunette but Regina just shakes her head.

“There’s nothing,” she says, sounding rather defeated.

“Are you sure?” Keaton presses and she nods. “Regina, if there is something, I’m going to need for you to tell me,” Doctor Keaton pushes because there’s just something there telling her that it’s more than what Regina’s leading her to believe. Regina shakes her head this time.

“There’s nothing,” she repeats and Doctor Keaton sighs.

“Okay.. okay. I’m going to need to take a blood sample to see how Emma’s vitals are really doing, but I’ll need to go to the hospital and co-,” she’s cut off by a flashing poof that is clearly blood in a tube. Regina hands it to her and turns her head. Doctor Keaton reaches out and brushes a lock of hair from her face. “We’ll figure it out, Regina. Just stay strong,” she tells her and Regina nods but she still doesn’t look at her. The doctor rises and walks from the room. She checks on Emma one last time and goes out of the door. Regina finally gets up and follows her to see her out. Just because she was a wreck didn’t mean she still couldn’t function on an autopilot houseowner. They get to the bottom of the stairs and she pushes her hair from her face as Henry walks into the foyer.

“Oh..hey, Doctor Keaton right?”

“That is right. How are you feeling Henry?” she asks him and he tugs down the top of his shirt to show her. Her eyes go wide in both confusion and curiosity. “It’s...gone?” she ends up asking and he grins before nodding.

“Uhh yeah. Kohana ‘fixed’ me I guess,” he grins slightly. Doctor Keaton looked back at Regina and back at Henry.

“Kohana?” she queries and Henry nods.

“Yeah, he’s in the living room but he’s a little weak right now so he’s sleeping. He’s probably just dehydrated and hungry but mom’s already been putting warm towels and that gak looking thing on him,” Henry had said before moving to go back into the living room. He waves her over and she goes. Regina follows slowly but she stops at the entryway. Doctor Keaton bends to the part where his head is and she feels his forehead.

“Did he have a fever or anything?”

“I don’t think so. I think mom just knew what he needed. Like I said, he was weak, mom just did what she did and me and ma let her,”

“And he just..passed out?”

“After he healed me.. Yeah. He went  pale but he was still smiling and everything. He stayed awake but afterwards we let him sleep. He didn’t get to eat his poptarts yet so I’m waiting until he gets back up so that I can show him how to make em right,” the teen admits and Doctor Keaton nods her head.,

“Well, you sound like his older brother,” she says and by the way she says it, he knows she’s looking, snooping- whatever the hell it is, she’s sniffing for answers that he won’t give.

“Yeah, I guess. But he doesn’t have a family and I almost didn’t have a family. Mom and ma taught me better than to treat someone like they don’t belong and I learned that after what I did to my mom that it wasn’t ever going to be justified, regardless of my reasoning. We’re his family until we find his family,” Henry ends and Doctor Keaton squints slightly before tilting her head back and smiling slightly. She then nods and smiles a bit more.

“Well, it seems your mothers have this under control, but I’m more concerned that he possesses magic and his parents lost him,”

“Yeah, that is strange, but his magic is good,”

“Really?” a nod. “What colour was it if you don’t mind me asking,”

“Lilac and Gold,”

“Impressive.. True love blood runs through him,” she says and Henry looks confused.

“That’s what colour true love is?”

“Yes, why? You didn’t know?”

“No.. I didn’t. I’ve only ever seen it once and it was because of grandma and grandpa’s hairs apparently.

“Their true love is technically modeled after that, however not everyone’s true love colours are the same,”

“Like my sisters- I mean.. Like Lily and Casey,” he corrects himself and Doctor Keaton nods. “Precisely. It all depends on what side of the spectrum you fall on. Some people will mimic that of your grandparents, but that only simply means they have the same mindset and same version of love as your grandparents...anyway, I need to get going, I have a few things to do. I would take his sample along with me as well just to make sure-,”

“-You can’t,” Regina interrupts. “His skin is impenetrable. Whale was already trying to check him over when we first brought him in. No needles..nothing,” She continues and Doctor Keaton looks both interested and surprised.

“Okay, well now I know for future reference.. I’ll call you when I’ve got something then,” she says to the brunette and Regina nods. Doctor Keaton bows out and leaves the mansion. She picked up that there was clearly more to it than Henry told her, but she could always tell when Regina was lying and right then and there, she wasn’t. She decides that she’s going to the hospital first and then she’ll pay Belle a little visit.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I’ll get started on dinner,” Regina tells Henry and he jumps to go behind her.

“I’ll help,” he tells her in offering and she flashes him a soft smile before turning back and heading into the kitchen. “So, what are we making,” Henry questions her after pulling the fridge and freezer open.

“Something that will fill your friends and Kohana,” she says. “I know Granny said she was sending Ruby with food, but I’m not so sure he eats food food.. He has Emma’s appetite and that means he might take mac and cheese over something a little more filling,” she explains before walking over to the fridge. Henry moves out of the way and he can see it on his mother’s face that she’s not the best right then and there.

“You mean processed over homemade..yeah, I figured the same thing. Nick, Ava and Grace’ll eat anything.. Maybe tacos? They’re quick. They’re easy and I know you… you’d rather be in the living room fawning over him rather than make dinner right now...where’s ma?”

“Upstairs..she’s asleep. She wasn’t feeling well earlier and Doctor Keaton had to help,”

“That’s how she got in.. you magicked her here.. And I guess by you saying ma wasn’t feeling well it literally means something bad and or magical, but you can’t tell me because you don’t know either,” Henry says knowingly and his mother nods.

“That’s exactly what it is..and I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to stress when you have your own issues...and exams. When do they start?”

“She said Wednesday but I’m taking like four a day,”

“Are you prepared to take four per day?”

“...no. Not even close. I just finally finished the last of the homework today. The study guide is like six pages long and they wanna be smart and cover  _ everything _ apparently… Everyone’s coming over to help me study.. And probably tell me what was on the exams,”

“So, you’ve invited little cheaters to give you a leg up.. Or rather- three in this case?” Regina asks but Henry can tell by her tone she’s trying to not worry right now and just grasp at some normalcy again. He allows her that and smirks.

“Maybe a leg and a half. I’m not going to prod their brains for it. Now if they tell me, that’s a different case… Mom, go check on him. I’ll make the tacos. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen you make them enough to know how not to mess them up,” Henry urges her and she looks at him for a moment before nodding and kissing the side of his head. She walks away from the kitchen slowly and Henry sighs. “It’s gonna be alright, guys.. It has to be…”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

She sits at the head of the couch where Kohana’s head is and then she’s lifting him in her arms and carrying him upstairs. She makes it without any qualms and opens the door to the master bedroom. Regina lays him down in the bed next to Emma and covers him up. It was like the fricken north pole in there, but Doctor Keaton said that she had to leave it on to help sustain Emma… like fucking cold meat, maybe. She shook her head and walked over to the blonde and brushed back her hair. Emma was calm.. She looked more alive than before and so did little man. The colour somehow came rushing back to their faces in that moment and then Emma gasped.

“Jesus Christ it’s cold!” she blurts and the towel dribbles down her body. Regina’s eyes instantly rake over her and they take into account how erect and pert her nipples have gotten, but then she remembers there is a child in the room and rushes to get the blonde something to wear. She finds long pajama pants and a t-shirt and Emma throws them on quickly before getting out of the bed like nothing even happened, that was until she saw that signature mix of brown and blonde hair in her view. She, without thinking- rushes to his side and smiles so tearily at the way he looks that you’d have thought she knew this little boy for decades. “He’s okay…” she comments and Regina nods.

“He is.. I suppose the suggestion worked,” she answered and Emma looked at her.

“Suggestion? What suggestion? Who made a suggestion?” Emma riddled off her questions and Regina somewhat shrugged uneasily.

“I was just directed to put you in colder temperatures, i.e- our room. It was supposed to help ease your pain and help with...Emma..nevermind. I brought Kohana up so that I could look after both of you but it seems you’re both alright now…Henry’s friends are coming over soon so he said he’ll make the tacos for them, but I need to make something separate for you and our little housemate here,” she juts her chin out and Emma nods.

“You know I heard when you almost told me something and then covered it right?”

“I know,”

“And you know I’m going to ask you what it is or was, right?”

“I know… you’re..pregnant,” Regina says before clearing her throat. Emma sputters out a loud and boisterous laugh of disbelief and Regina wraps her arms around herself, this instantly sobers Emma’s laugh.

“Shit… you’re serious aren’t you?” she questions but she’s not looking for an answer right then and there, but Regina nods anyway and Emma looks sick.. Both physically and pregnant wise. “How do you know?”

“There was a tiny handprint pressing against your stomach when you were incapacitated due to the pain..”

“Pain? What happened.. Wait- Regina, what went down?” Emma asked her and Regina sighed before she found herself sitting on the bed. Emma shifted so that she could be comfortable enough, but she kept her eyes set on the brunette. The brunette then divulged everything from start to finish- surprisingly telling her about how she used magic on her and the fact that Doctor Keaton was there and blah blah.. She just didn’t tell her that she gave the woman a sample of Emma’s blood. Emma rightfully got mad and began to argue with Regina over it and as Regina began to explain herself, Emma understood, but not without wincing here and there and somehow realizing she really didn’t need to argue over it. Regina wasn’t in the best place to take care of her and hell, she knows the woman probably would not have thought about that, but still. She just felt...violated..amongst other things. Regina then turns the tables and asks Emma how long she knew she might be pregnant and the blonde admits she didn’t think about it until two days ago. She also tells Regina that the pain only ever happened when she left, like the baby in her didn’t want Regina far at all.

“This sounds like what Rumple had said about us being together all the time…. It’s starting to take a toll,”

“Yeah..and it’s already got you.. It’s kicking my ass now. Just worse because this one’s an actual pregnancy… something neither of us has taken seriously enough thus far,”

“Considering how yesterday unfolded and all the emotional stresses… I think we’re both too in shock to register that… What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know...but do you think we should get him tested.. You know- see if he’s ours?” Emma questions her and she nods a little.

“I think it’s best… Doctor Keaton said you are pregnant..Kohana seemed to pick up on that the second he woke up.. I think he’s trying to tell us something, Emma,” Regina admits and Emma sighs.

“You thought the same thing too, huh,” the blonde responds and Regina nods. “Do you think it’s bad?” Regina shrugs lightly.

“I just think it’s something. Whether good or bad, that’s for us to find out when we find out.. Our only issue is getting blood from him,” Regina says and Emma looks around before she grabs her jeans that are at the end of the bed, hanging off the rod. She sticks her hand into her pocket and pulls out the bloodied handkerchief.

“What about this? It’s his blood- is this gonna work?” she asks and Regina’s mouth opens slightly before she gently takes a hold of it. She looks at it and the blood is dried, granted even the smallest drop probably would do for Doctor Keaton. She nods.

“I think it might… I’d just have to get it to Keaton for testing...that’s if you want us to,” she then offered, giving Emma the chance to make this decision. The ‘baby’ in her might be theirs, but it’s still down to it being Emma’s choice. It’s Emma’s body and Emma might not want to find out..at all. The blonde swallows thickly, but neither she or Regina ever get to finish their conversation when the bell rings. 

It rings thrice and Regina rises to go and answer it, but she tells Emma to stay because Kohana’s in the bed. The blonde isn’t reluctant about staying with him, just that Regina told her not to move. She had and still has a habit of not listening to the brunette- example A- every time she’s in her vault she touches the untouchables. But then, Regina’s kissing her forehead and telling her she wants her to rest because- baby in belly and she doesn’t say this to Emma, but something’s gone off in her mind about Emma and Kohana being the way they were earlier that day.

She descends the stairs, but Henry’s already answered it and it’s surprisingly not his friends, but his grandparents and they’re talking to him and surprised he’s up and walking around. They’re more shocked when he shows them he has no scar. Regina smirks to herself because she knows that Henry will quite literally show everyone he sees that he no longer has that very deterring scar that looked like a third degree burn. She steps wrong and nearly trips over something which alerts everyone else that are standing just shy of the entrance for the living room.

“Oh, Regina! Hi!” Snow says happily and clearly glad the woman was there. Hell, she was glad she was there and she and Regina weren’t fighting anymore..or making sly remarks towards one another. Regina flashes a soft smile.

“Mary Margaret,” she nods and Snow grins.

“You know, someday you’ll have to call me mom,” she jokes and Regina looks like she just got hit with a freight train.  _ Oh the horror _ ..

“That will  _ never  _ happen,”Regina reminds her and Snow shrugs. Regina laughs lightly before she hugs both the woman and David. Whatever the hell kind of mood has come over her is clearly well received because David hugs her tightly and Snow won’t let her go. She just lets them have this moment because it obviously seemed to be a thing they needed.

“Snow told me you guys have a little boy?” David says both in question but with a slight bit of excitement. Regina nods.

“We do. He’s upstairs with Emma but he’s aslee-”

“Kohana! Stop Running!” they all hear the yell ring out from upstairs, but it’s clear those words went on deaf ears because little feet are sprinting through the house and down the hallway of the upstairs. Regina rushes to the stairs, which causes Snow, Charming and Henry to rush behind her and those little feet keep rushing. Emma’s thumping steps come behind it, but it’s clear she’s a good bit further behind him than she needed to be. Kohana looks back as he reaches the steps and Emma pauses- skidding to her halt. “Don’t- do it!” she scolds him but he clearly takes that as a joke and he begins to go down the stairs with an eagerness. Why they left his socks on for him to literally injure himself, no one will ever know.

“But-momma’s down there!” he shouts back, bouncing slightly as he makes his calculated steps down the stairs. He’s rushing to get to Regina and because of that, his foot slips; however, before he comes tumbling down and hurts himself, Regina’s wrist flicks back and he’s then floating easily in the air. He giggles as his legs float lifelessly through the magical barrier and he reaches out to grab a hold of the little sparkles that float around him. “Momma! Magic!” he shouts happily at Regina and even though he nearly scared the living crap out of everyone around him, it’s as if nothing ever happened to him. Regina sighs thankfully before she settles him down, but it’s not on the ground, it’s directly into Emma’s arms. Emma wraps her arms around him in a curling motion before she brought his cheek up to her lips and blew into it. He giggled with glee and squirmed in her arms.

“You- are in  _ big _ trouble, little guy!” she scolded, but her tone clearly made it obvious he had nothing to fear. Emma then blew bubbles into his neck and he let out a shrill shout of absolute joy before she righted him and went down the stairs with him. Kohana wrapped his little arms around Emma’s neck as they descended the stairs and hid his face in her neck. Once Emma is at the bottom level, she rubs his back and speaks. “Come on, bud. We have visitors,” she tells him and he looks up slightly, but then when he glimpses Regina, he hides again. For some odd reason, Regina’s worried face looks like an angry face to him and he has no idea why, but it scares him a lot.

“Nuhuh, momma’s gonna be mad at me,” he mutters and Emma looks shocked. Hell, Regina looks shocked, but she also looks like she expected that. Henry was eerily similar.

“No she won’t, bud. You just scared her, but.. I bet if you apologised, momma won’t be scared anymore- but you gotta promise not to run through the house like that..okay?” He nods against her neck and lifts his face.

“I’m sorry momma,” he tells her and Regina smiles at him.

“It’s okay, sweetie, but like your mommy said- no more running through the house like that. We don’t want you hurt...now, how about we get you those poptarts and milk?” she offers and his eyes light up.

“Strawberry?” he questions her as if he needed to weigh whether it was worth it and she nods with a soft smile.

“Strawberry,” she repeats and he lunges for her without warning. Thankfully she’s close enough to catch him.

“Can we go now, momma?” he questions her with an eager bounce and Regina shakes her head but she continues to smile at him.

“Yes, but that’s after you say hi,” Regina tells him and he looks rightfully lost.

“To who?” Kohana questions her, still bouncing and Regina is then turning her body so that he sees Mary Margaret and David.

“Grampa! Gramma!” he chortles in excitement. This takes no one by surprise, but David would be lying if he said it didn’t make him extremely happy when he realized Mary Margaret was right about who Kohana looked like. He leans in to whisper to Emma because he needs to know if he needs to be politely correct or just play along. Still, Kohana looking like his mother Ruth didn’t completely put him at ease. Here was a child- literally just a few days later after he saw Emma, now before him. The same child his wife told him was spat out of some random wormhole. The same child who looks like his dead mother, but at the exact same time, he saw features mimicking Emma and Regina. He knew how Kohana looked like Emma. It was years of his generation along with Mary Margaret’s there, right in that little boy’s face.His eyes were solely Emma and Regina, but his hair- the curl pattern and the texture was his mother’s. That dimpled chin was Mary Margaret’s. His cheeks were Emma’s. His skin tone was David’s, but if they just stood him up next to Henry and gave him the same brown eyes as the teen, no one would know the difference. No one would believe he  _ wasn’t _ initially Henry’s blood brother.

“Do I answer him?” he questions his daughter because this situation is sensitive and he needs to permission from her so that he doesn’t overstep. He knows Emma better than he leads on and part of her comes with not being able to make decisions over major situations in her life. This, was one of those.

“I think that’s your best bet unless you want to upset him…”

“So, me being ‘grampa’ is fine?”

“Well, yeah….” is all she says but she trails off. He wants to push it and ask her questions, but she seems to be lost in thought, or just lost in something entirely. David just nods and turns to Kohana who is distracted by Mary Margaret coddling him because that’s his wife. She just adores children. Doesn’t matter whose child it is..or isn’t. David shifts away from his daughter and over to Regina and Kohana and his wife..and well, he’s lost to the cuteness that is that little boy. Emma walks over to Henry and stands up beside him.

“He’s cute,” Henry tells her and Emma smiles softly.

“He is..reminds me of another little chubby cheeked cherub,” she whispers and Henry blushes. “Neal…,” Emma says, intentionally shocking Henry with her words and Henry looks at her for a moment before she’s grinning at him and pulling him in for a hug. “I’m kidding, kid. It was you,”

“Key word..was,”

“Eh, you still are, you’re just hairier now...and taller, and your cheeks are almost nonexistent-,”

“-ma...I get it. I’m not a baby anymore and you think Kohana’s like my twin or something,”

“I don’t think it, but I think your grandparents might,” she juts her chin out towards her parents.

“How do you know?” Henry asks and shrugs.

“Don’t know but mom said she thinks Kohana looks like someone, but she wouldn’t tell me who. Her and dad do. The only person I can think of is you. I don’t really see me or Regina in him,”

“Are you serious.. His hair, his eyes, his chin.. None of that comes from you guys?” Henry questions her because this surprises him. Emma shrugs uneasily.

“I mean, not really..no. Like I said, my mom and dad think they see someone’s face in his. I don’t know who that could be, but..yeah,”

“You do realize you’ve been calling them mom and dad a lot more?” Henry asks her and she stutters to a stop. Emma thinks about it and she’s surprised by it but Henry is right.

“Point is-,” she reroutes and Henry grins. “-If he does look like anyone, it’s you.. And maybe your mom, but not really me,”

“Ma, he has both of your hair colours, and a mix of your eyes. He just has grandma’s chin and my cheeks...kinda. He’s kinda got grandpa’s skin colour, but that’s closer to mom’s too.. What I’m saying is. He looks like all of us, plain and simple- he just does,” Henry tells her and then the bell rings again. “I’ll get it-,”

“-nah, kid I’ll go get it. You help your mom keep your grandparents from coddling and cooing so much,” she tells him and he laughs.

“I’ll try but I don’t think there’s any stopping grandma..grandpa, maybe, but grandma is a lost cause,” he tells his mother and Emma pats his shoulder.

“Oh, I know,” she admits before leaving the group and heading for the door. It was literally right there, so when she pulled it open and saw the faces of Henry’s friends, she just stepped aside and let them come in with their books..and food. Surprising to say the least that Nick didn’t eat it all before they reached. “Hey guys.. Henry’s just over there,” she tells them and the teens all greet her with their smiles and grins.

“Thanks Emma,” Nick tells her and she nods.

“No problem Nick. Ava- Grace, what’s up?”

“Ava’s been losing her mind at work,” Grace grins and Ava punches her.

“Oh!” Emma responds very surprised. “You started already? The summer programs here start that early?”

“Yes ma’am, but I’ve kinda been working before school ended,”

“Why?” Emma queries and Grace jumps to answer.

“There’s some cute guy at her job!-”

“Grace! Shut up!”

“Whyyyy, afraid Ian’s gonna pop up out of nowhere and profess his undying love for you?!” Grace teases Ava and the girl groans.

“Can I please disown her as my friend?”

“I don’t think that’s how that works, kid..”Emma lets out a soft laugh, but in the back of her mind she’s almost positive the Ian mentioned is the same Ian who Henry was kissing less than a few weeks ago. “So.. this Ian guy, where does he work?”

“At the physical therapy place in town… I’m his assistant,” she admits and Emma nods.  _ He’s qualified enough to have an assistant now?? _

“That’s good. How’s the job treating you?”

“It’s good, but they may transfer me to the old folks home. I asked them if it was possible to work with old people and Ian put in a good word for me so U’ll be there by the end of the week,” Ava admits and Emma smiles at her.

“You’re making strides. I’m proud of you.. So Grace, what have you been up to, besides being a delinquent and teasing your best friend?”

“Tutoring the kids at summer school,”

“That started already too?!” Emma asks her shocked and Grace laughs.

“Oh yeah! Miss Mills had it like that for years. It’s only a month though. They come in like it’s a regular school day but we cover a different set of courses set at two hours each and we take them off the school grounds so that they don’t feel they’re on lockdown. It’s actually better than school itself..that’s probably why a lot of people intentionally fail the semester just to go… A lot of them are really smart, just lazy or they have learning disabilities that affect their attention spans and whatever else… Since I don’t have to work on the weekends if I don’t want to, I’m here to help Henry study-,”

“-me too,” Ava says and Grace nods.

“Makes sense..what about Nick?”

“He hasn’t been looking. Mom and dad said he might be struggling with something so they aren’t pushing him to find a job, but Nick’s been weird for a while. Ever since that day he came to pick me up from work, he just.. hasn’t wanted to come around after that. He was being weird with Ian..like he knew him,” she says and Emma just stays silent because she’s close to telling Ava that Nick does in fact know Ian. However.. She’s not about to get in the mix of that. It’s teen drama Ian is somehow still involved in. Thankfully, she is saved, because- yet again, the doorbell rings and she shifts away, patting both of the girls on the shoulder. 

“I should get that,” she tells them before walking towards the door and pulling it open. The house was starting to fill up and it wasn’t even because they planned a party.

“Em, hey.. Granny sent me over with food for you guys,” Ruby smiles at her friend and Emma looks happy..and hungry. Regina’s managed to lure the Charmings into the kitchen and Henry claimed his friends, so Emma is dealing with Ruby. She takes the three tupperware containers, one with soup and the other two with chicken and rice and a garden salad respectively.

“Thanks for these Rube- you wanna come in?” Emma offers but Ruby shakes her head.

“Nahh, I gotta get back, but how’s the little guy doing. Granny said you two brought him home?”

“Oh yeah. Regina and I decided it was better to take him home. Whale couldn’t do anything for him and he said it’d be a waste of time to keep him there so we brought him in. He’s..got magic,” she says and Ruby’s eyes go wide.

“He does?”

“Yup,” Emma nods

“How do you know?” Ruby asks and Emma thinks for a moment on how best to answer, but she goes with just being blunt and straight to the point.

“...Henry,” she finally says and Ruby is genuinely shocked.

“Are you serious- he-,”

“-yeah.. He healed him. Henry’s..walking and his scar is gone, but Kohana has it now. He passed out earlier, but he’s fine now. It’s like he absorbed it,”

“Well I mean, he did,” Ruby says and Emma bobs her head. “So..he’s good?”

“Yeah. He’s happy, he’s being smothered with love by my parents and he’s been sleeping in our room. He’s active, but other than that, he’s good. I mean, he thinks me and Regina are his moms, but that’s about the only out of place thing right now,”

“Why would you think him thinking that is out of place?”

“Because he came out of nowhere and when he first wokeup he looked confused and he was afraid of me,”

“He was in shock, but if he’s calling you both mom or whatever, maybe he’s saying it for a reason. I mean, Granny said you and Regina knew he was six.. Don’t you think that kind of has something to do with the fact that he’s clearly existing in your lives. And then you both agree to take him home..plus he’s being smothered with love as you put it. I think everyone- even you sees that he probably is yours..just from the future..or- the now at least,” Ruby tells her and Emma sighs after the silence comes. “Em, if he’s yours he’s yours. If he’s not, he still is. He took to you-,”

“-He took to Regina first. He was afraid of me,”

“That’s because you smell different,” Ruby says easily and Emma remembers. She’s a wolf,s he smells everything. 

“What’s that gotta do with anything?”

“Everything. You smell like him, but you also smell like...distress. Something like that frightens him.. Hell, it would frighten a wolf pup and they’re little ragamuffins. More than likely the distress is because of how you were earlier today, it would have carried over..Regina, well, regardless of if she’s distressed or out of it or not, she has this ‘eternal’ scent of lavender on her. Maybe Cora did that to her when she was a child to throw off wolves like me that can pick up on her easily, or she did it herself just because. It’s either one or the other, there’s really no other use for it..unless that scent is natural,”

“It’s possible she could just smell like lavender naturally?”

“Yeah, you’d be surprised… you smell like linen, but that’s only on your happy days..which have been few up until now..and then again today, it’s covered up by fear and whatever else is on your mind.. What I’m saying is- you need to take a chill pill,” Ruby tells her and they both laugh a little at that. Emma rubs the back of her head.

“Yeah, I guess I do… you sure you don’t wanna come in?” she offers again but the brunette smiles and shakes her head.

“Wish I could but I gotta get going. You know me- never got a day off unless Granny decides to quit for a minute.. I’ll see you guys later. Or tomorrow,”

“Sure. Bye Rubes,”

“Bye Em. Tell Regina I found Belle, but she got pulled away,”

“I got you,” Emma nods and Ruby leaves. Emma shuts the door and leans her head into the living room before she lets the teens be. She is heading towards the kitchen when the bell to their house rings off once again. “Who in the hell?” she questions herself with an eye roll as she heads towards the door for the third time. “Who is it?!” Emma asks, clearly exasperated. She twirls her wrist and the food in hand disappears and reappears in the kitchen.

“Swan, just open the door, my arms are full of bags!” Cora shouts back and Emma grins to herself before pulling the door open. She looks down at Cora’s arms and then at the woman’s face.

“Why the hell do you have all those bags?” Emma questions and Cora shifts them in her arms as she steps inside and then just drops them on the floor. Emma laughs and shakes her head.

“God damn those were heavy,” Cora heaves before pushing them to the side with her foot. She toes the bags straight into the corner of the room and turns back to the blonde. “And to answer your questions, I needed more snacks.. And I bought some stuff..personal stuff,”

“Ooookaaay. Anyway. We’ve got a crowd. Henry and his friends are in the living room and my parents are in the kitchen with Regina. Think you can handle it?” she asks in genuine concern and Cora nods.

“I think so. Help me put these up first and then I’ll go see about your parents,”

“Sure.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Cora. What-in the hell is in this bag?!” Emma asks her, obviously shocked by the weight of the bag.

“I told you-,” Cora started with a grunt. “-personal stuff,”

“Does that include parts of the human body or something! This shit is heavy!”

“I told you that,” Cora deadpanned and Emma scowled.

“You didn’t say it was dead weight. And how am I supposed to know what’s breakable if all the bags are black.. And look like you’re using them to smuggle drugs?”

“Just..put em on the bed, it doesn’t matter anyway. I just dropped them all on the floor earlier. You really think if there was anything breakable in them I’d care still?”

“Probably not,” Emma shrugged and Cora’s brow went up. “So, that it?”

“Yes, that’s it. Thank you,”

“No problem.. I gotta say, I’m surprised you went out by yourself,” Emma said to Cora and the old woman shrugs.

“My anxiety doesn’t act up all the time. I’m lucky for that, but I don’t chance it and just go everywhere. Even my comfort places get full,”

“Still, I’m proud of you for not letting it get to you,”

“Thanks, Swan.. now, leave me. I need to put these things away and then I’ll come downstairs,” Cora tells her, ending the conversation immediately. Emma grins and shakes her head.

“Alright.. I’ll leave you to it.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Finally back downstairs and thankfully there was no more bell ringing, Emma went right into the kitchen and could see that Kohana had already had more than the two initial poptarts in the foil wrapper. She walks over to the counter where he is sat, little legs swinging and Regina standing in the front of him to keep him from falling off. He tries offering her piece of his poptart and she accepts it. This surprises Emma because Regina can’t stand poptarts, but it takes that little human to get her to eat it.. Maybe Kohana could be their secret weapon when she needed to be bad or do something asinine with Henry. She smirked to herself. Evil. She was already plotting to use his cuteness and it made her laugh. Mary Margaret and David are talking and going through the food Granny had sent over. Henry must had long since carried all the taco food items into the living room because his friends would eat anything in any format, that also meant it didn’t matter if the food was constructed or not. Tacos were tacos, everything was going in the same place.She continues to watch as her parents took up food, clearly it wasn’t for them though. It was For her and Regina and Kohana. They were rambling about having already eaten and blah blah when Emma interrupted.

“Looks like he’s attached to those,” she comments as she nears Regina and the brunette looks up long enough to regard her. She smirks and blushes. “And trust me, there’s no hiding that I saw you eat piece. All it took was a cute six year old to get you to eat it,” Emma sassed with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. Regina blushed harder.

“He wouldn’t let me move unless I tried it,”

“Bargaining already- I like it. Keep it up, kid. You keep doing that and we can get your momma to do anything,” Emma said evilly and Regina scowled playfully at her.Kohana smiled before offering his poptart to Emma and she leaned down to take a bite out of it. Her parents pause their actions and smile at the group before them. They say nothing and instead, they just silently conversate with each other about what they see.

“Alright- I’m done with that crap,” Cora says as she walks into the kitchen and then she pauses when everyone turns to see her. “Well, who the hell is this adorable little hobbit?!” she queries and Kohana’s mouth open widely as he shouts.

“NANA!” Cora looks rightfully lost.. Then again, that’s a usual with her, but anyway. He scrambles to get off the counter, but Regina has to help him down. Once he is off the counter, he sprints for her and tackles her with a hug that she’s confused about, but returns. Her face is terror ridden by this point as she hisses out a frantic.

“Who the hell is this cute little nugget!”

“Grandma- meet Kohana,” Emma said smartly.

“Grandma? Kohana!” Cora says incredulously, but the little boy just giggles. “What the f-,”

“- _ Mother _ !” Regina scolds and Cora laughs uneasily.

“Fudgie bar..yep. Fudgie bar.. Uhh, hey grandson- go bother with your brother so that I can talk to your mothers,” Cora tells the little boy before putting space between them and dear God if she didn’t look at him that well she wouldn’t have realized who the child was.  _ This is that little human who got spat out at the town line..Damn, he’s adorable! _

“Kay!” Kohana agrees and goes off into the other room, yelling. “HENRY!”

“Now someone explain to me why in the hell Hobbit little out there is calling me  _ nana _ ?!”

“Because.. He’s our son,” Regina answers her mother and Cora sputters. Regina folds her arms at her mother and just stands there, waiting for Cora’s freakout session to happen.

“From where?!”

“Apparently the future.. Or the now,” Emma says, her face contorting in her own confusion of time like references.

“Hobbit little is yours?” she questions again and both Emma and Regina nod. “And you two just let them claim him?” she then asks David and Mary Margaret and they nod. “What the actual hell. How do you even know for sure that he’s yours?” Cora asks and then Emma is pulling her to the side and out of earshot.

“Something.. happened,”

“Something like  _ what _ ?”

“Something that makes it very plausible that he is. He knew everybody. At least by relation. And he..” Emma trailed off, muttering the explanation to Cora and then noticing the way Cora’s eyes went wide.

“Well shit,” Cora says through a sigh and Emma nods. “So, we’re positive?”

“Pretty much. Regina’s going to carry a blood sample to Doctor Keaton later, but as of right now.. He’s here and we’re his parents, he’s acknowledged Henry is his brother and that he has grandparents...besides, he has magic-,”

“-He has magic!”

“Yeah, and stop hissing. It’s not that big a deal,”

“Not that big a-are you nuttty! What colour was it?”

“Take a guess,” Emma tells her and she looks shocked.

“You’re shitting me?!”

“Not even close,”

“That little hobbit human got true love magic?!”

“Yep,”

“And you’re not freaking out about this?!”

“Things happened, I didn’t have time to freak out. He passed out and then I started bleeding like I was in a horror movie.. Or as if my period decided it was coming now.. As it turns out.. I’m not losing my womb, but I don’t know why the hell I was bleeding either..that’s another thing Good ole Doc might be able to figure out, but I dunno. Regina just told me she gave her my blood because she was worried….”

“You sound upset by that,”

“I was..am.. Dunno. We talked about it, I just don’t know where it falls now,” Emma admits.

“So, your smile is a lie.. You’re lying to my daughter?”

“I’m not lying-,”

“-Emma. Cut the crap. You’re lying to her because you’re mad she made a decision whilst you were practically dead in her arms. Is that really something you  _ need _ to be pissed about?”

“No, but it’s how she did it. I was pretty much out and she just brought her in there. She kept sauying she needed to knock me out and I begged her not to so she got smart and decided to still use magic on me, just in a different way. I was bloody. I looked sick and I looked like death-,”

“-Yes and her first thought wasn’t- let me make Emma presentable. Her first thought was I need to help make Emma better. Her first thought was Oh God I have to save her. Her first thought Swan, was literally save you and make sure you were okay- appearances be damned. Putting herself before you be damned… Emma, you’re mad she made a decision when you were near death for all the wrong reasons. Be mad, but not for the fact that she helped save you. I’m sure there is something she did that will warrant your anger, but this isn’t it. It really isn’t. She panicked more than likely- Regina tends to do that all the time and I get it, she shouldn’t have given your blood to the Doctor, and she shouldn’t have found a way around the agreement you made not to knock you out- but eventually you would have given Keaton your blood and you wouldn’t have told her. The same way I’ve found out through the grapevine that you took a pregnancy test because of what’s happened the past few days...when were you planning on telling her? I bet it was no time soon,” Cora says and Emma turns her head. “Double standards are unbecoming and they are unfair and yes- sometimes they are done stupidly, but the intent is always with love. Would you rather die on the floor because she decided to make you look like you weren’t near death? Would you rather worry her by telling her you think you’re pregnant even though you knew it was probably just magic residue? I mean, why wouldn’t you test yourself first to see whether or not you telling her is worth it, right? I mean I don’t see how you can be faulted by that, and I doubt she got upset with you over it, but since you’ve told me about little hobbit brown over there.. Maybe this is him having some negative effect on you..”

“I doubt it’s him.. I think it’s just me.. I mean, I’m ‘pregnant’. Doctor Keaton said it herself, but what’s so confusing is how he sensed that it was him. He flat out said it was him in there..God, this is frustrating. I don’t wanna talk about this anymore- I don’t even wanna think about it,”

“Then don’t.. Just focus on something else like how much food is about to be passed around between ten people,”

“I don’t know if that’s helpful,” Emma says, but she cracks a soft smile.

“It probably isn’t, but it’s something...listen Swan, I’m not beating up on you or taking up for Regina, but you have got to stop living in your old mindset and realize that she’s not like everyone else...she tries not to be like everyone else. And she may get angry. She may get petty- hell, she may get really really mean sometimes and say some things she’s not supposed to, but the point is, she’s trying. She’s learning and so are you, you just have to trust each other. The two of you have been through too much to still not at least trust each other if you trust no one else…. Come on, let’s go distract you from the inevitable,” Cora offers and both she and Emma laugh.

“Well, when you say it like that- how can I deny your offer,” Emma sasses.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Up in the attic are boxes of Henry’s old things,” Regina finds herself saying as both she and Mary Margaret make their way upstairs.

“I remember you told me. So you haven’t gone through anything yet?”

“No, not as yet. I decided it would be best if you had gotten first choice. You may see something you want for Neal. I can always go shopping and pick a few things up if that’s the case,” she tells the woman and Mary Margaret nods lightly. They enter the attic and Regina flicks the light on. Even her attic is spotless. How, that was a mystery because attics and basements were either always dusty as hell or smelling like mold after a while. Mary Margaret looks around the attic and nods approvingly, something Regina ignores immediately because it was an attic. The only thing nice about it was the storage size. Regina leads Mary Margaret over to the boxes that are both neatly stacked and have impeccably clean labelling on them. It’s as if they were never touched. There’s not a dent on any of the boxes and they don’t look worn in the slightest. Regina takes a few of the boxes down and because she knows what is where, she immediately finds the clothes that ranged from four to six and all of Henry’s older ones from the time he was an infant. She slides that box over to Mary Margaret and begins to go through his age 4-6 ones. She’s too busy going through the boxes and putting shirts and pants and socks and underwear aside for Kohana that she doesn’t notice Mary Margaret slide the box out in the hallway and look around the attic more. She hears a thump and like a lamp or something fell and she looks back to see that Mary Margaret was moving one of the photos..one of the very large photos at that, form behind a table that kept them standing. Regina stands quickly, but she doesn’t move just yet. She wraps her arms around herself because one of those photos in particular is one even she was surprised that she kept. Mary Margaret’s hands freeze over the framed portrait before she feels a hand to her shoulder that is moving her out of the way and pulling the large image from behind the table. Regina leans it up against something that can support it and speaks before Snow can even form a question. “I couldn’t throw it away,” she admits to the woman and Snow looks solemn.

“Why.. I thought.. I’m just surprised you kept it after all these years,”

“It meant something to me.. It still does. Even though all of that happened, this photo reminded me of how innocent we both still were at the time. This portrait your father got painted was the only thing of value he’d ever given me. This was the photo that made me fight my fate.. I failed it more than I succeeded, but..it was something. It was hope..” she trailed off and Mary Margaret said nothing in response to that. She had instead turned around and hugged Regina so tight that it surprised the brunette immensely. Regina hugged back and they stayed like that for a moment until Snow pulled away and smiled.

“I decided I’m taking the entire box of things. Knowing you, Henry’s clothes were designer and cute.. Neal’s going to be a replica, but the fashionable kind,” she says proudly and she and Regina share a laugh.

“I suppose that means you’ll be back every year after that to collect the rest of Henry’s things then?”

“You can bet on it,” Mary Margaret smiled and Regina shook her head but smirked.

“Very well then. Let’s get this box downstairs.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“You wanted to see me?” she questioned knowingly and the woman nodded.

“I need your help,” she admitted and the redhead laughed.

“You always need my help,”

“True.. think you can help me figure out a little conundrum?”

“Conundrums are my favourite things to figure out.. What are we dealing with?” she had asked and the woman looked happy and impressed by her eagerness. She held up the liquid and shook it a little, surprisingly it lit up a little.

“This.. I need you to help me figure out the magical makeup of this right here,”

“Why does it sound like I’ll be doing all the research on it and you get to play with the pretty instruments?”

“Because you always help me do the research and I always fiddle with the pretty instruments. You don’t know how to use them,”

“I would if you taught me,”

“Maybe later.. That’s not it though.. I need you to help me figure out how this links Emma Swan to a little boy named Kohana,” Doctor Keaton said to Belle and she folded her arms at the woman.

“The little boy who fell through the portal?” the woman queried and the doctor nodded.

“Emma Swan is pregnant.. I think it’s with that little boy,”

“And why would you think that?”

“Because he has magic…  true love magic,” Doctor Keaton told her and Belle is surprised.

“Okay.. I’ll help you, but what exactly are we looking for?”

“First..” she trails off before pulling her messenger bag forwards and pulling out her materials and her notepad. “Chemical and magical makeup of her blood. I don’t have a normal sample to compare it to, so I won’t know if there has been any changes, but the general statistics will conclude pregnancy. I need you to make me something that will help me magically prove she’s pregnant and then I’ll need a blood sample from Kohana to test his DNA against hers,”

“Okay first.. this sounds insane,” Belle tells her and she nods. She knows it is, but whatever. “And why does it sound like you’re going to do something stupid just to find out whether or not he’s their child?”

“I’m not. I’m going to ask for a blood sample after I deal with Emma’s DNA.. I just want to figure this out,” the doctor admits and Belle squints.

“What’s the real reason you want my help? You could have done all of this on your own. Without magical help or me looking anything up for you. So why? Why me? Why  _ my _ help?” Belle questions her and then Doctor Keaton sighs deeply. She rubs at her forehead and sighs again.

“Back in the Enchanted Forest I had a patient to deal with. You may have heard of her, you may have not. Her name was Annalise and she was pregnant...her symptoms were frightening to say the least. The same thing that’s occuring with Emma Swan right now is what happened to her back then,” she says and Belle thinks, and thinks, and thinks, the memory of it coming back.

“Was she the one with the child who showed up out of nowhere.. The one who said the little girl had told her she was going to get pregnant, but that she would die because she wasn’t strong enough?”Doctor Keaton nodded.

“It was more to it than that. This little girl was nowhere near her at the time. She’d sent a message via carrier pigeon and Annalise did not take heed. I mean, no one would if you got a random message from a stranger claiming to be your child and telling you you would die. Shortly after a few weeks Annalise was pregnant. She wasn’t sexually active at the time, but she was seeing someone. She was seeing one of the guards who worked under the King of the North. Short form, they were emotionally attached to the degree that they had wanted a child together. He was a castrated knight, so they went to a sorceress to get her pregnant. It succeeded, but it came at the cost of both her life and the child’s. Before she died, she had random bleeding, the child- when she was near her, seemed to heal the pain, but she consumed it and since she consumed it, it disrupted Annalise’s womb. That ate her alive and killed her because her body temperature couldn’t be regulated and her symptoms seemed to change with the seconds...Emma’s symptoms are much less harsh, but still the same effects. The random bleeding moment and the changing body temperature..Henry told me that he was healed. His scars are gone, but Kohana was the one who absorbed them….I never found a cure or a way to help Annalise, and I’ll be damned if I let it happen again to Emma Swan. I owe Regina that much, even if she is afraid to tell me everything,” Doctor Keaton had blabbered and Belle remained quiet for a minute before she sighed and stood. She made her way over to her bookshelf and rifled through before pulling four books from it and dropping them on the table. Doctor Keaton jumped and looked up at her before she saw Belle shake her head with a smirk.

“You’re lucky this interests me,” Belle tried to threaten but she didn’t mean it and Doctor Keaton laughed. Belle pushed a book towards her and she flipped it open.

It was time to start looking for answers.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Alright kid, time for bed,” Emma interrupted Kohana who was on Henry’s XBox. He clearly had no idea what he wanted to do..or should be doing, but he looked happy just to have a distraction. He turned his head back and nodded before turning the system off and standing. He walked over to Henry and hugged and kissed his cheek. It was a convenient spot considering Henry was sat on the floor, which literally meant half his height was just short enough that Kohana could still reach him.

“Night night Henry!” he says happily and Henry ruffles his hair.

“Night, little man,” he says to him and Kohana waves at Henry’s friends. They all tell him goodnight and he follows Emma up the stairs.

“Sooooo, we gonna talk about the fact that you have a little brother who appeared out of thin air?” Ava questioned and Henry answered immediately.

“Nope.” he said, popping his P. Ava just smirked and turned back to her work.

“But you gotta admit, he is cute,” Grace said and Henry rolled his eyes.

“Yup,” he answers her, popping his p even louder.

“Dude.. no offense, but he’s gonna get way more attention than you ever did, from everyone!” Nick belted and Henry grunted.

“Guys! I get it! He’s cute. He’s adorable- he’s a little fucking hobbit hybrid of insane genes! If you’re so enamoured with him, go upstairs and follow him tooth and toe. I don’t care. I need to get ready for exams and you guys are freaking out over my six year old brother who literally won’t be here forever,” he says rather annoyed but then Ava just laughs.

“He’s jealous,”

“Totally Jealous,” Grace agrees with a grin and Nick snickers. Henry for the final time rolls his eyes and picks up three throw pillows before tossing them and socking all of his friends square in the face.

“Shut. Up!” he laughs through his command but soon they all lose it laughing.

“Come on, Hen. You gotta admit. He really is cute. If he was older- I’d marry him without blinking,” Grace admitted and Henry groaned.

“He’s six Grace. Don’t try to rob the cradle already,”

“Pfft, you don’t have to worry about  _ me _ robbing the cradle. Worry about Ava getting her cradle robbed,” she teases and Henry misses the way Nick’s face just goes blank and he distracts himself with work.

“Oh yeah.. Who is it?”

“It’s Iaaaaaan,” Grace sings in a teasing manner and Henry’s grin slowly fades as his face goes to a quick moment of horror and then realization.

“Grace- shut it. I don’t even think Ian likes me like that,” Ava says and Grace scoffs.

“He’s been smiling and flirting with you since you started there,”

“No he hasn’t!”

“He so has!”

“Oh My God, Grace, just stop it,” Ava begs and Grace eases up off the situation. They notice both Henry and Nick not commenting and one of them is just shy on saying something but then they leave it. Instead, Grace just says.

“You guys are weird.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Pause!” Regina scolds the little terror who was dashing through the upstairs in nothing but superman undies. Thick locks of hair stop moving and then a head turns with a blush and a cheeky grin in place. “Come here, sweetie,” she tells him and he runs towards her, his thick hair now swinging as he goes. Kohana buckles into Regina and she holds onto him. The scar that transferred from Henry to him is still there, but it looks like it’s disappearing.

“I’m superman!” he claims and Regina’s mouth goes open in an o as if she was just catching it.

“I see, and where’s your cape?”

“I dunno. I lost it,” he admitted and Regina has a feeling his cape was his towel. 

“Then how will you save the people?”

“I gots magic underwear!” he calims and Regina grins at him.

“I see.. Sweetheart, where’s mommy?”

“She quit,” Kohana says and Regina looks confused.

“Why did she quit?”

“She said I have too much energy!” he bounces and Regina nods, tiredly.

“That’s because you do, baby. You have a lot of energy. More than Superman does at least… but it’s bath time and I’m sure mommy was supposed to give you one, did you run away?” she questions him and he nods with a grin. Regina then tightens her grip around him and holds onto him tightly, taking joy in his squeal.

“Momma! Put me down!” he pleads but she doesn’t.

“Not happening. It’s bath time and your mommy and I are tired. Superheroes take baths too. And girls like clean little boys,” Regina tells him and he scrunches up his face.

“Them have cooties though!”

“Girls do not have cooties. Mommy and momma don’t have cooties. You take all of our kisses,”

“Cus I love you, duhhh momma!” he says and Regina pauses for a moment. A solemn look crosses her face as she smiles and looks down at his face. She’s not about to burst and tell him she loves him too, but she does continue to talk to him.

“I see, so that makes us special?”

“Uhuh, super special,”

“Well, you’re special too.. But special little boys have to take baths,” she tells him and he huffs.

“Okaaaay,” he caves and Regina kisses his head. He smiles and she walks into the master bedroom before settling him down. Kohana skips towards the bathroom and over to Emma before hugging her and then getting ready to go in the water. Once he’s in Emma leaves him to it and goes over to Regina. She kisses her and God does it feel amazing.

“Hi,” she whispers to the brunette.

“Hi..you okay?”

“I’m better now. I needed that.. I needed you. Today was..”

“..long?”

“Exactly,” Emma answers and they both laugh a little. “Sooo, we have a son,” Emma acknowledges and Regina nods, She glances over at the bathroom door before she speaks.

“I see that,”

“And he’s super cute,” the blonde continues and Regina nods again.

“He is,”

“You’re thinking?”

“Not so much thinking as I am worrying...I know this won’t all be a happy occasion but I can’t help thinking he’s here for a reason.. A really bad one,” Regina admits and Emma sighs.

“I thought it was just me. I feel like..nevermind. I just feel like before I blink he’ll be gone..”

“I feel the same,”

“So what do we do?”

“I don’t know, but we do what we can until that day comes,” she tells the blonde and Emma nods.

“That sounds like a warcry…”

“It’s...a promise more or less,”

“So we’re promising to make his life the best we can until he.. You know?” Emma questions without having to give too much and Regina nods.

“It’s all we can do,” Regina tells her before sighing. Emma pulls her in close and kisses her again before she pulls away and nips at Regina’s neck. The brunette lets out a soft but guttural moan and her hands go limp against Emma’s body. Emma backs her up and against the wall and something flashes across her eyes in a moment just shy of her biting Regina harder, causing the brunette to hiss against her ear. She pulls away and Regina whimpers, pulling her back to kiss her again because she needed it. It was starting to make her ache how much she needed it in that moment, but they couldn’t..at least not with their son in the bathroom. She pants as she pulls away and pushes Emma off of her slightly before making her way to the bathroom. She looks back at Emma and the blonde looks at ease as she smiles at her. Regina smiles back and enters the bathroom.

 

Shortly after that, Kohana is being dried off and put in some really awesome pjs and socks that he takes initiative to slide around their room in. Emma turns on the tv for him and he hops into the bed. Regina takes the first shower and through that, Emma and Kohana talk a little.

“Mommy? How do I feel in there?” he asks her and Emma looks confused.

“You mean in my stomach?”

“Uhuh,”

“You feel like a little ball, but you punch me sometimes and your hands are like..this big,” she makes a tiny little figure in the air and his eyes go wide. He smiles before placing his ear to her stomach.

“Am I strong, mommy?”

“I think you’re the strongest,” she tells him and he seems to take that as a good answer.

“Then you’re strong too, mommy,” he then tells her and Emma runs her fingers through his hair. She continues to do that as they watch tv and laugh at the cartoons and talk more. By the time Regina exits the bathroom, they’re both passed out and she just turns the lights out, heads downstairs to check on Henry and then her mother before making her way back upstairs. She covers the three of them up and settles into the bed before she feels a little shift and Kohana turns over to look at her in a sleep ridden daze. He smiles lazily at her and she smiles back before kissing the top of his head and whispering.

“Go to sleep, sweetheart,” and he drifts off. Regina soon finds herself drifting off as well, only slightly awoken later when Emma wakes and imagines the night sky on the ceiling, places 101 kisses to Regina’s stomach and finds herself being thankful for everything..even the bad. She climbs back into bed and realizes that Kohana is awake. He’s sitting up and looking at the sky  in awe and in confusion, but it’s clear he’s intrigued by it.

“Mommy...what is that?” he points and Emma smiles solemnly before she leans back begins to trace the outline before them. She whispers to him.

_ “Andromeda.” _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Soo, I’ve found something,” Belle told Doctor Keaton and the woman stopped rifling through pages of books before her. She looks at Belle and sees the slight distraught on the woman’s face.

“This doesn’t look like Good news,” Doctor Keaton tells her and she sighs.

“...just read it,” she says before passing it over and the woman only skims it before she looks back up at Belle.

“Explain. I’m too tired to fathom what that means.

“It means we have a problem.. But that problem is also a solution.. A solution to the current problem both Emma and Regina are facing.. But it’s a hit and miss sort of thing. It could go really well or-,”

“-Or it could all go straight to the seventh level of hell.. I get it..So what you’re telling me is..this is good?”

“Not entirely … it’s.. Good..and bad.”

“Belle, simplify it for me,”

“Kohana’s..a curse, but he’s not a bad curse. He’s a True Love curse.. He’s..housing all of the negativity from Emm and Regina..and whoever else matters..to their family…”

“Meaning, he’s the greenhouse in this case.. He’s the child that’s holding onto their problems… Belle, he’s going to die,”

“I know.. I know...and that’s another thing.. I don’t know when,”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“Magic is unpredictable, the only thing the book tells you is what his purpose is..and that’s a purpose he will reveal to them eventually.. But he will die. He has to. If he doesn’t, they will never be able to be together or have other children… he happened because they believed in something..or because he was just supposed to come right here at this stage in their relationship...there’s no saving him,”

“But this doesn’t explain why Annalise died..”

“She died because she denied truth and she would have more than likely denied the child access to her...further down in that particular chapter it states that they have to be in close proximity. It doesn’t reduce any damage or pain he will feel but it’ll keep them both alive,”

“Like a magical umbilical cord...what do we do?”

“There’s nothing we can do.. We just have to keep reading and looking for ways to sustain them both until that time comes, but we can’t tell them anything.. He has to. You tell them, you could kill Emma in seconds.”


	24. I just had Sex!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First off, no this has nothing to do with me or my own sexcapades.. I merely found it fitting for the chapter, because.well, it is the chapter..  
> I put in the bad words. I can't believe I put in the bad words. I actually put in the bad words! This is not a drill!

The next morning comes and it starts slow, almost agonizingly slow at that. As far as the still sleepy brunette can remember, no one went home last night, which meant she was the one who had to make breakfast for ten people. That also meant she had to make specific foods because either someone was allergic to something- that was Mary Margaret and eggs, or someone else was just flat out not going to eat something healthy, that more than likely being Emma, Henry and Kohana...and then there were people who just wouldn’t eat at all- that was her, and the rest of the group. They ate anything. It didn’t matter. That was clearly David and Henry’s friends..and Cora. Cora ate anything and everything now and Regina had to wonder how the woman’s health was faring in comparison to the crap she consumed on a daily. She stared at the ceiling in her bedroom and sighed. She was mentally prepping the breakfast feast in her head and had to figure out what was the best thing for everyone to eat. She figured she could do what she usually did and just make the usual and that would be that, but then Regina remembered that the usual was always some extremely unhealthy stuff that Henry and Emma wanted every morning. And if it wasn’t good enough, then they’d be going to a damn buffet for breakfast. Problem solved.

She turned over and exhaled. The ceiling in the bedroom was bare, considering the night sky was now long gone from them. She felt little hands land over her eyes and a soft giggle escape a tiny body. Knowing just who those hands belonged to, Regina smirked before placing hers on Kohana’s and squeezing them gently. He giggled again.

“G’mornin’ momma,” he whispered with a smile and Regina loosened her grip on his hands so that he could remove them.

“Buenos dias, mijo,” she says to him in spanish and he grins.

“I dunno what that means,” he laughs and she rolls her eyes playfully.

“Yes you do. I’m sure either mommy told you or Henry told you,” she argues, but she’s still quite literally joking around.

“nuhuhhhhh,” he claims softly, acutely aware that Emma was still asleep. Regina turns on her side and kisses the side of his face and then his forehead.

“You are very sneaky, mister,”

“I gots it from mommy. She said I was a spy,” he tells Regina proudly and the brunette shakes her head with a grin.

“Clearly….why are you awake so early, sweetheart?” is what she then asks him and he shrugs a little, his smile never leaving his rosy-cheeked face. His hair, Regina had now noticed- was sticking up angrily and completely out of range of where it should actually be. She stroked through it, also noticing how his hair was a mix of both texture of straight and curly. Something she immediately akins to her and Emma.

“I couldn’t sleep,” he admits after a moment of quiet and staring at the woman. Regina’s face contorts into worry.

“Did you have a bad dream?” she questions and he shakes his head. “Was the bed uncomfortable?” Another shake of the head.

“Momma wasn’t sleepin’ so I couldn’t sleep,” he clarified and Regina smiles sadly at him.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Momma wakes up really early every morning-,”

“ ‘cept when you’re tired, right?” he asks and she smiles.

“Except when I’m tired,” she repeats. “But since momma’s up, and there are lots of people here, how about helping her make breakfast for everybody? How’s that sound?” she questions him and waits in silence as he contemplates. His little finger taps at his chin, clearly  _ still  _ contemplating. Then he speaks.

“Do I get to lick the spoon still?” he questions her and now she does the thinking face, though hers is done with a cheeky grin as she nods.

“How else is breakfast going to turn out that good. Of course you can lick the spoon, sweetie,”

“Then I’m gonna help..” he tells her before laying on top of her and hugging her as best he could. She wraps her arms around him and hug him back. Kohana then buries his face in Regina’s neck. “I love you, momma,”he whispers and Regina feels herself sag at the words. They’re both calming and alarming her. She sighs and hugs him tighter.

“I know, honey...I know.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Eggs?” she asks and then comes a nod.

“Check!”

“Butter?” she asks again and another nod comes, smiling and eager.

“Check!”

“Flour, sugar, strawberries, raspberries, bananas- grapes, bacon aaaaannnnd milk?”

“Uuuummmm… uhuh.. Well ‘cept the gapes,”

“Grapes, baby boy and could you get them for me?” Regina corrects and then asks and Kohana nods quickly before scrambling off the chair and towards the fridge. He yanks the door open and pulls some grapes from the bottom shelving in the fridge. It didn’t matter how many times Regina went shopping, she always set the fridge up the exact same way and wasn’t remotely surprised Kohana knew where to look. He was a six year old who claimed he was their son.. At some points, she wanted to scream because of the revelation and then again, she just went with it because it felt like it was real. Granted, it’d only been a day and some change, but still. She’s not sure she’s ready for the adventure they’re bound to go on and she’s just as equally worried about what would be its end and how it’ll end because, knowing her life, nothing ever ended well enough. Hell, some of it didn’t end at all.

“momma?” Kohana whispers as he calls her and she flinches from thought.

“I’m sorry honey, what was it?” He pushes the grapes into her view and she smiles before rubbing the top of his head. “Thank you, sweetie. What else are we supposed to have?”

“Baking powder..and apple juice..and orange juice cus gramma likes orange juice and nana likes apple,” he says after some quick thinking and Regina smirks. He really did know some things that would make anyone believe he truly was theirs.

“One more thing,” she continues their conversation and he begins to laugh. “I’m sugary and I’m flat, but I have icing on the top. What am I?” she asks the boy and this type of game was something she always had to play with Henry because it was one of his favourites, and now, by the enigmatic smile she gets from Kohana, it’s clear she carried that game over with him.

“Poptarts!” he says smartly and loudly, clearly catching Regina’s immediate reference. She points to the cupboard that’s pretty much levelled with him and he sprints for it, opening the gold mine of shelving just holding onto every box Henry and Emma had picked up. He grabs three different types, all original flavours and manages to shove them on top of the counter, only stumbling back slightly as he has to angle himself in such a way that he can launch the boxes upward. Regina helps by taking them from the edge and pushing them forward before she helps him back up onto the step stool and puts Henry’s old apron on him. Kohana complains a little that he never gets to wear her apron and she can’t miss the way his eyes go wide and his lips go pouty, truly becoming the epitome of a carbon copy as it related to her and Emma, but at that point, all she saw was little Henry yet again. The same nose crinkle, the same pouty lip, the same little quiver they do when he’s close to tearing up.

She caves.

Easily.

Regina takes her apron off and then takes the other one off of Kohana before she’s draping hers over him and tying it in such a way that it doesn’t come undone and that he doesn’t trip over it and hurt himself. Immediately that little pout and those glassy eyes are gone and she has to whisper,

“sneaky,” as she pinches his nose. He of course grins because, he knows. He knows damn well what he just did and that- he clearly got from Emma.

“I’m a spy, momma. I already told ya, mommy said I was a spy,”

“She was right. You’re a very adorable little spy at that,” Regina accuses but the little boy takes it all in good humour. Before she can further enjoy this, she gets her bearings back and tells him. “Let’s start cooking breakfast and  _ then _ you can tell me more about being a spy.”

 

So, they cook breakfast and as they’re cooking breakfast, feet that belonged to neither of them are walking into the kitchen, still clad in pajamas obviously and then they’re right up behind Regina, arms sliding through the open holes between her arms and torso and they’re pulling her back. Lips are hot against her neck, kissing and nipping lightly, careful to not intentionally drag out a moan, but the hand sliding it’s way up her shirt has her stomach shuddering and doing backflips. Her eyes dip shut and God damn it she might burn the bacon if Emma doesn’t stop.

“Mornin’,” Emma whispers to her before nipping her ear. Regina can’t respond, so instead, she swallows thickly and leans back against Emma with a soft sigh. The blonde smiles and kisses her cheek. “I missed you,” she admits and Regina is now smiling softly. “You and kid Jr over there making breakfast..can I help?” she asks and Regina abandons the bacon for a moment to turn in Emma’s hold and kiss her on the lips again. She never gets tired of doing that. Ever. She pulls back only slightly to trace Emma’s lips with hers before they’re back on them and she’s nipping at Emma’s bottom lip, pulling and tugging the blonde closer to her. Emma swallows back a moan but can’t help whispering a soft, “fuck,” against Regina’s neck. The brunette smirks triumphantly before she speaks.

“Yes you can help,”

“Can I lick the spoon?” Emma then asks immediately after and Regina looks at her and then at Kohana who clearly heard Emma, before looking back at the blonde. She laughs as she shakes her head and Emma’s confused. “What did I miss?”

“Nothing… but you two may have to duke it out to see who gets to lick the spoon. Kohana already asked and I told him yes,” Regina says and the little boy nods.

“Oh really?!” Emma asks in her best surprised tone and before Kohana knew it, Emma was rushing towards him and scooping him up, tickling him mercilessly as it was her best weapon and his biggest enjoyment. He shrieks with joy as Emma and he battle with their words. “Tell momma I get to lick the spoon!” she shouts playfully and he yells back.

“Nope!” as best as he could through his giggle.

“Hana, tell momma I get to lick the spoon!”

“Neverrrrrr!”

“Hey!”

“Nooooo, mommy! Momma- help me!” he begs and the tickles continue, but Emma moves as fast away as she possibly could with him the second Regina tries to help. The brunette laughs as Emma tries to fake her out and instead, she ends up being wrapped in magic and pretty much yanked over, Kohana still in her arms.

“That’s cheating!” the blonde complains and Regina shrugs. Emma scowls playfully and lifts Kohana high enough to kiss his head before she sets him down. “Fine, you can keep the spoon and you can lick the spoon, but I get to kiss your momma..deal?” she bargains and Regina’s mouth falls open as Emma eyes her hungrily and devilishly. Kohana interrupted that.

“But you already get to kiss momma all the time… no deal,” he says and Emma is shocked. She honestly expected the kid to say yes, but when he said no deal, she felt a familiar chill run over her.

“You know, you really are your momma’s son,” she says and he smiles like he knows he owned her. She lets him go back to whatever it was he was doing and sees that Regina had been watching them both, her head tilted as if she were inspecting something. Or pretty much just lost in thought. However, neither of those were the case this time around. “You okay?” Emma still finds herself asking and Regina immediately smiles, albeit- so very shyly that Emma has to wonder why.

“I am..what about you. You woke up pretty early. That’s not like you,” Regina responds and Emma smirks.

“I  _ can _ wake up early.. I just choose not to..all the time,” Emma answers and Regina just purses her lips, the obvious,

“mhmmmm,” escaping in a hum.

“That, and I couldn’t sleep..dunno why, just couldn’t,” Emma continues and Regina pauses for a moment. She looks past Emma and at Kohana before looking back at the blonde. “What? What did I miss?”

“It’s..nothing I suppose,” Regina says with a soft squint.

“No, it’s something,” Emma tells her and she looks at the blonde with a face that clearly indicates she’s giving her  _ the _ look.

“Kohana said the same thing earlier, that’s all,” Regina tells the blonde and Emma tilts her head back in a nod. “That’s why I’m, somewhat confused., but his reasoning is because he sensed I wasn’t sleeping and that’s what woke him,” the brunette informs and now Emma’s face is scrunching up. She bobs her head, sighs lightly and speaks.

“Yeah, that’s how I felt too,”

“Mhm, and that’s why I’m trying to figure out whether or not it’s something he got from you, or something he felt that you normally feel every morning,” Regina tells her and Emma inhales.

“It’s the latter,” she answers.

“You feel like that every morning?”

“Well, most mornings, yeah. That’s just how it is with me. I don’t know, it’s never really happened before, but I can only sense when you’re awake in the mornings and that’s what wakes me up, or at least- pulls me from Rapid Eye Movement into reality,”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“I thought it didn’t matter. I mean, a lot of people I’m sure wake up just like that, so what’s the difference if I do, you know?”

“The difference is, you’re not other people. You’re Emma Swan. Sheriff, mother and a woman on her way to having my entire heart if she continues,” Regina says and Emma blushes. She pulls at Regina’s shirt and tugs her forward, successfully making the woman smile at her even more lovingly than she already has been.

“Don’t be sweet, it kills me,”

“Then I’ll give it to our son, just to watch you become jealous and barter me again,” Regina jokes and Emma laughs.

“Good commodity, what can I say,” she claims and Regina rolls her eyes. Emma looks past her and points. “Uhhh, I think you’re burning the bacon,” she tells her with an uneasing look on her face, and that’s because she knows what comes next.

“Emmmaaaaa!” Regina calls her almost angrily, yanking up the tongs and removing the bacon from the griddle. She sighs heavily once she realizes it is not even remotely burnt, it’s perfectly crispy and Emma was just being a pain. “You.. and that little, handsome hobbit over there, are terrible,” Regina complains and Emma grins evilly.

“What? I was just trying to help,” Emma claims very calmly and Regina squints at her.

“No, you just wanted free bacon before everyone else,” Regina corrects and Emma shrugs.

“That too,” she smiles and Regina rolls her eyes before she picks up a slice and waves it in front of Emma. The blonde reaches out to get it but Regina pulls back and Emma looks at her challengingly. Emma’s eyebrow raises before she lunges forward and presses her lips against Regina’s, nipping and tugging like she normally does until Regina loses her grip on the bacon and Emma sees her opportunity. She inches her face past Regina’s cheek and munches on the bacon before pulling back and grinning at the brunette.

“And this is why I tell Kohana he is sneaky,”

“That’s how spies work. They’re the sneakiest of sneaky, right kid?” Emma asks happily and the little boy nods with a grin. She turns to look back at Regina and the brunette is just looking at her with a tinted glow to her eyes. “What is it now? What are you thinking about?” Emma asks and Regina bobs her head.

“Nothing, everything is just.. It’s all so…” she shakes her head with a smirk. “It’s nothing. Everything is fine- more than fine… now, can you stop being a delinquent and help me and our son finish breakfast. We have people to feed and I’d like to hurry considering there’s ten of us and there are allergies and preferences that are involved,”

“I’d have just made everyone eat cereal,” Emma shrugged and Regina couldn’t contain her laugh.

“That’s the difference between you and I,” Regina sassed and Emma smirked.

“That’s the point. You actually care what everyone eats. I only care about what you and Henry and now, this little monkey in the corner here, eat…”

“How very loving of you,” Regina tells her and she smiles.

“Yeah, that’s me...SO-what am I doing?” Emma queries and Regina immediately hands her a strip of bacon with a smile.

“The eggs... and help me make smoothies,”

“Now that, I can do.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

This..is a feast for the Gods,” Emma commented as she looked at the full length dinner table and then over at Regina. The brunette put her arms on Kohana’s shoulders and squeezed gently.

“It is,” she agreed and Kohana just grinned.

“Can we eat it now, mommy?” he asks Emma and the blonde blinks at him just a little before she smirks.

“I don’t know..can we eat it now, momma?” she turns the question on Regina, but the brunette shakes her head.

“Not yet. We have to wake everyone up and then we can all eat it,” Regina told them both and it was as if she were looking at Emma at age six and Emma in her thirties at the same time because that damn pout was back and both of them were doing it. Both of them whom looked more alike the longer they pouted. “Put those lips away and go wake everyone, you two,” she commanded but Emma pouted harder and Kohana huffed.

“But momma-,”

“-Ah-ah..sweetie, did mommy let Henry get away with that when he was your age?” she questions because she’s almost positive he’ll know the answer. Even though he huffs, he shakes his head.

“No, momma,” he answers. “But- but.. I just wanna snack,” he tells her and she sighs. She looks at him for a little bit longer as Emma shifts away from both of them, clearly going to do what Regina told her to do in the first place. Regina bends down to her son’s height and runs her fingers across his face. She then proceeds to lift him up high enough to set him on the counter. She sighs again before she reaches over something and pulls some fruit from the bowl she hadn’t yet placed on the table before handing it to him. He shoves some grapes into his mouth and chomps on them greedily.

“Better?” she asks him and he nods.

“Yes ma’am,” he answers.

“Good.. I’m sorry, sweetheart,” she apologises and he’s confused as to why. “You were hungry and I got upset with you and I shouldn’t have done that..can you forgive me?” she asks the six year old and he just nods. He may not understand what the word itself means, but he does understand by her facial expression what she’s hoping he does gather...and he understands that more than anything. He nods again and she finally allows herself to smile. She lets him off the counter and he walks out of the kitchen and directly into the living room. He falls over Henry and latches onto him, hugging him tightly as best he could with the given circumstance of how he was laying on the ground. The teen mumbled and grumbled lightly, his eyes flickering beneath his lids. He turns over and Kohana tumbles off of him, almost getting squashed beneath the lanky boy.

He giggles and that is what wakes Henry up. The teen squints into the dimly lit living room before he looks behind him and sees that his ‘little brother’ is pretty much trying to play hide and seek with him right that second. He shakes his head, smiling just slightly because he’s barely awake still.

“What’s so funny?” he asks the little boy and that brings out another giggle that he takes joy in. Henry turns over completely and sees Kohana’s light eyes staring back at him. It’s clear his eyes are full of hope and mirth and just all around happiness. His pajama top has somehow managed to come undone and Henry’s eyes immediately fall on his chest. It’s surprising to say the least that his chest seems to be healing, rapidly at that. Though, if you really looked at it, you could see the brunt of the scarring still sat upon his chest.

He sighs to himself and rubs at his eyes.

“What’s the matter, Henry?” Kohana asks him and he shakes his head.

“It’s nothing, bud.. I just...does it hurt?” he asks the little boy and obviously little man is confused.

“I dunno what you mean,” he admits and Henry points to his chest before resting his hand against it flatly and running a finger across it. Kohana winces immediately and Henry pulls back.

“That...does it hurt?” he asks him again and Kohana shakes his head.

“No..only when I touch it,” he tells him and Henry nods.

“So, how did momma bathe you?”

“She didn’t..mommy let me take a bubble bath,”

“Why did you do it?” Henry then asks and Kohana is once again confused. Henry remembers he may be very smart, but he’s still a child, he won’t pick up on things the way a teenager or adult will. “Why did you heal me?”

“Your owie?” Kohana asks confused and Henry nods.

“Yeah, my owie..why did you heal it?” he asks again and Kohana responds immediately.

“Cus I gotta…”

“Why did you have to?”

“Cus my poppas told me to,” he tells Henry and Henry looks completely mortified.

“Who, Kohana? Who told you to? Was it grampa Henry?” he queries and the little boy shakes his head.

“No.. it was poppa Neal and daddy Daniel...they said I had to so the baby can be safe,” he tells the teen and Henry swallows thickly.

“They told you to come..so you could...protect the baby?” is what he asks instead of saying the word die and the boy nods.

“Mommy and momma fight a lot and daddy and poppa said I gots to help them so no one is sad,”

“How do they know that, bud?” Henry questions but the little boy doesn’t answer. “Kohana? How do they know that? How do daddy and poppa know that?” he asks a multitude of questions but the little boy shakes his head.

“I can’t tell.. I’m not spose to tell,” he shakes his head again and Henry inhales deeply before he nods at the little boy.

“Okay..okay,” he agrees. “It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me,” Henry finds himself saying though he’s sighing an absolute crap ton. He sits up as best as possible and looks around the room. He then looks back at Kohana and rubs the top of the child’s head. “Wanna help me wake Grace, Ava and Nick up?” he then asks the little boy, sporting a smile that allowed the child to understand he was completely and utterly okay with not knowing what they’d been discussing earlier. Kohana nods and Henry gets up, waiting for the child to follow suit which he does and Henry’s way of waking them up involved him kicking Nick in the back and dropping pillows on the girls’ heads. Kohana looks at Henry for permission to do the same and when the teen gives him the go ahead, he has his own way of waking them. He hops on Nick, garnering a wheeze from the boy.

“G-oo-ood,” Nick manages through that painful moment. “Sh-sh-,” he continues, but he can’t finish because of two things. He’s still winded, and there’s a child present. He just collapses with the pain and Henry kicks him once more for good measure, which earns him a scowl from Nick, but that was to be expected. Ava woke up with a good whack to the head, though she had no hesitancies on cursing after she did wake. Grace is harder to wake up because she’s one of  _ those _ types of sleepers.

 

A heavy one.

 

Dropping a pillow on her head would do absolutely no good to their current needs, so Henry went with dropping three on her head and shouting her name.

“Grace!” he squeaked out loudly enough that she groaned in response. “Grace!” he squeaked again and she groaned even harder. Henry picked up the biggest cushion from the couch and nailed her square in the head… it worked, though the response contained a few choice words that she was not sorry about letting out. He shook his head. “You and Ava with your filthy language,” he teased as she managed to sit up and flip him off. Kohana gasped and she turned immediately, wincing only slightly at the fact that he saw her.

“You did a bad thing,” he accused and she sighed, but raised a hand to ease him.

“Yeah, I know. Listen bud, I’m sorry I did that but your brother whacked me in the head. He’s supposed to be nice to girls and he hit me in the head..now do you think that was nice of him?” she asks and the little boy scrunched up his face as he shook his head.

“Henry, momma says you always have to be n-”

“-nice to girls, I know… God, you’re gonna kill me,” he complains and Grace grins at her triumph. “Fine.. I’m sorry I gave you a well deserved whack to the head, Grace,” he only somewhat apologises and Grace picks up the same cushion and throws it at him. He dodges it, only barely though and that’s that on their little tiff. Grace stands, seeing that Ava and Nick have already stood up and were talking to each other.

“Twins,” she mutters and Henry smirks before putting a hand to her back.

“Jealous of their secret society, huh?”

“Anything involving the words secret or society in them are conspiracy based or racist. Both of which I am none of,” Grace defends and Henry eases back.

“Down tiger.. You remind me of my mom, jeez,” he laughs uneasily and she shrugs.

“What can I say, your mom is someone to envy,” Grace tells him and he lets her have that, because she’s right of course.. Somehow, Grace is always freaking right.. Just like his mother. If he didn’t know any better he’d say she was modelling her life after the brunette woman, which would not surprise him considering Grace was headstrong and stubborn and a natural born leader..one thing Regina ended up becoming.

“Henry?” Kohana calls and the teen abandons his conversation for a moment to answer the child.

“Yeah?”

“We made breakfast...momma said to wake you and come eat breakfast,” he tells the teen. And all he’s really saying without saying is- ‘you’re talking too much and I’m hungry.’ Henry just nods and the rest of the group get the cue. They all exit the living room and walk straight towards the table with all the food where they meet up with the other adults, Regina exclusive. His grandparents are all sat and waiting and Emma is about to sit when Henry asks-

“Where’s mom?” and Emma answers his question.

“In the kitchen, she’s just getting juice and coffee and tea or whatever for you strange people,” the blonde tells him and he rolls his eyes but smirks. Regina emerges soon after and sets everything down, riddling off good mornings to the last few stragglers. They respond in kind and Regina gets to her seat. Someone mentions prayer and they pray before food is being passed around and everyone begins eating. She of course only settles for a cup of coffee. 

 

Not surprising.

 

And then she’s pulling out her tablet for work and already she’s begun her day even if it is the weekend. It never makes sense, but if she wants to ensure that nothing piles back up on her, or that she would have to go back to working on her Sundays, she needed to do this as much as possible to maintain that. Everyone around her just watches her, but they say nothing. What can they say to a woman who had to run a whole town by herself. What could they possibly say to a woman who  _ needed _ to do all of these things just to have one day off when she could never get that before...They couldn’t say anything, and they weren’t about to say anything because Regina had a point for everything. She had a reason for everything- all valid. All important. All actual reasons for why she had to do what she was doing. So, everyone watches, and of course no one will say anything, but Kohana isn’t everyone. He’s...defiant in some ways and his defiance comes in the form of three feet and some inches of absolute cuteness and doe eyes that she could never deny, regardless of how much she tried. He clambered off of his chair and walked over to her with something in his hand before he attempted to climb into her lap and that immediately got her attention. She, without any hesitation, lifts him into her lap and looks down at his hand.

“Sweetie, what’s that in your hand?” she asks him and he opens it, revealing some fruit that he hand managed to not squish.

“You gotta eat, momma,” he told her and that would be the only thing he says to her as it related to pleading. He was more demanding than he was pleading.

“I’m not hungry, sweetheart,” she tries to tell him but he shakes his head. His voice lowers and his eyes darken immediately as he speaks to her, a tight grip grabbing hold of her attention.

“You  _ must _ eat.. You must be healthy for the baby,” he says and it sounds almost robotic when it comes out. It was almost as if a script was running through his head. It sounds like the little boy’s original english had somehow short-circuited when these words came out because it didn’t sound like him in the slightest. She could tell something - or rather, someone had just spoken through him or something.. And to not raise any concern, she just caved. She nodded and took the fruit from him before she ate it. He nodded after she had finished her piece and climbed off of her lap and made his way back to his seat. He went back to eating his food and she internally heaved a sigh after that. She had no clue how to even begin thinking about that. And considering Emma and Henry were directly to her left and her right, she’s almost positive that both of them heard it and knowing her mother, Cora didn’t miss a thing. Cora was master of facial expressions, and even when Regina thought she could hide how she felt, her mother was quick to acknowledge its presence. Everyone else just seemed to be happy this adorable little boy got his mother to eat something than just consuming a cup of black coffee. She plays it off by actually getting something to eat, even if it is small and tries to keep their attention from becoming suspicious questions.

“The food is amazing,” Cora says out of the blue in order to ease the immediate tension she could feel permeating off of her daughter. Regina’s eyes snap up at her and everyone turns their head over to her. Cora had taken a bit of everything on her plate and in her glass, so there was no surprise she would say it was good.

“I have to agree with your mother, Regina.. The breakfast really is lovely,” Mary Margaret had nodded with a soft smile as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. She’s opted for the smoothie that Regina had whipped up in the blender, a few slices of toast and some bacon. David is much like Cora, he too took a bit of everything and then some.

“She’s right,” he grins, taking a bite of his pancakes and shutting his eyes in avid appreciation. Emma rolls her eyes, slightly embarrassed by the way her parents are acting, but she supposes that’s a thing.

“And the eggs are my favourite,” Ava says with a grin and Grace nods along with Nick who throws her a thumbs up. Regina blushes but she shakes her head.

“Actually, Emma was the one who made the eggs this morning-,”

“-and I helped make the pancakes!” Kohana interjected and Regina nodded once more.

“That’s right.. I had good help this morning, so if there is anyone to thank, it would be those two,”

“I’m surprised we have bacon. Knowing ma, she would have tried to eat them all when you weren’t looking,” Henry jokes and Regina snorted.

“She did.. I had to bribe her with two slices of bacon just to help,” the brunette said and a few laughs were heard around the table but Emma took it in stride and shrugged because it was true.

“Not my fault you decided to fry the bacon first,” she complains, but she’s not even remotely angry. Obviously.

“Ma, I’m convinced you’re just naturally lazy,” Henry wisecracks and she laughs.

“I’d be inclined to agree with you there, kid...So, what’s to be done today with everybody?” she then asks because- why not?

“Your mom and I need to get Neal from the babysitter and I have an odd shift to cover today. You’re off today- I forgot to mention that,” David riddled off and Emma looked so disgruntled.

“Whyyyyy?” she stretched her question and David just shrugged.

“I don’t know, but the roster says you’re off. I looked at it yesterday before we came over. I don’t even know who set it this week,” he claims and Emma scrunches up her face.

“Only you and I have been setting it- no one has authority to touch that, so why am I off today?” she questions again but David shrugs once more.

“Like I said, I don’t know Em,” he tells her again and she sighs heavily.

“Alright.. I guess I’ll just deal with it later then,” she attempts to wave off and David catches it.

“I have papers to mark,” Mary Margaret informs and she yawns within that moment as well.

“Already?” Cora asks and the woman nods, albeit a little uneasily. “Hmmm, you still teach third graders though, it shouldn’t be all that bad,” Cora then said and Mary Margaret snorted.

“Try telling me that when you don’t have to write repetitive words on every report card. There’s only so many ways to say their child is doing a great job and keep it up because I’m proud of them.. Or remind them that their children are delinquents. I would give anything to  _ not _ teach third graders and at least teach junior high.. Or the high school-,”

“-No! Gramma, I love you, but stay away from the high school section.. If anything, stick with the juniors,” Henry tells her as he shakes his head violently and waves his hands frantically. Mary Margaret looks affronted.

“Wh-why?” is all she can manage and Henry just continues to shake his head.

“Just..trust me on this one. Don’t do it,” he warns her and she groans at his words. She then huffs and falls back against the backing of her chair before caving.

“Alright, fine. I won’t aim for the high school, but Regina, could you please transfer me from the primary section. I love children, but it’s starting to wear down on me,” she claims and Regina softens. She puts a hand to the woman’s shoulder and nods only somewhat.

“I’ll see what I can do,”

“Thank God,” she says in relief and Regina has to bite back her pleasure in seeing the saint herself, relish in running away from little children. David smothers a grin and Cora just shakes her head. Meanwhile, the teens and Kohana are just eating breakfast until they realize they haven’t said what they were doing.

“Well, Grace has work and Ava doesn’t have to go in til, 2?” Nick speaks up.

“And what about you? What are you doing right now?” Cora asks him and he shrugs.

“Nothing for right now,” he admits and no one misses how his face seems to pale just slightly, or he loses that bit of light he always had. David tries to help by saying,

“Well, maybe you can work in the station for the summer and take some of the load off Emma by being my deputy.. I mean, you’d be paired with Mulan or Little John, but the pay is pretty good and we at least give you a taser,” he offers. Nick smiles.

“As much as shocking people sounds Mister Nolan.. I don’t know if that’s something I’d be good at,” he admits and David shakes his head.

“We don’t have requirements. So long as your police record is clean, you’re okay. And we barely get any trouble, you’ll be on desk duty and easy patrol for most of it.. I’ll even teach you to drive the cruiser,” David was now offering and Nick seemed to brighten on that. He tries to hide his happiness but he can’t.

“Can I really?” is what he does ask and David nods at him with promise.

“Scouts honour,” he says for good measure and Nick is now smiling appreciatively.

“Thanks, Mister Nolan,”

“No problem,” David tells him and then Henry just says,

“Well, I have to study for this entire week because Mother Superior is making me take every exam in five days.. I’m convinced she hates me and she’s rushing me to finish just so they can grade my papers the same time, but by the time I’m done, they’ll have already been done marking everyone else,” he riddles off with an eye roll and a shake of his head. Emma’s brow raises in a very sculpted and agitated way, almost as if someone had said something disrespectful to her.

“Regina, we really need to do something about that moth with wings,” she said coldly and everyone at the table had to choke back some form of surprise or laughter, including the brunette she was talking to. Regina clears her throat, smothering a laugh as she did.

“I know. I’ll speak with her soon about that,”

“I think we need to do that today,” Emma said and the brunette just agreed with a convoluted body movement.

Silence fell upon the table again and it was clear no one could carry anymore conversation after that.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

They finish breakfast and everyone does a part in helping to clean it up. David and Mary Margaret leave shortly after, and the same goes for the teens after they’ve spent at least another two hours, mostly in helping Henry study some more before they needed to get a headstart on their own days. Kohana was in the living room watching tv as Regina and Emma were standing in the kitchen, talking over cups of coffee.

“I saw it and Henry saw it… we heard it, so..what in the hell was that with Kohana?” Emma inquires and Regina just about shrugs on that.

“I don’t know, but that wasn’t him,”

“Wasn’t him? What do you mean?”

“Emma… that voice.. The mannerisms, the everything- it wasn’t him. That was not Kohana. His speech was too proper and the words were a bit more advanced than what he could manage to formulate. It was as if someone else manifested in him. Another person was speaking through him to me.. I watched the way his eyes darkened. I heard it in his voice..that wasn’t him and whoever it really was, is sending a warning- a constant reminder to me..for whatever reason…..”

“Yeah but the way he said it.. It was creepy. He was insistent-,”

“-and that’s something a child his age wouldn’t be unless it involved something that had to do with them,” the brunette told her.

“He said Neal and Daniel told him he had to come and be here so that the baby was safe,” Henry interrupts and both his mothers spin.

“He what?” Emma asks him and he walks closer to them.

“I asked him earlier this morning why he healed me and he told me, daddy and poppa told him to.. Neal and Daniel told him he had to be here so the baby was safe.. Like he was saying it so her birth wasn’t in vain.. I tried asking him other questions, but he said he isn’t supposed to tell. He isn’t allowed to tell anything.. That was the only thing he could tell me. He has to be here and protect the baby because he said you two fight a lot and he’s here so she survives,”

“He’s…” Emma swallows as she looks over at Regina who just shuts her eyes and nods.

“Yes.. he’s the incubator,”

“Incubator?” comes the question, now from Henry and Regina nods once more.

“Do you remember the testing I had gotten done for Lily and Casey?” she asked and he nodded.

“And remember I explained how my gene- my chromosome C gene is a happy ending gene, but that it doesn’t render me and Emma immediate happy endings?” Another nod. “Well, as the good doctor has mentioned, someone like me has never been with someone like Emma. Two different walks of life, representing two different types of endings. Because Emma and I argue as much as we do, the possibility was likely that had I been able to give birth to your sister, she would not make it to see her first year’s birthday.. She would have in essence been the greenhouse, consuming all of our negative energy and dying slowly as a result because of how our genes would mix..Kohana’s..here-,” she swallows. “-he’s here because he’s now that greenhouse.. He said it himself that he’s here so the baby is safe, and by the way he told me I have to be healthy for this child. He has said it without saying it that he’s already destined to… leave after his job is done.. For however long that may be, no one knows. I suppose it’s just until your mother and I no longer argue like we’re both out to get one another.” 

No one says anything.. How could they, anyway? What could they possibly say with a revelation like that.

“Momma?” Kohana calls, instantly wrangling the three people from their conversational thoughts.

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Can we go to the park today?” he asks and Regina looks at Emma who nods.

“Sure, sweetheart, but we need to make sure you’re dressed warmly, okay?” she offers and he perks up instantly.

“KAY! I’ll go get my jacket ‘n’ stuff,” he announces before he disappears from their sight and they all let out a deep sigh.

“I can’t do this,” Emma blurts out and Regina knows what she means.

“Neither can I.. I don’t think I can watch him slowly drift away from everything just like that,” Regina agrees. “I don’t want to know how this ends. I don’t want to  _ experience _ the end of this,” Regina says, and it’s obvious her words lay claim to how dejected and defeated she feels over this entire thing. Emma abandons her position and goes towards Regina. She pulls the woman into her and wraps her arms around her before she’s kissing the side of her head and sighing against her hair. She wishes she could say anything and everything to make Regina feel better, but there is literally nothing she can say to aid in the woman’s pain. There is nothing for her to tell Regina that would render the woman’s pain, bearable.

She feels she’s held onto her too long when Kohana is back in the kitchen and informing them that he was ready to leave.

“Hey bud, what do you say we go watch some more cartoons for a bit. Momma and mommy have to get dressed too..and girls take forever,” Henry tries to joke and Kohana somehow doesn’t pick up the unease behind the teen’s words. He smiles, but the second he sees Regina being held by Emma, he’s curious beyond measure.

“What’s wrong, momma?”he questions and Regina shakes her head.

“Nothing, sweetheart. Momma’s fine. She just needed a hug,” Regina tells him and he squints.

“But you said hugs are for when you’re sad..so momma was sad- why?” he pushes and they can tell that this is him. Those words are his, he’s not being controlled by someone else. This is all six year old worry. She sighs. Then she nods.

“You’re right, sweetie.. I was sad for a minute but mommy’s hugs made me all better.. I just didn’t want to think about some things,” is what she tells him and she knows- hell, they all know he’s going to ask,

“What things?” So, she has an answer for him.

“You, sweetheart. Momma didn’t wanna think about how you could get hurt,”

“Are you scared, momma?”

“I am, honey,” she admits. He nods and moves from his spot before he reaches over and rubs her leg because he can’t very well reach the rest of her.

“I’m fine, momma. Promise,” he informs her and she lets go of Emma long enough to bend down and smile at him, even if it is still extremely sad.

“I know you’re fine now, baby...but momma’s worried about when you’re not fine,”

“But...I’m a spy,” he tries to reason with her and she smirks.

“Yes you are, but even spies get owies..right?” He nods.

“But, what if I was a super-super spy?!” he then questions her and she shakes her head.

“Even if you were momma’s super special and super strong and tough spy, you’d still get owies and momma would still be sad,”

“But, I gots to get the owies to get stronger, mommy said thas how come she’s a sheriff,” he claims and eyes, all six of them, fall on Emma. The blonde bites the inside of her cheek because it’s about all she can do. She can’t physically kick herself because then someone’s going to notice and she didn’t need that to be yet another thing. She inhales and puts on a smile that’s clearly fake.

“I did say that, didn’t I kid?” Emma asks but she’s not looking for an answer, though- Kohana does nod. “But, guess what… I still had to listen to your mommy about a lot of that so I didn’t get so many of those owies,” she tells him and his eyes go wide.

“Really?”

“Oh yeah,” she says with a grin. “When your momma tells me not to do something crazy, I don’t do it anymore...even if I wanna. She gets extra scared if I get hurt because she loves me and she doesn’t want your sister to see me with any of the owies, the same way she didn’t want Henry, or you to see my owies. But I got a lot cus I did dumb stuff and it was fun until I saw how much she didn’t like it,”

“Soooo...owies can be fun?” he asks and she squints at him before laughing.

“Is that all you heard, kid?”

“Nope, but you said it was fun… I wanna have fun, but momma thinks I’m gonna get hurt  _ alllll _ the time...and I won’t- I promise.. Just a little,” he tries again and Regina caves so hard she’s starting to wonder if she has any resolve at all. The smile that splits out across her face pretty much tells them all that Kohana literally has her wrapped around his pinky finger.

“Just a little is enough to make me very scared for you,”

“Then..how bout a little, little- _ liiiiiitttllleee _ ?” he asks her and she rolls her eyes.

“Fine, but if you get any..I’m not kissing them better,” she tells him and his face morphs into something that’s both angered and saddened by the news.

“BUT!” he shouts and his lips quiver on command. There’s no doubt he felt the pain with this one. This lip quiver was no joke. This wasn’t him using it as a way to get her to cave..nope, this one was the real deal and now she felt horrible for even saying those words to him.

“-uhoh,” Henry muttered before he attempted to escape the kitchen and Emma shot him a look that made him shake his head quickly and all but sprint from the kitchen. The blonde hangs her head and just sighs deeply. She ends up zoning out in the moment that Regina has her talk with Kohana, and it’s probably the best thing because she’s almost certain she actually heard him cry at one point or another. She’s also nearly positive than Regina had some sort of perfected speech ready with apology that was better suited for the small child anyway. By the time she comes out of that very coma induced moment, she’s not sure what’s happened between his pout and her now fiddling fingers that somehow got a hold of the kitchen towel. Kohana sprints off and she heard Regina let out a heaving breath. Emma turns her upper half with a raised brow of concern and question for the woman.

“You okay?” she asks and Regina shrugs. Very honest motions between the two of them lately. She doesn’t even have to say ‘I don’t know’ because the shrug speaks for itself. “Where was he going?”

“To play with the ducks,” Regina says as she turns momentarily just to peek out the window and see if Kohana had actually made it towards the duck pond.

“There’s more ducks in there now?”

“No..they just come this way to visit Ermis,” Regina says and it sounds so dry that Emma has to comment.

“I don’t know whether you’re making fun of me or telling the truth…”

“I’m telling the truth. Ducks do come to this pond..if not to see him then solely because they prefer this one over the other one that’s near a children’s playground,” the brunette answers, disgusted and Emma laughs.

“You say that as if you’re not responsible for that,”

“That’s because I’m not. During your mother’s little reign, she decided to put a duck sanctuary next to those little, filthy fingered gremlins,” the brunette comments and Emma gapes which in turn makes Regina lose it laughing at her. “I kid.. But she did in fact ask for them to build it right next to the school. They couldn’t do that so they put it near the children’s playground. It’s about as unkempt as Ariel’s hair,” she compares and Emma shuts her eyes as her mouth falls open, deadset on trying to smother a laugh, but her thinking about it the more she thought about it, made her prone to losing it on that note.

“I can’t with life anymore. I quit,” she claims and Regina chortles.

“I’m sorry?” she says more so than asks and Emma looks at her with the face of face.  _ Really?! _

“Don’t even try and lie,” the blonde told her and she pinched her mouth shut, smothering her own laugh. Emma shakes her head and stands up straight before she stretches out properly and begins to leave the kitchen. “Come on, little lady. We’ve got showers to take,”

“Oh, so we’ve gone back to taking separate showers, have we?” she queries and Emma pauses.

“I..ummmm..no?” Emma asks because she’s entirely out of the loop and Regina flashes her megawatt smile.

“No?” she asked and the blonde immediately answered.

“Yes?”

“Yes?” Regina repeats, tilting her head and mimicking Emma’s confused face. Emma groans like a child and Regina eases up. “Emma, just go upstairs and we’ll shower together,” is what she commands the blonde to do and Emma listens like that’s her lifeline because, why wouldn’t she want to take a shower with Regina. She pretty much flies up the stairs and strips before Regina can acclimate herself with her surroundings once more. She catches a glimpse of Emma’s bare naked ass and has to blink more than three times to figure out if that perky rear really was the blonde’s.

“damn,” she whispers and Emma stops just shy of the bathroom door. Clearly she heard her.. Or something.

“Did you say something?”

“Hmm- oh! No.. I was just.. Observing,”

“By any chance, would it have been my ass?” she questions the brunette and is beyond impressed when Regina gives her the honest answer.

“Yes, it was..is,” she corrects herself and Emma feels herself heat up and blush. She’s more than positive that cherry red ran through her entire body, and now she might’ve looked like a freshly out of the womb newborn..minus the embryo and wailing, old people face.

“Well.. it is yours,” she informs and reminds the brunette who does not need to be told twice. She finds that she gets her just desserts because then is when the brunette before her immediately and swiftly removes her shirt and throws it at Emma’s feet, daring her to bend over and pick it up. Regina’s sex pulses tightly when Emma not only bends to get it, but turns directly around and crosses her ankles before she bends to get Regina’s shirt, revealing all of her toned legs, her clitoris peeking out, just shy of its hood and her completely bare and shaven goods. That’s enough to get a reaction out of the brunette. 

Regina somehow just levitates straight across the floor and attacks Emma’s lips with her own. Emma grabs onto her and yanks at her pants, pushing them down, only to find that she’s getting the underwear to go along with it. She pushes Regina into the bathroom, stumbling only slightly as her hands possessively hold onto Regina’s backside and Regina’s hands stay glued to Emma’s buttocks. Her thigh finds room between Emma’s legs, nudging and easing into its space. The blonde juts her hips back, already feeling the instant friction from Regina’s smooth and bare thigh against her sex. She groans, both from pain and from pleasure. She needs that release and she needs it now.

“Regi-Regina,” she manages to stutter out and the brunette grins devilishly.

“ _ Yessss _ ,” she hisses a purr into the woman’s ear and Emma pants deeply. Regina makes a ‘tsk’ sound as she backs the blonde against the bathroom counter before she’s managed to push her up and onto the cool surface. She feels Emma’s body shiver immediately and takes all pleasure in nudging her legs apart as Emma stifles a raspy moan.

“Oh  _ God _ ,” Emma rasps and Regina smirks as she bares her teeth, carnal and ready to bite soft and supple flesh. Emma’s head falls back onto the mirror of the bathroom as Regina continues to spread her legs and settle her feet atop the counter. Bare before her, was Emma’s now wet pussy and it was beginning to swell with the unreleased pressure. The blonde turns her head away from the brunette, suddenly feeling the shyness creep up into her, but Regina’s already got a hold on her face and then she’s making Emma look at her. She looks deeply into her eyes, tilts her head in every direction before she smiles at her and communicates a very understandable, ‘It’s fine’ to the woman. She watches Emma relax before she speaks. Well, her fingers do the speaking for her. 

She takes her index and pointer finger to Emma’s clit before she begins to stroke and Emma’s already trying to crawl up the glass mirror in the bathroom as well as stifle a well deserved and much needed moan. She bites down on her lip as Regina presses harder and strokes slower, making sure to pay attention to the tip of her clit. Emma’s legs clamp shut on the brunette’s fingers but Regina manages to get them back open before she’s dipping her head and swiping her tongue possessively across Emma’s pussy lips. Emma’s hand finds its way to Regina’s head and she holds her there, silently begging the woman to taste more of her. She pushes her hips forwards, pressing her juices against Regina’s mouth, but Regina pulls both her tongue and her fingers away and looks at her, waiting for her to do the same. Emma feels that instant break and whimpers for it. Regina answers her by leaning in to quickly peck her on the lips and then the neck before she’s sucking on a very erect nipple. 

Once Emma’s eyes are finally on her, she slips those same fingers into her mouth and she sucks them clean. Emma feels her pussy clench at the action as cum begins to drip from her and she’s itching to fuck herself, but she can’t.. She just can’t. She knows Regina won’t let her, but she wants to so badly. Her fingers inch with every second that passes until she’s got her own fingers circling her clit and pulling a moan from her. Regina watches, both in awe and in absolute jealousy at the way Emma’s going to town on herself. She invades the moment by putting her own fingers back there and instead of circling the blonde’s clit, she sticks her fingers into Emma, earning a hiss from the woman.

“Right-... _ god _ \- there,” the blonde chokes out when Regina curves her fingers. She slides them in and out, picking up speed as she goes. Curving when she feels the way Emma clenches on command and tightens around her fingers. “ _ More _ ,” she manages a hollow whisper and Regina adheres to her wish. The brunette curves her fingers harder and pumps faster, pushes them deeper as she looks at the way Emma loses all control and comes undone around her. The blonde stifles many moans, but by the redness in her face and wetness dripping from her pussy, Regina knows she has every part of Emma. She speaks to the blonde in command and Emma follows every instruction given.

“Look at me, Emma,” she tells her and Emma opens her eyes as best as she can with the given orgasms she was feeling. “That’s right.. My beautiful girl.. Tell me what you want,” Regina speaks to her and she swallows thickly as she tries to get the words out.

“Just… just.. Oh fuck! Regina- just..fuck me. I don’t-don’t care how! Just... _ God _ , fuck me however you want,” she responds and the brunette pulls her fingers out. She looks at Emma and snaps her fingers.

“Get on the bed,” she tells her and Emma gets off of the bathroom counter on wobbly legs.  _ So much for not feeling like a baby deer. _

She lays on the bed, and Regina’s like a predator with Emma as willing prey. She pushes the blonde back and Emma falls flat on her back. Regina spreads the woman’s legs and swipes her fingers across the still sensitive nub. Emma whimpers and Regina smirks devilishly.

“I’m going to make you cum,” she tells Emma and it’s not even a question anymore. It’s a promise. Emma nods. She nods because she wants it so bad and now she’s going to get it. Regina straddles her hips and pins her hands above her head before their lips are connected in a searing kiss. Regina pushes and Emma pushes back, both women fighting the other to have control of the kiss, but Emma wins out, even incapacitated she wins out. She bites Regina’s lip hard and the brunette growls at her but keeps kissing her. She feels Regina’s hands roam her frame and one stops at her right nipple. Tweaking the nub and pulling on it. Emma’s back arches and something slips out.

“ _ please _ ,” she begs and Regina pauses.

“Please what?” Regina asks, but Emma is so embarrassed to say, that she groans at herself. Regina doesn’t focus on that too much, rather, she makes her own pathway down the expanse of Emma’s body. She skips her neck and heads straight for the erect nipple. Her lips latch onto it as her fingers find their way back to her clit, rubbing tight circles in a jerked motion that has Emma’s stomach sputtering to catch itself and the blonde spazzing against Regina’s fingers, pushing her to a premature climax. Regina sucks her nipple hard until she’s pulling away with a satisfying pop and Emma just becomes more impatient.

“Regina.. _ PLEASE! _ ” she begs louder and Regina asks her once again.

“Please what?” but this time, she has her answer. She can’t hold it anymore, embarrassment be damned.

“ _ Fuck me _ ,” she commands and Regina is not only impressed, but turned on. She wastes no time in inching down the bed and wrapping one arm around Emma’s thigh. She pushes her hair out of the way and uses her fingers to spread Emma’s lips apart. Her fingers slide up and down Emma’s clit and the blonde responds in kind to that. “ _ Yes, _ ” she hisses happily and Regina does it again and again, successfully making Emma swear and repeat the word yes like it was her pledge. She keeps the lips spread and presses her tongue against it. Emma arches again, rubbing her sex harder against Regina’s already flattened tongue. “Regina.. I’m-fuck..” she tries, but she chokes up and can’t speak right that second as the brunette swirls her tongue just over Emma’s entrance. She swipes her tongue down and up, flicking it on the hardened nub with a speed unmatched by most. Emma slams a hand onto the bed as she continues to raise and lower her hips, just to have some fucking relief...literally. “I can’t.. I c-can’t,” she stutters, but Regina’s so drowned out in what she’s tasting, she doesn’t feel when Emma adds a little help to rush her orgasm because Regina has her pretty much dying right then and there. She circles her clit and rides Regina’s tongue at the same time and in literally no time at all, Emma finds herself on the side of a mind numbing, cell frying, explosive release of an orgasm. It was like music to Regina’s ears. A chant of,

“Fuck! Fuck! I’m gonna cum! Fuck!” dribbled its way out of Emma’s lips and it was enough for Regina who was on the receiving end up lapping up Emma’s juices afterwards.

The blonde panted and grunted and panted some more as she wiped her sweaty forehead and tries to shut her legs because she felt the chill. Regina released her and sat up on her haunches as she watched Emma turnover and put her hand between her legs. She tilted her head and saw that Emma clearly was not done if the blonde beginning to fuck herself once more was anything to go by.

The brunette lay down by the woman and snapped her fingers before she began to kiss Emma’s neck and Emma moved her hand from inside of her pussy.

“You weren’t done,” she acknowledges and the blonde whimpers but shakes her head. “You shouldn’t have rushed your orgasm,” she scolds only a bit, but she continues to kiss the blonde who clearly agrees with her. Regina continues to kiss her all over and Emma groans happily.

“I couldn’t hold it,” she admits with no embarrasment and Regina smirks, licking Emma’s throat and biting her ear.

“Tsk.. we’ll have to teach you about control then,” Regina says huskily before pressing herself closer to the blonde. Emma feels something becoming stiff against her back and jerks unnaturally. It presses against her spine and that garners some much needed attention. She turns over and looks down to see that Regina’s.. Got a dick. And it’s standing at attention already. Her eyes open wide, but what’s in them isn’t fear.. It looks like a devious amount of trouble she wants to get into. Regina shifts to sit up, her cock following suit and standing at attention towards Emma. “Maybe.. If you wanted-,” she starts to offer and is cut off.

“-yes.. I don’t care.. Just, do it now,” Emma interrupts her and Regina laughs for a short moment before she nods.

“Okay, but if you don’t like anything.. Just tell me if it hurts,” Regina says to her and she nods again, clearly stillv ery eager for it.

“It won’t.. I want it.. I want  _ that _ .. I need it, now. I want-” she explains very briefly, but stops so abruptly on the last one because she’s shy in admitting she  _ wants _ Regina in her..in many different ways and Regina nods again.

“-this,” Regina finishes for her as she proves how much control she truly has over the cock. It bobs up and down, motioning Emma to come forward and she does. Emma, without any instruction, lies flat on her back and spreads her legs before she takes a deep breath.  She looks down and sees that Regina is inching forward and about to go all in.

“Wait!” she pitches up and Regina stops. “You’re not gonna..you know, lube it up?” she questions and Regina shakes her head.

“There’s no need...feel,” she tells Emma before reaching out for her hand and running it up and down the shaft. Emma swallows thickly and with a bit of hesitance until she sees that Regina’s eyes loll back and dip shut. She dips her head and licks the head of the shaft, pulling a soft and guttaral moan from the brunette.

“I felt,” she whispers before lying back down and Regina hums.

“That you did...may I?” she asks for permission and Emma opens her legs once more, still glistening and sticky in all the right ways. 

She feels Regina’s stiffened member slowly enter her hands free. She inhales sharply and hums appreciatively when Regina pushes more and more into her. Emma’s pussy tightens around Regina’s hardened cock and as she waits on what happens next, she’s beyond surprised how thick it actually is when Regina starts up a rhythmic stroke. Regina steadies herself on the bed properly and curves her body when her hips are just about to meet Emma’s. Her hands are within Emma’s peripheral view and as Regina goes faster, harder and with more force just when she’s all the way in, Emma hisses her appreciation every step of the way.  Regina thrusts hard and long, hard and fast, slow and agonizing. She does it all, and when she does it all, she’s proud to know that she has Emma begging her to fuck her more. Telling her to fuck her harder. Asking her to cum inside of her...something she’s trying to prevent herself from doing.

Emma manages to flip the brunette over when she’s in that moment of too much thinking and she laughs when Regina’s is shocked by the move.

“Stop thinking so much and have some fun,” she tells Regina and the brunette is about to argue when Emma lifts herself up and slides back down onto Regina’s hardened member. The brunette shivers as Emma continuously does it. Slowly rising and slowly lowering herself onto Regina. She lays flat on Regina and begins to ride her, jerking her body in such a manner that she clenches each time Regina’s cock slides into and out of her with ease. Regina groans deep and slips her fingers in Emma’s hair. She holds her still because she can’t do it.. She cannot cum inside this woman and live with that.

“ _ Emma _ ,” she says and Emma starts to ride her again. She bites down a moan and lets the woman get her off. “Emma I can’t..finish,” she chokes out and Emma pauses.

“Huh?” she questions but she’s still going. Clearly neither of them like to stop during sex, but Emma at least tries to converse with her.

“I can’t..finish.. Inside of you,” Regina clarifies and Emma looks lost for a moment until it clicks.

“Oh,” she says before she smiles softly and gets off of Regina. Regina exhales tiredly. She looks at the brunette and then at the still hardened cock before she puts her hand on it and Regina siezes. Her stomach disappears into her back and she holds her breath as the blonde strokes the shaft up and down, slow at first until she hears Regina humming and then she picks up the pace. As the rise of her stroking the cock continues, Regina finds that the pressure is beginning to build and she moans,

“ _ I’m close _ ,” which pushes Emma to continue, but Emma doesn’t just continue, she puts her mouth around it and she suckswith precision. It’s a silent process of her gently urging Regina to just cum and by the time Regina can no longer take it, she does in fact cum, in Emma’s mouth and on her hand.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Swings!” Kohana shrieks happily as they near the park entrance. After their little rendezvous, Emma and Regina finally showered and got themselves dressed. Henry had opted to leave the house for a bit whilst they were busy..being adults and came back before they left to continue his studies. He knew he wouldn’t be able to fully commit that day, considering his little brother wanted all of them to go to the park, so instead of just going with nothing to do, he took a few of his literature books he needed to reread for his exams and sat at one of the benches on the park grounds.

“HENRYYYYY! COME PLAY!” Kohana hollered and Henry’s head snapped up and away from his book for a moment. Emma turned her head to look at him and motioned that he go over. She and Regina were both stood in their peacoats and beanies, but she was shivering just standing there. She shrugged her shoulders swiftly to warm up and create heat until Regina caught her and shook her head. The brunette twirled her wrist and a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon appeared. She gave Emma the eyes and the blonde took it from her greedily.Swallowing with appreciation, Emma hums as she finishes off the cup and Regina stifles a grin.

“Better?” she asks knowingly and Emma nods happily.. “Good.. because I’m almost positive we’ll be required to get on the swings,”

“Or get stuck on them. I’m still dripping and it’s been about an hour now” Emma grouses and Regina smirks.

“That too, and I haven’t quite gotten rid of the-,” Regina begins, but Emma’s eyes widen and she moans.

“-don’t mention that.. My libido is in overdrive right now and it’s taking everything in me-not to beg you to fuck me right now,” the blonde admits and Regina chokes back her commentary. Emma is about to saysomethign else, but they’re both interrupted.

“-Mommy! Momma! Come play!” Kohana shouts out for them and Emma sighs. She tries to privately rearrange herself and her underwear- and the wetness it afforded her.

“Let the pain begin,” she mutters and Regina just follows her, that smirk not leaving her face for even a second.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s been about three hours of total playtime and Henry was starting to get sick of it. As much as he wanted a little sibling, he wanted the energy and demanding attitude that came with it, less.

“Mom, pleeeease tell him to let me go now. I have to study!” Henry whinged, but Regina looked at Kohana and then back at him. She gave him an apologetic shrug as Kohana answered before she could.

“No! He can’t go yet. We were playing cops and robbers! I’m the robber, mommy!” he claims happily, turning to the blonde woman and Emma grins.

“How does a spy become a robber?” she asks as they go off in conversation, enough to give Henry a moment to breathe out heavily enough in appreciation.

“Sweetheart, I wish I could, but I doubt he’ll listen,” his brunette mother tells him and he rolls his eyes.

“But he’s your kid.  _ Make _ him listen. I have grades that cannot slip this semester. I already missed the majority of it, and second term’s the worst of the three...please, just tell him I need like five hours and I swear I will play whatever stupid game he wants,” Henry begs and Kohana overhears. That pulls him right out of the conversation he was having with Emma.

“It’s not stupid!” he defends and Henry groans. He throws his hands up as he responds.

“It is, and it’s distracting and I can’t study like that. I have to make these grades count or I’ll end up repeating the semester because my third term won’t be enough,” Henry tells him and he looks angry.

“I don’t understand what you mean,” he admits, even with the grumpy face. Henry softens and opens his arms for the little boy. Kohana runs towards him and falls into his arms. Henry lifts him onto his lap as he speaks.

“Bud, school’s extra important for me right now because the college I wanna go to is gonna look at all my grades and see if I can go there,”

“But, you’re already super smart, Henry.. You don’t  _ have _ to study,” Kohana tells him and he nods.

“Maybe not as much, but remember when you healed me?” he asked and the little boy nodded. “If you didn’t heal me, I wouldn’t be able to go back to school. I missed a lot of school and because I missed all of that, I fell behind by a lot. I had stacks of homework-,”

“-like castles?” the child asks with wide eyes and he nods.

“Taller than the castles,” he entertains and Kohana gasps.

“Coooool,”

“I know, but it was a lot and I almost couldn’t do it, but after I got it done, you came and then you healed me, so now I can study faster and move around more and everything,”

“I helped?”

“You did help. You still are helping me too. I just need to study for this week as best as possible and after that I can play as much as you want,” he offers and Kohana sighs.

“...okaayyyy,” he agrees dejectedly. Henry hugs him tightly.

“Thanks bud. I promise I’ll take you anywhere you wanna go-,”

“-even disney land?!”

“Well, I can’t drive, but I can ask momma and mommy if they’ll take us,”

“...kay.. I’m sorry, Henry,” he apologises and the teen has to ask,

“Why?”

“cus, I wanted to play with you..”

“You don’t have to apologise for that. We can play, but when I have to study, you gotta let me study. Deal?”

“Deal,” the child agrees, and Henry nods. He sets Kohana down and lets him go. The boy finds himself back on the swings and pretty much playing with the other children that had entered after a while. Henry looks at his mothers, both of them watching the little boy with some sort of unease.

“Guys, he’s fine,” he finds himself saying and Emma turns to answer him first.

“No kid.. He’s not. He’s gonna die, and nothing about that is fine,”

“We don’t know that yet,” he tries to argue and Emma huffs.

“We all know that. It doesn’t make sense trying to lie about it… what else could he possibly mean by being here so the baby ends up safe? For fun?- Come on, kid. He’s dying and he’ll end up dying if we can’t figure something out,” she grinds out and Henry simpers. Regina puts a hand to her shoulder.

“Emma… he has to die. If he doesn’t, our daughter will and like Henry said, it’ll be in vain. We promised to make it all as enjoyable as possible and to reduce how much we argue. We just need to keep those promises. You and I both know that this is how it has to happen and we have to accept it,”

“We don’t have to accept anything, you taught me that! We don’t have to accept that he has to die. You made me remember I can be mad as hell about something like that for years if I want to,” Emma stated and Regina huffed.

“Yes, but look where that got me! No where Emma, absolutely nowhere. I was stagnant, angry and I got nothing and no one to love me. My own son didn’t believe me, or trust me or love me. It took me nearly dying- sacrificing myself for you for him to understand that all I ever wanted was someone to just love me for me.. This isn’t the same. Kohana is a manifestation of our anger and because of that- because we hold on, Emma- we’re the ones killing him. No one else but us..and I can’t let that be our life.. I won’t let that be our end. Or his,”

“Alright-,” Emma stops. “-you’ve made your point,” she ends, clearly still grumpy over it all. Regina sighs as she comes down from her miniature rant and twists her neck both ways. “Could you just let me have this, just once,” she mutters and Regina scoffs.

“Let you have the attitude of a broken three year old- I think not,” Regina answers, clearly not ready to deal with Emma’s immaturity. It isn’t but a second after that they hear screaming and one of the children is running towards them.

_ Oh no! _

“Kohana!” Emma shouts as she makes a beeline for the little boy. Somehow he’d managed to fall from the monkey bars and on his arm. Regina and Henry sprint behind her, but Emma was gone like a rocket.

“I didn’t do it!” one of the children shouts.

“He fell off!” another one yells, but neither of the women- or Henry are listening to them at all. Their focus and attention are on the little boy clutching his arm and wailing in pain.

“Jesus Christ!” Emma belts, both in fear and in anger that he got hurt. She falls to her knees and tries to lift him up- only to hear him scream louder than he was before. “Oh God! I’m sorry- I’m sorry!” she apologises profusely as Regina comes down to her side as well.

“Sweetheart?” Regina tries calling, but the little boy groans. “Kohana-sweetheart. Tell me what hurts,” she tries to communicate but he groans again. “Sweetheart, I know you’re in pain, but momma needs you to say what hurts,” she communicates as calmly as possible and though he’d love nothing more than to bellow out in pain, he grimaces through a nod. Regina turns him over as gently as she can manage on his side and Emma holds him, brushing his hair from his face and kissing his forehead. “Is it your back?” she begins to ask and once again, Emma zones out as Regina runs through her questions with Kohana. She asks him about everything from his legs to his head and prays to God that nothing but his arm is actually injured. Hell, she’s praying that’s not injured too, but she knows the chances of that being a thing are slim.

“m-momm-my,” he tries to speak but he coughs through that and he’s in so much pain that he’s wincing more than he’s speaking.

“Shh-shhh, it’s okay. I’m right here. Mommy’s right here, buddy. Just hold onto my hand, okay? Hold on to my hand and we’ll be okay. Momma’s gonna help heal you and you’ll be okay,” Emma tries convincing him, but the child shakes his head.

“S-she...c..can’t..no one can,” he tells Emma and she’s now shaking her head in blatant disbelief.

“She will, bud. She will- right Regina?” is what she’s then asking the brunette, but even Regina gives her that look.

“E-Emma.. He’s right…”

“No-no, come on, this isn’t real. We should be able to heal you. We’re your parents… why can’t we heal you?”

“Because it’ll only reverse the damage it’s doing to him, and have a negative effect on you guys,” Henry answers for his mother and Emma looks so lost, it’s understandable.

“What?”

“What Henry is saying is that you and I will end up reverting to the behaviour we both had when we first met. In short terms, Henry is trying to tell us that if we so much as heal Kohana- we’ll be undoing what he’s here for,”

“Isn’t that the point though?” Emma asks and Regina lets out a soft laugh of displeasure.

“It’s not.. With him here, we’re supposed to be able to get out every single pain we feel. All the fighting and unsaid words..everything. We can’t attempt to undo what we’ve already done,”

“But how do we know that even..you know,” she chooses to say because she can’t say the words. “That we won’t still be arguing again, or calling each other names and all of that,”

“I don’t know, but that’s something we’ll have to learn and figure out for ourselves,”

“He does heal though,” Henry finds himself telling them and Emma looks at him immediately.

“Huh?”

“He heals kinda fast.. All of it doesn’t go away, but he does heal.. I mean, I’m not saying don’t take him to the hospital and get him a cast, but I’m also not saying to worry,” he tells her and she sighs before looking down at the child.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Ahhh, you’re back.. And I see you brought a little friend along with you this time,” Whale acknowledges and Regina has to bite back both a scowl and a groan. Kohana is already in a wheelchair and crying less over his pain, but he’s pretty swollen as a result of the fall.

“Listen Whale, less talking, more helping our son out please,” Emma commands and Whale goes speechless..or a rather stupid form of lacking in the speech department.

“H-he..th-wait...wait-wait-wait.. That’s the baby. He’s ‘out’ already? This is the child I asked you about when you brought him in here to me when you said you found him..how is this your child-,”

“-Shut. Up!” Emma commands angrily and his mouth clamps down. “Listen, we did not come here to hear you rant- rave and make an ass of yourself about how this child came to be. Just give us some damn service and we’ll be on our way. He’s in pain and I’m pretty sure his arm is broken, so stop with the asinine demeanor and just help him!”

“Okay-okay...sorry, right this way,” Whale caves as he all but rushes a safe distance away from the group. The nurse wheels Kohana over and gets him onto the bed without injury and that probably had something to do with the fact that she was more afraid of Emma now than she was the mayor of their sleepy little town. Whale attempts to put the child at ease, only finding that the little boy is just as skeptical of him as his mothers are.

“Whale, why would you send me a grown man for a checkup.. This makes no s-,” Doctor Keaton interrupts as she walks into the room but stops short when she sees Regina and Emma sitting in chairs next to their son and Whale gently prodding the child’s skin. She folds the file shut and sighs heavily. “Why are you assessing a child? This is not your area of expertise,” she tells him and he pauses to turn and look at her.

“I just do what I’m told here. They signed him off under my care, so I’m his acting attendee.Do we havea problem?”

“Yes we have a problem. You sent a grown man to the natal ward. To pediatrics! A grown man! What the hell kind of logic were you working under?” she questions him and he sighs before throwing his hands up.

“Fine-fine..just..here, you deal with him.  _ I’ll _ go deal with the patient you were assigned.”

“Yes, the one you should have originally taken care of,” Keaton hissed at him and he ground his teeth before yanking up his stethoscope and leaving. She shakes her head and finds a seat before she looks at the little boy. He somewhat smiles at her immediately.

“Hi sweetheart.. I’m doctor Keaton. I’m a pediatrician..do you know what a pediatrician is?” she asks him nicely and he nods.

“You fix owies for kids,” he answers and she smiles.

“That’s absolutely right.. How did you learn that, did your mommies teach you that or are you just that smart?”

“mmm, nope.. Henry told me,” he claims and Doctor Keaton turns to look at Henry, but the teen shakes his head. She turns back to Kohana and grins.

“Well, he taught you very well-now.. Let’s see what we have here,” she says before tilting her head and observing his arm. She presses onto some parts of his arm and it’s blatantly obvious something’s out of place..even if it isn’t broken. He winces, but for the most part he can handle it.

“That hurts, huh?”

“Mmhhmm,” he answers and she sighs, her mouth twisting into thought.

“I think we have to give you a cast young man,” she tells him and he grins.

“Coooooolll!” he cheers and she smirks.

“You like casts?”

“Nope! I’m gonna be like iron man!” he claims and Doctor Keaton actually giggles.

“You know, I think Iron Man might have a bit of competition from you if you’ve got this really cool cast on your arm,” she entertains and he grins evilly.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“How long before it dries?” Emma finds herself asking Doctor Keaton with folded arms. She and the Doctor have excused themselves from the group to speak. She watches the way Regina and Kohana talk and how he’s already poking at his cast and making an eww face at the goop he gets on his fingers.

“About two hours. Considering the amount I put on him and his blatant need to touch... about two hours,” she tells her and the blonde nods her head.

“Thank you,”

“It’s part of the job,” she tells her.

“Yes, but still.. Thank you…..listen, about my blood-,”

“-If you want to know what I’ve found or what I’m doing with it, I haven’t started any testing.. I was doing some research and I believe it will take some special ‘help’ in order for me to use the sample in every area without wasting it…”

“If you end up needing more blood, you could just ask you know,” Emma informs her and she smirks.

“You’re willing to give more blood, are you?”

“Well, if I have to to figure some things out.. Then yeah,”

“Hmmph, I’ll take you up on that should I need more, but as of right now, you can rest knowing I haven’t started anything. I have to pick what’s best to use as a testing ground for your blood and then I have to do a few comparative tests.. That is when I may require more as it relates to your blood in its natural state..and this current one,”

“Alright..” Emma agrees and Doctor Keaton is then looking at her, studying her.

“What is it?”

“Hmm?”

“What’s on your mind, Swan,” she asks and Emma inhales.

“It’s nothing…”

“You sure?”

“Yeah-yeah I’m sure. Just, thinking about some things and wondering how they got to be,” she finally admits and Doctor Keaton looks interested.

“What do you mean? You and Regina?”

“Yeah.. me and Regina.. Me, her and Henry, all of that. Kohana and this whole baby thing and the wedding and the engagement, just…”

“-everything,” Doctor Keaton whispers and Emma nods.

“Everything,” she repeats.

“I understand,” Doctor Keaton tells her and she looks at her instantly.

“Do you?”

“Yes..I suppose in some ways I do and in others, I don’t…”

“But for the most part?”

“Forrrr the most part.. I am not in your shoes, therefore I wouldn’t understand the way you feel things...just know, I’m here if you need me- you or Regina. If I can help, I will. I owe it to that woman over there to give her everything her father made me promise to do.. I owe it to Henry to uphold that and I owe it to you, Henry and the rest of your family to give Regina as much as I possibly can….”

“..you really care about her, don’t you?” Emma questions the good doctor and Keaton nods.

“I do..she’s family,” Doctor Keaton admits and Emma smiles at her.

“You say that like she’s your niece or something.” Doctor Keaton shakes her head with a soft smile.

“What does it matter if she is or isn’t.. Once I care about her, isn’t that all that matters?”

“Yeah, I’ll give you that… I should probably get back to them and you know- be the dad I’ve become,”

“You’re the dad?!” Doctor Keaton asks her both surprised and laughing at the fact that Emma just labelled herself as a father. Emma shrugs.

“We never had this conversation,”

“Alright..never had this conversation. Go on, I’m sure your sons and wife to be would like to go home now,” she says to the blonde and Emma nods.

“Yeah.. again, thank you so much,”

“Emma, it really was nothing. I’m a pediatrician first,”

“Yeah, but anytime it has to do with Regina and our kids, you put them first and I have to say thank you for that because no one else will do it. Not even Whale and he has some sort of obsession with her,”

“That’s because Whale is mentally unsound but functioning in the same breath.. A walking contradiction of life,”

“A functioning alcoholic as they say,”

“Yes, the only difference is that Whale himself is just a man in need of medication… he’s bearable without them, however, with them- he seems… happy in most cases. I don’t know, it’s strange...enough about that. Go,” she tells her again and Emma can’t help but smile just slightly.

“Okay…” she says finally before walking over to her family and smiling at the little boy who was more than happy about his cast. Regina looked up at Emma and they had a silent conversation in which Emma nodded because.. She was alright.. Hell, she was more than alright. She had everything she could ever think of right in one room smiling back at her..and that was someone she knew loved her..and admitted to falling for her. She had her son..and another one who just mimicked him like none other. She had something she was creating..just for her. And that was a family.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Doctor Keaton sighed as she poured over the files before her. They were stacked. And all four of them had to do with a group of people she found herself becoming more and more responsible for.

“What the hell did you get yourself into, Regina?” she asked into the quiet room as she flipped through Regina’s medical file. She flipped it shut and then opened Kohana’s.

 

It was empty.

All she had was his first..and now last name, age and the few tests they’d conducted on him..other than that, there was nothing on that little boy. Absolutely nothing.

“Who are you, Kohana.. Why do you  _ need _ to be here?” she questioned again before she flipped his shut and opened both Emma and Henry’s at the same time. Her eyes scan their files and as she compares their information, she spots something that all of them have in common. “Recessive H levels…” she whispers to herself before she slides her chair over to the computer and logs into their system’s database. She enters the information she has on them and the only files that come up are the ones belonging to the four of them. “Recessive H levels show an increase in a magical presence that is uncanny…” she reads from Emma’s and it’s dated back to when Emma had gotten in an accident at the town line. “First encounter with the gene seems to have been around October of 2011...prior records have indicated no known levels of Recessive H genes,” she mutters before opening the file for Regina. “Dominant gene in immunity system. Second dominant magic related gene.” She pauses and goes on to Henry’s. “Inactive, Recessive H levels,” and then she moves to Kohana’s. “Manifested H levels?” she mutters in question. She pauses for a while to think about it all before she is scrambling for a pad an pen and writing everything down.

_ Regina possesses a recessive H gene. _

_ Emma and Henry acquired it from her somehow. _

_ Kohana’s has already manifested.. Or is the manifestation of this particular gene. _

She scribbles on the pad before putting a star to all of them but darkening Regina and Kohana’s. She then circles Henry’s and Emma’s.. Those were the two she needed to figure out. 

“Knock- Knock!” Belle almost sings, but it’s clear she’s just cheery because she knows something, or found something.. And that something, was not important right now.

“ _ Belle, _ ” Doctor Keaton began with a sigh and Belle rolled her eyes. She was ready for whatever the woman would throw at her. “Whatever you know, isn’t important right now.”  _ Okay, not that _ .

“Seriously.. You give me an assignment, I do it and now it’s not important?”

“No.. it isn’t important right now…”

“What the-,”

“ _ Belle! _ Please, just.. Let it go,” Doctor Keaton begins angrily but her anger loses its steam about halfway through. Belle backs up a bit before she sets her bag on Doctor Keaton’s desk and leans on it.

“Alright, fine.. What is it now?”

“This,” is all she says before tossing the notepad towards Belle and the woman picks it up before she skims it and drops it back on the desk.

“I’m not following.. What’s so special about some recessive H gene,”

“It’s magical,”

“Yes and so are many other genes and chromosomes… we all have recessive and dominant genes.. This H gene should not be any different,” Belle tells her and she sighs.

“Yes, but look at the notes I made.. Just- you know what…” Doctor Keaton trails off before she’s tapping away at the keyboard again and then she pushes away completely before she points at it. “Read that. Read what it says and tell me that it’s not important that they are the only four people with this particular gene.. And that Emma isn’t the carrier of it even though she’s the one supposedly pregnant with that little boy that’s claimed he’s theirs. How is it that Henry apparently has magic, but Kohana’s is active and his isn’t? Regina is a genetic carrier and Emma isn’t. She has it but that report says she wasn’t even a carrier until  _ after _ she met Regina, the same night she had that accident at the townline…”

“I still don’t get it,” Belle admits and Doctor Keaton nods.

“Yes, I figured that could be a thing.. What I’m saying is, I found out that Regina’s a carrier and so is Kohana….and Emma and Henry aren’t. I need to know why that is… She’s the one pregnant with him. Why is the gene only evident as of now if he’s a hybrid form of it,”

“I don’t know, but I don’t think you should be sticking your nose in another project when you’re barely into this current one now, which- need I remind you- I have more information on,”

“What’s the point? We can’t tell them anyway,”

“We may not be able to tell them, but I found a test that you can run on Emma’s blood to figure out if she had some sort of natural, genetic makeup before she encountered Regina… you said it yourself, her current blood sample didn’t look like the one she was born with,”Belle pushed and Doctor Keaton sat and thought for a moment.

“What’s the name of the test?” shre questions, not giving away a slight bit of interest in the possibility that she could kill two birds with one stone. Belle grinned before she pulled the book from her satchel and flipped it open.

“It’s called the ‘Naturalist’ test,” she commented and the good Doctor rolled her eyes.

“Why’d I even ask,” she mutters and Belle grins at her, still.

“Just listen. What this test does is pull every cell in Emma’s blood apart. It latches onto the blood particles that are still whole and more or less feeds on it until it can determine what nature Emma’s blood is,”

“There’s only two. Good and Evil,”

“Not that kind of nature..magical nature,”

“Magical nature only has two sides-,”

“-Shush! There is more than two.. There’s a nonbinary side and an inconclusive,”

“And that means,”

“That means that Emma’s blood nature- regardless of being born of true love, doesn’t  _ have _ to be good and it doesn’t have to be evil either.. The whole great potential for this and that..wasn’t necessarily true. Rumple was right when it applied to Emma, and yes the same goes for Regina, however- in the same breath, her blood makeup could just as easily be nonbinary or inconclusive….”

“So, you’re saying that Emma’s blood would need to be triggered by something strong enough that that recessive level manifested?”

“Exactly,”

“And you’re telling me, that hasn’t happened?”

“By the looks of that medical record.. It’s about to.. As you age, what causes it to manifest changes. It can go from a third level environment effect to sexual or physical.. It’s whatever the person within the situation gives in to..” she informs and the Doctor pauses.

“How do I know it will tell me what this recessive level is about,”

“It probably won’t, but that just means there’s more research to be done. Someone would have had to have had the gene, I just need to do a bit of legwork to figure it out.. When the Enchanted Forest took census, they usually logged who had what and how they acquired it. Some things could not be identified and some were just born with certain illnesses or extra...things,” Belle settle for saying. “If either Emma or Regina came in contact with it somehow.. It would have either skipped a generation or manifested within them which would be the beginning of the gene,”

“How likely is it that they created a new gene?”

“Very. Considering their magic.. It’s a high possibility,”

“Mm..thank you, Belle,”

“No problem.. You asked for my help, here it is,” she tells her and the good doctor nods.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“When did Keaton become a pediatrician?” Emma questions Regina quietly as they drive down the strip. They aren’t really going anywhere, just aimlessly cruising the streets. Henry is back to reading and Kohana has Emma’s phone and headphones in, listening to music. His feet are kicking happily, but he’s kept his top half still, remembering his cast is almost done drying.

“She minors in pediatrics,” Regina whispers back and Emma tilts her head in understanding.

“Ohhhhh, okay then. Good for her,” she articulates in a manner that has Regina looking at her.

“Why did you ask? Wait- why didn’t you ask her this?”

“I didn’t know how and I was too busy thanking her for patching up our kid’s arm,”

“I see,”

“Mommy!” Kohana called, but it was more of a yell. Emma slows the car and looks in the rearview before turning around and speaking. He scrunches up his face in confusion. She taps the side of her head, indicating to him that he needs to take the headphones off. He does and she speaks again.

“What’s the matter, bud?”

“Can we go back to the park?” he questions and Emma looks at Regina. Regina looks hesitant and Emma sighs.

“I don’t know, kid. I don’t think that’s a good idea,”

“But...huff, okaayyy,” he agrees rather quickly which shocks them. Emma’s face falls into a saddened pout.

“What if we do something else,” she offers.

“Like what?”

“Well….. There’s this really cool ball pit at the Y.. your mommy had it built especially for Henry when he was your age,”

“Cooool,”

“I know.. You can roll around and hide in it and all that good stuff,”

“Are you gonna play with me?”

“Of course!” she says happily and he grins. Regina smiles at Emma and the blonde blushes.

“You’re spoiling him,” Regina whispers to her and she pouts.

“But he’s cute.. And he looks like Henry did when he was younger,”

“And now I’m convinced our daughter will run circles around you,”

“I can live with that.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Alright Kid, go for it,” Emma says to Kohana and he sprints for the ball pit without any form of hesitation.

“No running!” Emma has to shout and he skitters to a stop. He takes very calculated and exxagerated slowl steps to the ball pit before he hops it. “At least there’s no way we’ll lose him with the colour cast he picked..”

“Yes, I do believe hot pink is the new colour for the season,” Regina joked and Emma laughed.

“Eccentric genes I say,” she comments before they take a seat at a bench nearby.  A moment of silent passes before Emma turns to Regina and looks at her.

“What?”

“How did you know?”

“How did I know what?”

“That I’d want...that I’d be okay with.. That-,” Emma stutters but Regina picks up her sentence.

“-that you wanted me to grow a cock and fuck you?” Regina asks her very innocently, clearly not realizing the social cues that should have gone with it. The words alone make Emma’s crotch heat up.

“ _ y-yeah,” _ she swallows thickly and Regina moves her body so that their faces are closer. Emma’s eyes immediately go south and she notices the bulge that clearly looks like it’s about to fight to be released from Regina’s oh so tight jeans at any given second. The brunette swings one leg over the length of the bench seat and Emma follows suit before she’s loosing the buttons on Regina’s coat and pulling her closer. Their lips do this dance almost every single day now, and Emma can’t deny that it feels like heaven every single time. They neglect everyone else around them as Emma shifts closer and closer, enough to hide what she’s about to do next, with Regina’s hands guiding her every step of the way. “You-you really wanna do that..n-now?” she asks the brunette who looks at her with an intensity Emma can’t deny. Regina skillfully releases the button on her jeans and zips it down. She keeps that smoldering gaze on Emma as she takes the blonde’s hand and angles it so that it enters easily. Emma bites back a hum and Regina’s head falls on her shoulder, her body already convulsing with the touch as she moves the palm of Emma’s hand up and down her now stiffening rod. She sputters out a desperate sigh as Emma turns her lips to suck hard at Regina’s pulse point.

“ _ Emma! _ ” Regina whispers urgently and the blonde grins against her neck.

“Already?” she asks and Regina nods, slightly embarrassed. “It’s that sensitive, huh.. Wonder how it would be if I sucked it right now,” she offers and Regina swallows her saliva, nearly choking on it in the process of holding her tongue. “Do you  _ want _ me to?” she then asks Regina and the woman nods eagerly. “Bathroom?” she then asks but Regina shakes her head.

“Home.. I want..” she pauses to breathe because Emma’s hand wraps around it and now she’s jerking the cock, forcing Regina to pre-cum. “ _ please _ ,” she begs the blonde in quiet.

“I want to do it, right here, right now.. Let me take care of you,” she says to the woman and Regina shakes her head.

“I can’t..”

“You can.. I’ll take care of ‘him’ later.. Right now-,” she snaps her fingers and Regina feels what Emma’s just done. “-I do believe I owe you some foreplay,” she tells the brunette before her fingers circle Regina’s clit. The brunette before her wraps a strong hand wround her wrist and holds it still.

“ _ Right there _ .. just... _ God, Emma _ !” she manages to muffle into the woman’s chest. Emma wraps her free hand around Regina’s back and hugs her close. Her finger curve just enough to slip right into Regina’s awaiting hole  and it’s pretty much go city from there. She commands Regina to stay still as she circles and flicks her fingers over the hardened nub. She switches to her two middle fingers and finds that her pumping fingers are pounding hard at Regina’s wetness. It’s slick, it smells amazingly musky and it’s a mess of goodness that has Emma pulling her fingers out for just a moment to taste it and savor before she shoves them back it. She finds her fingers hitting ridges and back walls, curving and feeling the tightest clench that won’t let go.

It was the climax. A silent climax of Regina’s biting her shoulder and stilling Emma’s moving hand inside of her.

“Who says public fucking isn’t fun?” she questions absolutely no one, but Regina responds by kissing her breathlessly as her orgasm rolls over her. She kisses her back of course, but she’s more happy to see Regina sated, and not a damn curl out of place either. “We should do this more often,” she says and the brunette nods tiredly.

“I love you,” Regina admits to her and she kisses her once again.

“I know. I love you too.. And I’m going to love having sex with you even more now,” she shimmies and Regina’s so tired she can only smile at her.

“That’s how I know,” Regina says smartly and Emma tilts her head back, that cocky recognition settling across her face.

“Oh really?!” she questions and even in Regina’s tired state, the woman still manages to make her heart skip like a double entendre. “Good then.. But I think you may wanna go and clean up. You’re wetter than Niagra falls down there,” she jokes and Regina manages enough energy to pinch her but falls against Emma’s chest and sighs happily.

“You’re a pain,”

“But I’m your pain..and you love me,”

“I do.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

A knock came to her door and she spun to see that the person standing there was not who she was expecting.

“I think you know why I’m here,” they said and she nodded.

“I do..how’d you find out,”

“I have my ways,” they informed her and she tilted her head in understanding. She leaned back against her chair and opened her hands.

“So..what exactly did you come to tell me.. Or help with,”

“Whatever it is you’re currently working on,”

“Should I be concerned that you’re doing this for some other reason.. Like something you  _ shouldn’t _ be attempting to do it for?”

“If that was any of your business you’d know-but, no… I’m only here to help..after all, you are family,  _ Angela _ …”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Okay, kid, head upstairs so I can give you a bath and then momma and I’ll read to you and then we can watch movies until you’re sleepy, alright?” Emma bargains with Kohana and he nods eagerly before dashing up the stairs.

“I’m surprised he listened as well as he did,” Regina says to her and Emma nods.

“Yeah, well I think I got something in my buttcrack.. You could have told me ball pits were terrible,” she scowls playfully and Regina laughs.

“Why do you think I told you I stopped taking Henry at age three. Children are terrible when it counts.. And disturbingly- they lose alot of bandaids…” Regina scrunches up her face and Emma shivers.

“Well, I need a shower now,” she told the brunette.

“We all do..but after that we’ll order in. I don’t feel like cooking,” Regina says lazily and Emma laughs.

“Was the fingering that good,” she says crassly and Regina coughs out a laugh. She doesn’t even respond as she heads upstairs and goes to shower. Emma has to laugh to herself after seeing Henry’s scrunched up face before she makes her way up the stairs and gives Kohana a bath and then she takes a shower and by the time all that is done, Henry already ordered pizza and put on a movie and was looking after his little brother as he studied the same time. Kohana sat quietly so that he didn’t disturb Henry and was doing a pretty good job. Regina was still doing something so Emma just collapsed in the couch and Kohana climbed into her lap before he lay against her chest and pretty much took a small nap until Regina was standing in the doorway looking at her family with a smile on her face. She walks into the living room and sits between them all, earning herself a groan and complaints that she shrugged off with a laugh. Henry of course snuggled into her because he loved that woman to death..even if he was a crappy teen when he could be. Regina wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls him in. They talk about his studies and that makes Emma remember. She lifts Kohana up and takes him into the kitchen with her before she’s pulling the phone from the dock and dialing out to the convent.

“Yes, Mother Superior,” she said and was transferred. She turns to see Henry and Regina looking at her over the couch before she covers the phone. “I’m gonna deal with this crap situation she put you in like I told you we would and it’s happening tonight…”

“..okay,” Henry agrees and turns back to his work.

“Hi yes, Blue.. listen you and I need to have a little conversation about Henry’s upcoming exams..” she begins and trails off into a deadly silence that both Regina and Henry can conclude is the devil releasing himself from Emma’s soul.

About five minutes later, Emma comes back with a smile on her face.

“She gave you another week,” the blonde says easily.

“Ma..what did you do?” Henry asks and she shakes her head.

“Don’t ask, kid.. Just rejoice in that. You can take any amount of exams in whatever format you want over the course of two weeks… she extended it, so you can do whatever,” she told him and he grinned.

“You rock, ma...whatever you told her.. Thank you- I needed it,” he admitted and she smiled.

“All in love kid...now- movie time. Hana, you wanna pick the movie?” Emma asks the little boy but he shakes his head. She could tell he was already sleepy, so Henry picked. They all got settled once again and throughout the movie, Kohana switches back and forth between the women, looking for Emma’s warmth and Regina’s tight arms around him.

 

The rest of the group watch whatever movie it was Henry put on and after that was when Emma decided to read to Kohana. He still requested Regina to be there and of course he required his kisses from both of them, so by the time all of the good stuff had happened that night, they were tired. Kohana was out cold and Henry was on his way there.

Emma and Regina climbed into bed and all they managed to say to each other were a good night and Regina let Emma level her body with kisses that in all honesty.. She may have lost the count on.

The night sky faded and the women fell asleep.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“It’s done!” the man cheered with ease and happiness. “Finally, it’s done.. And it’s beautiful,” he said to himself.

“She’ll love it,” a voice came and the man spun around.

“W-who…” he began and then squinted. “D-Daniel?” he questioned and the ghost before him nodded with that signature smile.

“Hi Q,” he greeted the man and Qupid smiled.

“How’s heaven,”

“It’s cool.. Too many parties though,”

“Ahh, yes, you were never much for that… come-come..look at it. Tell me what you think,” he pleaded with the man and Daniel’s ghost floated across the room. He accidentally passed through Qupid. The old man shivered

“Sorry- still getting used to dealing with it...wow, she’s beautiful Q,” he complimented. He knew he couldn’t touch it, but he tried to anyway. His eyes watered as his finger slipped through it.. It was his ring… but it was a ring Regina kept for years and years. A ring of hope. “Emma brought it in, did she not?” he asks the man and he nods.

“She did indeed,”

“Good.. it was meant for her to find..and to use… do you remember the prophecy I had received,”

“Yes, I do.. The Blue Fairy and Rumplestiltskin had told you it was in your best interest to propose to Regina because fate would be working in the saviour’s corner,”

“Yes, but in the Blue Fairy’s level minded behaviour, it was all for gains for the White Kingdom,”

“You could say the same of Gold,”

“Who?”

“I apologise.. Rumple,”

“Ah..there are still some things here that I cannot and am not at liberty to say, but you know what it is you  _ need _ to know.. Please, I beg of you to keep watch over her,”

“You have my word, Daniel.. Now go.. I will keep an eye out for her,”

“ _ Please _ … Emma is Regina’s only  _ True Love _ ,” he tells the man and Qupid nods.

“I promise you, Daniel. I will do my job and duty. I will keep watch over her.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The house door shut with a bang and Cora limped her way through the hall and up the stairs. She dropped all of her bags on the ground and collapsed on the bed.

“God damn it I need a subscription,” she scolds herself before dumping all the games she’d bought, out on the floor. She swiped through them and plugged one in the tray. Cora climbed into bed and got comfortable before she started up another sleepless evening of gaming and swearing...and of course, chips and beer.

 

Somehow, that noise wakes Kohana and he walks into her room.

“nana,” he whispers and she jumps.

“God damn it, hobbit brown,” she sighed out heavily and Kohana waited at the door with a small pout on his face. She throws her controller down and motions him over and when he tries to get in the bed, she laughs because the child is as short as short can manage. “Jesus, you inherited your mother’s height..the two of them at that,” she tells him before hiking him up and onto the bed. She passes him a controller and tells him, “play..” and he nods before he tries doing what he sees her doing and accidentally killing her. Cora laughs and shakes her head. “Good job, but don’t murder me..murder the enemy,” she points and he nods more determined before he aims and shoots at some tankers. They blow up and Cora is then cheering him on and congratulating him, which in turn wakes up one of the mothers.. No bueno.

“Mama.. _ please _ let him go to bed.. Kohana, baby- you need to sleep.. Momma and mommy have to take you to a sitter tomorrow,”

“Why in the hell would you do that? I’m right here,” Cora tells her

“Yes, and you go missing at odd hours of the day,” Regina argues.

“Shhh.. besides, I can watch him. We’ll go to the park and all that good stuff. I know how to use everything now so he won’t die..come on Regina.. Let me watch him, I promise I’ll make sure he’s okay.. And he’s in here because he couldn’t sleep, right hobbit?” she asks him and he nods at his mother. Regina sighs and puts her hands up.

“Alright.. Alright.. But please stop calling my child a hobbit,”

“I can’t.. He’s shorter than Bilbo and cuter than Frodo,”

“Mother.. I’m going to bed..” Regina says tiredly before walking over and kissing their heads. “Good night my little prince,”

“night, momma”

“Good night, mother,”

“Night, Regina.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He woke up?” Emma asked as Regina walked back into the room.

“Yes, he couldn’t sleep so he found my mother and now he’s playing video games,”

“At least he’ll stay distracted for a bit,” Emma smiles and Regina nods with her own smile. She cuddles up under Emm and the blonde kisses her soundly. “What day is it today?” she then asks sleepily and Regina whispers out.

“Another day that I love you for the rest of my life.”

 

June 21st


	25. Yes Indeed. Isn't that Enough! Mom-not mommy. Mom-not momma. I'm twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's another long one. This is my Christmas gift to you all.. now off to the others I must write.:) Happy Holidays to everyone who has read and left a kudos or commented. Thank you everyone who has supported this story because I love to write it and it's getting near the time of good things guys. we still have bumps to go over, but we'll get there.

Monday

It was barely past six in the morning and usually Regina would be the first up at this point in time; ready to go to work and do whatever it was she had to do before she took her lunch with Emma and went back into the four walls of boredom. Then again, today wouldn’t pan out like that at all because they had one more added disruption in their regularly scheduled programs. Emma rolled over and partially expected to see Kohana- probably wrapped around Regina and holding on for dear life, or simply cuddled up under her- or staring at her. But he wasn’t there. She had also expected to see the bed missing a certain brunette, but was mildly surprised that Regina was still asleep. Her hair was getting curlier and thicker everyday. It was still growing out and draping itself across her face and shoulders, but to Emma, all of that is what made her heart feel heavy with love for Regina. She got to see Regina let life be. She loved being able to see this woman in the morning in her natural state. She loved seeing Regina without makeup and without the mayoral getup. She loved that Regina had let things grow because out of all the years of being friends with her, she noticed that as the years went on, Regina allowed her hair to grow out and grow longer. It was just something about that which gave Emma a certain understanding that it’s how they were. They began with little to nothing of importance with one another and slowly morphed into better women and better mothers and now… friends evolving into lovers.

She scoots across the last remaining space in the bed and right up to Regina’s face before she settles herself against the woman and feels a little shift against her. Emma feels lips pressed to her forehead and when she looks up, expecting to see those crystal orbs of brown staring her down, the brunette is still asleep. _She must really be tired_ \- Emma thinks to herself before pulling the blankets up around them and just basking in the little time she has left with the brunette that morning. She soon finds herself falling asleep once more.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Nana...nana- wake up,” Kohana whispered to the old woman, dead to the world with sleep. Cora muttered a few choice words as she was shook awake and finally huffed out a sigh and turned over to address the little boy.

“What the heck are you waking me up for, Hobbit Brown?” she questions the child and he grins before falling on top of her and hugging her. She groans internally and externally before turning over, causing the small child to tumble off of her. Cora ends up laying on top of him and he laughs. She’s slightly surprised she takes joy in his happiness. “Oh, that’s funny, huh?” she says before she wiggles on top of him and he tries to wiggle out of her area, still laughing at it all. Finally, Cora lets him be and they both sit up before Cora rubs at her eyes and attempts to get off the bed, realizing that Kohana isn’t trying to get off the bed, but rather begin playing the game yet again. “Seriously, Hobbit?” she queries and he turns to her before shrugging and turning back to the tv. He presses start and Cora lunges for her controller just in time to start playing with him. She looks at him before shaking her head at him. “Delinquent,” she says to him and he laughs.

“Sorry Gramma,” he tells her and Cora presses pause on his controller and he snaps at her. “What did you do that for!?”

“Because you sound different,” she says very flatly, clearly undeterred by his outburst.

“Huh?”

“You sound different.. You sound _older_ ,” Cora comments, a little insultingly if she had to admit it herself and he shifts where he sits.

“Oh.. I dunno,” he then says, clearly trying to avoid something and she shakes her head.

“Yes.. you don’t know. I suppose that’s true.. Now, back to the game, yes?” she queries and the child nods quickly, clearly taking the out. Cora turned her head back to tv screen and shook her head. He clearly needed the out, she just didn’t know why.

 

A few hours later and both Cora and Kohana were bored with the game..and hungry at that. He threw his controller and slid off the bed before stretching and beginning to walk towards the door. Cora rested hers down and followed after the child before she stopped him with a hand to the shoulder. Kohana pauses, flinches only slightly, but he pauses none the less and Cora speaks.

“We’ll shower first, then we’ll make breakfast, deal?” she offers and he shrugs before nodding. “Need some help?”she then questions him and he shakes his head.

“No, I can do it myself, Gramma,” he tells her and she lets him go. Kohana and Cora take their showers respectively and meet in the kitchen where they rummage through the cupboards for something of substance to eat. “There’s nothing here,” he concludes and Cora continues to look.

“There is food here, it just has to be cooked. How do you think you’ve been eating? Someone cook the food and they feed you. You should know this, you helped your mother just yesterday,” she reminds him and he goes silent. He was ready to answer her, but instantly caught himself and the words that threatened to escape. Words he very well couldn’t tell her because they were only meant for Regina and Emma to hear. Kohana walks away from Cora and walks out of the kitchen before he climbs up into the living room chair and shuts his eyes.

 

_“Hey buddy,” comes a voice that has him pitching up and swallowing hard. He looks around frantically. “Over here, kid,” they say to him and he looks ahead of him. There’s Neal, sat on the floor fiddling with something that looked like it was for a child. He looks up at the boy and grins at him. “Come on.. I won’t bite, you should know that,” he smiles and the child still looks hesitant, but he speaks in a whisper, so he is not heard._

_“Poppa?” he queries in confusion and when he hears Neal’s laugh, he dashes towards the spiritual figure, hoping to hug the man. Sadly, he pretty much runs straight through Neal’s spirit and the man laughs._

_“Woah- woah! Slow down there, little guy.. It’s me,” he assures him and the child nods before he sits with the spirit. Kohana settles himself and watches as Neal continues to fiddle around with whatever that may have been. “How are your moms?” he asks him and the child answers._

_“Good..happy, but only sometimes,” he tells him and Neal makes a humming sound, still he fiddles with this thing before him that really has Kohana’s attention._

_“Are you happy?” Neal questions him seriously and the child looks up at him and into his eyes. It’s clear Neal wants to know and he cannot lie to him as he speaks with an eager nod._

_“Uhuh,”_

_“Hana..what did we tell you about manners?” he questions with authority and the little boy pauses._

_“You and daddy said I had to be nice and respe-reschp-,”_

_“-respectful,” Neal offers and he nods. “And are you being respectful to your moms and grandmother, because daddy and I would know. We can see everything,” he tells him, challenging him to even so much as lie to him. The little boy shakes his head._

_“Not all the time,” he admits and Neal smirks before he stands. “Where are you going?” he asks instantly and Neal shakes his head._

_“Up,” he answers. “You know I’m not allowed to stay long.. I just wanted to see how you were doing and if you were okay.. Your dad and I wanted to make sure you feel okay,” he says but he’s not really looking at the young boy anymore._

_“Where is daddy?” Kohana asks him, clearly missing Daniel. Neal squints._

_“Watching over your moms, buddy.. But you need to get back in the kitchen and help your grandmother. She may be old, but she knows things and she figures it out before anyone else can… besides, you need to be nice to her, she wasn’t always good..especially to your momma,”_

_“Why?” he asks curiously. Neal shakes his head._

_“She’ll tell you that, eventually...you just have to ask, and be patient and be understanding. Can you do that, Hana?”_

_“I can do that, poppa,” he promises the man and Neal nods at him._

_“Alright, well, I need to go. I’ll tell your daddy you said hi, okay?” he offers and the child nods._

_“Bye, poppa…”_

_“Bye, kid,” Neal whispered before he tossed the item he’d been fiddling with for the absolute longest. It somehow transcended the field from the spiritual realm into the real world and fell into Kohana’s hands. The child looked down at the item and smiled before he shoved it into his pocket and ran for the kitchen, buckling into Cora and hugging her tightly._

 

Neal vanished.

 

“Can I help, gramma?” he asked eagerly and Cora looked surprised before she smiled at him and nodded. She then pointed towards the aprons and he went to get Regina’s because, regardless, hers was the best apron to wear. “What are we making?”

“French toast and whatever else you feel like eating,” she informs him and he grins.

“Ice cream?” he asks her innocently and Cora doesn’t crack, she just goes with it.

“Oh, but of course.. Now you, you are someone I can do the dumb stuff with,” she grins and he looks only slightly confused.

“What’s the dumb stuff?”

“Any and everything my boy. Any and everything,” she repeats and Kohana laughs.

“The dumb stuff sounds fun,” he comments and she now laughs.

“It is.. Come,” she commands and he listens.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

… Something smelt like it was burning. _How?_

Emma sat up and immediately got out of the bed before she threw on Regina’s thin, silk robe and rushed towards the stairs. She didn’t miscalculate, but somehow she did slip and fell down the stairs with a bone-crushing thud. Emma had stumbled on the third step and on her way down, via falling- she falls on her right arm and ends up both twisting and crushing the limb under her own body weight.

The thud was soft, but painful and Emma had groaned both internally and externally as she attempted to get up. She tried by pushing herself up with her hands and only then did she realize that something was wrong with her arm if the searing pain and the need to scream due to the pressure she put on it was anything to go by.

 _Fuck!_ She hissed at herself before trying to move again, this time by dragging herself with her left arm over to the bannister and pulling herself up with that. Emma took the robe off and managed to half ass a sling for the moment as she made her way back up the stairs and grabbed a pair of jeans and some slippers along with her car keys and her cell phone. She thought for all of two seconds before she turned around and kissed Regina’s forehead, hiding the wince as she did so. The brunette only stirred slightly, but did not wake and Emma took that as the moment to leave. She makes sure she’s extra careful this time around as she goes back down the stairs and stops at the wall, only showing half of her body. She would have admitted to being surprised that no one heard the fall, especially Kohana and Cora, but then she realizes that the tv is on and there’s music playing- very loudly at that and she concludes they couldn’t hear because of all the noise that’s been playing. Emma peaks into the living room and no one’s in there which then gives her incentive to check the kitchen, the source of the burning she’d thought was a thing. Turns out, nothing was burning, well, almost nothing. Cora had put bacon strips into the oven instead of frying them because she despises hot oil and the oil in the oven that came from the bacon had pretty much overheated and kind of sort of burned the bacon.. That’s if you’re not a fan of its crispy demeanor. She peers around the wall and Kohana senses a presence that has him looking up. His face goes from realization to megawatt in seconds as he shouts.

“MOMMY!” at her. She has to admit that it warms her heart every time and she waves at him. He manages to get off of the stool without hurting his own casted arm and runs towards her. Emma, with whatever strength she could have gathered, lift him up and holds him at her good side.. Which was pretty much neither, considering how she fell. He notices her arm in the ‘sling’ but he says nothing. He does not comment, but instead focuses on her and smiles at her. “I’m helping Gramma cook,” he informs her and she kisses his cheek before she nods in clear intrigue.

“I see that. What are you helping her make?”

“French toast with ice cream,” he tells her and she then looks at Cora who quite clearly does not give a damn.

“Ahhh, and does Gramma know that your momma might yell at her for feeding you ice cream in the morning?”

“Gramma here is making sure he has his intake of milk.. Vitamin C is what he needs right?”

“It’s D- and yes, but not like that. Regina’s gonna have a cow if she finds out you’re giving our son ice cream for breakfast…”

“I doubt it. I’m sure there were times she gave in to Henry’s less than healthy wants for it in the morning,” Cora tries and Emma snorts.

“Nope.. never, didn’t matter how many tantrums he threw or how sweet he was, she already bargained on cereal with him, you really think she’d have gone with ice cream too? Besides, the kid told me himself, she barely ever had ice cream in the house.. She only bought it because you like it that much,” Emma tells her as she tries to shift Kohana’s weight on that same side, feeling the bruising spot that was so tender go through so much. She hadn’t moved from her spot near the wall so Cora still couldn’t see that her arm was now swelling and turning a deathly shade of black and purple. Emma puts Kohana down after a moment and he goes back over to Cora to help.

“Why are you awake so early?” Cora now finds herself asking and Emma answers.

“I thought I smelt something burning.. Turns out, you didn’t blow up the house again,” she jokes and the woman shoots her a scowl lacking all venom.

“Speaking of, Marco said he would be over later to finish the last few things, so you two will have your house back together by tonight,”

“Cool, pretty positive Regina’s gonna be happy about that,”

“Yes, she will.. So are you just going to stand there or are you going to offer some help?”

“Actualllyyyy, I need to go out for a bit.. Talk to the doctor about something and..get some tampons,” she tries to deflect and Cora buys it, probably because she was distracted already.

“Whatever, bring me back some chocolate… Regina’s out,”

“No she’s not.. Check the drawer by your thigh,” she tells her and Cora smirks.

“Swan, that drawer has been empty since the last time I was here. Yes- I know it’s Regina’s own personal drawer, but if you want a stash, never leave it in the kitchen…”

“What’s a tampon?” Kohana then asks, very very confused and Emma freezes but Cora answers for her.

“It’s literally just inflatable tissue that prevents your mother from looking like a crime scene happened on her body,”

“It fixes owies?”

“In a sense, it prevents an owie, but that’s what painkillers are for,” she tells him and he nods before turning back to his work and dunking the bread in the eggs and cinnamon. Emma turns to walk out of the area when Cora stops her again. “Say hi to the good doctor for me, will you,” she requests and Emma nods before leaving. She drives herself to the hospital and avoids every person who wants to speak with her, immediately requesting to see Doctor Keaton and implying it’s urgent and has to do with a certain magical being. The nurse buys it, pushing Emma ahead of patients who’ve been there for at least three hours. She rolls her eyes as she thinks,

 _This hospital really needs more hands_.

 

“Emma, you wanted to s-,”

“-I have absolutely no time to talk,” Emma whinged before she slammed the door and Doctor Keaton looked at her slightly distressed face. Clearly something was off because Emma looked a mess.

“What can I help you with?” the doctor questioned before Emma turned around and tried wiggling her broken member.

“This- this thing is broken, or sprained or something and it hurts like hell and it just happened this morning but this shit burns and I really just wanna deal with it, so can you please- put a damn cast on it or something,” the blonde begged and Doctor Keaton nodded before she went into her mental mode of assistance. She quickly ran through an assessment with Emma and patched her up as best as possible before she let the blonde lay there and relax.

“You know, you panicking isn’t becoming of a saviour,” Doctor Keaton tries joking and is delighted when Emma at least smiles and hides her face.

“Sorry,” she mutters and the woman shakes her head.

“It’s nothing to apologise for, but I do get the feeling that I will be seeing you and your family more often than I’d like to, especially if it’s what I think it may be linked to,” she tells her and now Emma’s interested as she sits up in an eagerness that her pain doesn’t register for a moment.

“What do you mean?” she asks and Doctor Keaton shakes her head with a small smile.

“I’m not at liberty to say,” she admits which makes Emma even more curious to know.

“Is it bad?”

“It’s.. Miss Swan it is something that I can not tell you. I physically am not at liberty to tell you because of the knowledge I have of it. It’s not my place to divulge the information. It is the responsibility of another,” she says in a coded way that Emma immediately gets it.

“Right.. Okay, I see what you’re saying… so, how long does this have to stay on?”

“As long as Kohana’s is on,”

“So, three months basically?”

“Three months and then we take it off- do another assessment and put a fresh one on. Bear in mind that you will see a significant difference in the appearance, shrinking and peeling of the skin-,”

“-yeah, got it,” Emma winced, this time form the visual she got from it. “I gotta get back home.. My future wife’s mother is attempting to feed our son ice cream, bacon and french toast for breakfast-,”

“-hmm, it doesn’t seem all that bad,” Doctor Keaton jokingly defends and Emma scowls.

“You say that and you’re a doctor.. A doctor is telling me that it’s not so bad?”

“I was kidding, Miss Swan, I’m positive you’ve heard of a joke haven’t you?” Doctor Keaton questions, but is not actually looking for an answer. Emma finally grins and twists to get off the hospital bed. She is helped down and patted on the back before Doctor Keaton opens the door and pauses. “I’ve wanted to ask, but I was not quite sure you’d be willing to answer…” she begins but trails off and Emma is confused.

“What do you mean?”

“How are you two.. I mean, all of you- but specifically you and Regina. How are you handling having a fully grown child claim you are his parents…”

“..well, we pretty much had to accept it because he proved it. There’s some things he said and some things he’s done that’s only ever been done by few people we know… I guess we’re still surprised by him too, but I mean, it’s barely been two days- so, who wouldn’t be, right?”

“That’s right.. And Henry?”

“Henry’s.. Fine for the most part. He’s more concerned about school than anything else right now. I guess when everything settles it’ll hit him, but not right now. He’s in his own world and he’s trying to focus on getting the grades because he’s hellbent on one college and only one college,”

“I suppose that’s good for him,”

“Yeah, it is. He doesn’t have to worry about his scarring anymore. He can breathe properly and all of that,”

“But Kohana took that on.. He surely must feel the pain of it,”

“I know he does, but I think he’s got enough strength in him to handle it… I’m sure you remember, he has magic and his magic is what saved Henry.. It’s strange to say it now, but I think we all noticed that even after he absorbed it, he started to heal from it too.”

“Yes, I do remember just slightly,”

“Yeah, so we can only hope it doesn’t stay on him either, but with our luck and his age, I don’t think it’s going anywhere,”

“Why would you say that?”

“It’s just a thought,” Emma admits and Doctor Keaton does not push that. She instead pats Emma’s back once more and opens her arm out to the exit.

“Well, hopefully we can help him, but until then, elevate that arm and keep a positive head about it and I’ll see what else I can find out for you. It could be a week or it could be months before I have anything of substance to tell you, but I am looking,”

“Thank you,”

“It’s really not a problem..Go, I have other patients to attend to,” she tells the blonde before they both grin and Emma shakes her head.

“You know, if I had to fill out a form, I’d really tell them to fix two things- One, they need more hands and two, you need to stop kicking your patients out the way you do,”

“ _God_ , you really want to torture me by having them put me through a session on how to treat patients as if they’re walking gold?”

“Could be useful,”

“No, no it could not,” she tells the blonde before shaking her head and Emma leaves with a smirk on her face.

“Cora said to tell you hi…”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Momma- momma-momma,” Kohana sings in a little chant as he and Cora open the door to the master bedroom and he clambers up onto the bed before laying on Regina. Regina sleepily answers.

“What?” but it isn’t angry and it isn’t exasperated.

“Gramma brought you breakfast,” he tells her and her eyes open a little more before the settle on Cora standing there with the tray in her hands and a soft smile on her face. Kohana moves so his mother can sit up and Cora rests the tray on her lap. She looks at the spread and is beyond impressed by what’s before her. That is until her eyes settle on the ice cream and she looks at her mother.

“Please- _please_ tell me you did not feed him ice cream for breakfast?”

“Well, not by itself, no. I fed him the same thing you’re eating,” Cora defends and Regina doesn’t even have it in her to argue. Instead she opts to thank her mother because the woman did the most important thing first, she fed him. Regardless of if it wasn’t the healthiest breakfast. “He already took a  shower as well.. We have plans for the day, but we’re not exactly sure where to start,”

“Games, duhhhh gramma!” Kohana interrupts and Cora and Regina share a look.

“Well, I guess the day’s been decided..”

“Yes, but not all day.. Sweetheart, not because you get to stay home means you just game all day, are we clear?” Regina asks him and he nods. “Good, so, you and your grandmother will go out and mother I need for you to pick up some books for him to practice on,” she tells her and Cora grunts.

“Regina- he’s a child-,”

“-exactly, which means that he still has to have an education. I would enroll him, but I’d need to talk about that with Emma first and no child of mine will sit down and play games to fry brain cells they need to succeed in this life,”

“But.. I have anxiety, how the hell am I supposed to go into a store and buy him books when I’m so scared of crowded places I almost pee myself everytime?”

“The children’s store isn’t crowded this day of the week. They’re actually closed, I’ll call the owner to have a few things put aside for him and then you can pick them up,” she says, easily answering Cora’s question and the woman huffs.

“Fine, but there’s no guarantee I’ll be helping him go through these asinine pages of ‘education’,”

“I’m genuinely not expecting you to do so. It’s merely other things to help him should he become distracted…. As of right now, I need to get ready for work and-,” she says but stops short when she notices that beside her the bed was empty. “-where’s Emma?”

“At the hospital to see the good doctor and buy tampons apparently,” Cora tells her and Regina looks at her weirdly.

“She just bought tampons less than two days ago,”

“Well, I don’t know, Regina. She probably bleeds a lot,” Cora argues and Regina pauses.

“Right.. Anyway, I need to get dressed for work. You two can go and drown in video games for now.. How’s Henry?”

“He’s gone. He went out. Picked up like five packs of poptarts, some chips and literally one banana and said he was going to the library. He said Rugby season was over for the term and they aren’t having anymore practices until school starts again, but he apparently doesn’t want to play it anymore. He said something about the swim team..” Cora tells her before she trails off in her own thought bubble. She misses the moment when Regina nods, clearly out of it still.

“Did he seem, disappointed or anything?”

“For the most part.. No, he’s still focused on his studies and his exams. I don’t think anything else matters to Henry right now,” Cora informs and Regina sighs. She rubs at her temples and leans back onto the headboard of the bed.

“I just hope he’s alright,” she admits and Cora nods.

“I’m sure he will be, he just needs time to adjust and figure out where he falls on the spectrum we call life,”

“Your optimism surprises me sometimes, mother,”

“I surprise myself.. Come along Hobbit Brown, we have cleaning to do and _then_ we’ll play games until we’re sick of them,”

“Coool!” Kohana agrees before he quickly tackles his mother with a hug and a kiss and leaves her without another word. Regina looks down at her tray of food and shrugs before she begins eating.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Emma!” someone shouts and Emma is spinning around and around on the sidewalk. “Emma-Emma, hey!” they shout again and she pauses and shuts her eyes. She doesn’t know where to look and when she feels a hand on her shoulder, she’s near shrieking. She flinches and the hand moves away. “Hey- It’s me. Ian,” the young man says as he puts his hand up to show her he’s not going to harm her. She heaves a breath and nods.

“Sorry, hey.. Need something?”

“What happened to your arm?” he asks her and that’s because he can see it’s been tended to even though she has her jacket hung over it.

“You don’t wanna know..what did you need?

“Oh no, nothing. I just wanted to say hi and ask you how everyone was doing?” he said shakily and Emma eased him with a smile.

“Well, pretty good for the most part, though, I don’t think you wanna ask me that question because you probably have your own issues to deal with still,” she tells him with a caring smile and he uneasily rubs at the back of his head.

“Yeah, I guess I do, but I still wanted to know.. How’s Henry?”

“He’s healed,” Emma tells him and Ian is rightfully confused. She remembers he doesn’t know. “Right, it’s a long story, one in which I’m about to chop. Henry’s healed because of his brother. Regina and I have another son and I don’t know if you heard but there was an incident with someone who got spat out at townline. He’s ours. Well, our kid from the future. He has magic- he healed Henry and now we’re here,” she tells him as if there was nothing else to add. Truth be told, Ian wasn’t important enough in the situation to know all of that. “Minus that… how’s your love life.. I heard you’re some hot shot with the new summer interns,” she teases and he shifts uncomfortably, still trying to hold his smile, but failing.

“I guess. I mean, I don’t really know any of them that well, but some from the community college and the high school look the exact same age, and they seem more interested in just saying they got a job than anything else. Most of them will quit after summer ends,”

“Yeah, but I think you’ll have one or two willing to stay, not for the patients but because of you,”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean.. You’re still involved in the sticky mess that has to do with my son and his best friend.. However, now that has extended to his best friend’s sister who is crushing over you like you’re some God from another world,”

“W-what?”

“Yeah.. Ava.. you know her, she looks exactly like Nick. His _twin_ sister,”

“Right- oh, God… I know who you mean. She’s so sweet,”

“She is, and she has a massive teenaged crush on you… one in which keeps you involved in the drama that is a summer fling,”

“Ugh, I didn’t want any of this to happen. I just wanted to live my life,”

“I know, but I have a teenager who pushes boundaries and walks a fine line between control and insanity...that, I’m almost glad to say, he got from his mother and not me,” she tells the young man and he laughs.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Henry- you’re..early?” Belle half questions and half comments and Henry shrugs.

“I needed to get a head start on the day, besides- my exams are gonna kick my ass if I don’t keep up,” he comments and Belle speaks.

“Are your mothers really not reprimanding you for the choice of language?”

“Not lately, no. I don’t think it really matters to them anymore. I watch who I say it to and when I say it and what reference I make about it, but other than that- my moms are dealing with stuff.”

“Things having to do with producing the baby and whatnot.. I know. They will get through it though,” she says and he sighs.

“Yeah, if you say so,” he acknowledges but without belief. Belle sighs before she pulls a book from the shelf and drops it on the table.

“Alright, enough of the sadness.. What subject are we starting with?” she queries and Henry smirks a little before walking over.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Why are we opened on Mondays again?” Clara asked and Regina shrugged with an eye roll.

“Because if we ruled out work on a Monday then Tuesday will be the next most hated day of the week,”

“No it won’t.. I’ll love Tuesday for the rest of my life, it reminds me it’s closer to Wednesday, closer to the end of the week and a hell of a lot closer to just sleeping in,”

“You never cease to amaze me with your level for laziness,”

“Shut up,” Clara laughs and Regina grins. “You know how much work we do in one day? It’s enough to put the Senate to shame,” Clara argues.

“It is.. How a town this small could become such a melting pot for opportunity and destruction never seems to leave my mind,”

“That’s because you made it with destruction in mind,” Clara tells her and she laughs.

“Yes, well… let’s get started. We have interns who are apparently coming in today, this as well as other things will help determine who we will employ at the end of the summer. Few are practicing Law and intend to have some experience before they transfer to their desired college,”

“Sooooo, we’re gonna get a break this summer,”

“You definitely will,”

“And why haven’t we done this all those years ago?”

“Because I wasn’t aware it could be done and I did not feel it was right to work a child during the time that had been set aside for them to enjoy their time away from school.. Hence the law here that they are to be at least fifteen to have a summer job, any year younger than that is not allowed. The clubs and public buildings were made with children in mind… I wanted to give them better than they had in the Enchanted Forest,”

“I noticed.. You spoiled them as much as you spoiled Henry,”

“Granted, I’ll admit I spoiled Henry much worse than them, but still, I see your point,”

“Yes, and that point is, you care..now do you think we can go grab the interns and get started,”

“Yes, very well…”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Annnnnnd, she’s gone,” Emma comments as she looks at the bed that’s clearly been made and she sighs. She walks the upper level of the house and goes to Cora’s room before knocking and opening the door. She pauses as she sees Kohana and Cora deadly focused on their video game and part of her doesn’t even want to interrupt them, but she does anyway.

“Hey! Lost Soul one and Lost Soul two, what gives?” she questions and Cora only mutters so much of an answer to her.

“We are on a mission. What do you want?”

“Many things, but I’ll start with the basics. What did you guys eat?” she questions and Cora turns to her for a moment, noticing the arm in the sling and the cast.

“What the hell happened to you?” she countered and Emma paused with confusion for a minute before she looked down and said ‘oh’

“Freak accident, it’s not important..”

“Your arm being in a cast and a sling isn’t important.. Emma, which version of the word ‘priorities’ have you taken a liking to?”

“Ha-ha…. Seriously though, it’s not important,” she waves with her good arm but Cora isn’t even slightly impressed.

“I beg to differ, but fine.. What was your question,”

“What did you guys eat?”

“Exactly what you saw us making this morning- and before you gape, yes. Yes she did give in and eat it. Granted, she was narrowly distracted by something else so that helped,” Cora recited as she jammed her controllers and blew up an enemy base. She rejoiced quietly as she continued on, but Kohana seemed to now notice that Emma was there.

“And I take it she’s letting you fry our son’s brain cells with these Modern Warfare games?”

“No. She’s genuinely against that. Says she prefers it if he’s doing work from a workboook for school,”

“Well, she’s right- he’s six. You damage him now, there’s no hope for him when he gets older. He’ll end up like me,” she continues and that makes Cora stop what she’s doing. She puts her controller down and she sighs heavily.

“And just what are you implying?”

“That I’m the stupid one in our relationship,” she says dejectedly and Cora rolls her eyes.

“You are stupid,” Cora agrees, but she holds up a hand when Emma is about to say something. “You are stupid for believing that you are the stupid one of the relationship. Neither of you are, you’re just both a pain in the ass when you wish to be, however- no, you are not stupid. Clearly, or else Regina wouldn’t have bothered trying with you,”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better,”

“That’s not my specialty. The point I’m trying to make is, she thinks you’re smart. I think you’re smart and your boys think you’re smart. Everyone else has you labelled as Saviour of their souls.. So you technically _have_ to be smart. Stop focusing on what’s not there and what’s not important and focus on the things that are…” she commands before picking her controller back up and jamming controls yet again. Emma sighs again before she turns to leave, but then she remembers something else.

“Where’s Henry?”

“Library,” Cora answers, not missing a beat.

“How long ago did he leave?”

“ ‘bout an hour or so,” she says and Emma nods before she turns and closes the door and heads downstairs. She feels a presence and turns around to find that it’s Kohana standing at the base of the step just looking at her arm.

“Does it hurt?” he asks her and she shakes her head with a soft smile.

“Nahhh, Doc patched me up pretty good, so you and me- we match,” she tells him but he shakes his head.

“Yours isn’t pink,”

“Well, that’s sort of because I don’t _like_ pink, but I think white’s a pretty good one to have,” she tells him and he doesn’t comment as it’s possible he seemed to take that as a good enough answer. “What’s the matter kid? You worried about something?” she asks him and he nods before pointing to her arm. Emma looks down, caught off guard by it, but she recovers. “What’s got you so worried? It’s gonna heal, buddy,” she tells him and he looks as though he believes her but doesn’t at the same time.

“Promise?”

“Yeah, of course I promise. I’ll be fine. Just a scratch,” she jokes and he still looks hesitant to believe but he nods. Emma bends to kiss his head before she tells him. “Behave for your grandma today, okay.. I gotta go to work.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Mayor’s office, this is Katrina,” the young teen rambled and Emma seemed so lost by that greeting.

“Hi, Katrina? Yeah, It’s the Sheriff, could you patch me through to the Mayor please?” she finds herself asking and she doesn’t know why she just didn’t say tell Regina her fiancé is on the phone, but this was Emma Swan..Emma Swan didn’t think things through in a way she always should.

“Sure thing.. Now that’s- liiiiine-oh two- Line Two!” she congratulates herself before Emma can comment that it’s the wrong line. It switches over and another teen picks up.

“This is Jason, thank you for calling the Mayor’s office, how may I help?”

“Hi Jason.. Finance department, right?”

“Yes ma’am, how may I help you?” he repeats.

“Sheriff Swan, could you patch me through to my fiancé,” she says and he goes silent.

“You mean the Mayor?” he asks and she nods before realizing he can’t see her.

“Yes, the Mayor,” she answers and she hears the slight excitement in his voice, quite possibly due to the new gossip.

“Sure- sure thing, hold on,” he tells her before he looks at the directory numbers and pushes zero. It clicks over and Emma finally breathes a breath of fresh air because this voice is one she recognizes, even if it still is the wrong line.

“Mayor’s office, this is Clara-,”

“-Jesus, thank you. Clara, hey you guys need to do something about your interns. They don’t know which line is Regina’s and I was transferred twice- both wrong might I add,” she grumbles and the woman snickers.

“I’m sorry, Emma.. I gave them all the directory booklets and they still don’t seem to get it. You wanted to talk to Regina right?”

“Yeah, can you patch me through- or you know, put her on the phone?”

“Sure, she’s right here about ready to fry her paperwork because our interns aren’t the brightest of the bunch,”

“Like a teacher correcting homework,”

“Yep, thank God it’s not actual city papers, she just made duplicates of old files for them to work on,”

“Smart woman,” Emma comments and Clara hums before passing the phone off.

“ _Hello_ ,” the voice came, sounding exasperated beyond measure.

“Hi sweetheart. You sound like death,” she jokes lovingly and Regina groans.

“That’s not nice,” Regina tells her petulantly and Emma grins.

“I’m usually never nice, but for you I will be. How’s the workday so far? Clara told me you have a mess to clean up as it relates to the interns?”

“Yes, they’re...special to say the least. They’re all rushing to do the exact same thing- beat one another by completing the most files when that’s not what I’m expecting of them,”

“Have you tried telling them that?”

“I’ve told them that three times with the introduction and at least twice more after the presentation…” she sighs and Emma goes silent for a moment.

“Soooo, what exactly are they doing wrong?”

“All the small things. Misspellings, incorrect number sequences. Poor chronological and geographical filing. Incorrect Account dealings and just all around off bookkeeping,” she riddles off and Emma hisses.

“That sounds like everything,”

“To anyone else, it is everything- to me, these are the small things that make the biggest difference. I’m surprised half of them can even write their names properly or use the directory with sense…”

“...about that.. They can’t. Like they really can’t. I got patched through twice and both were wrong.. I think you guys hired an airhead and a very sassy, gay teen,”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because the girl who answered sounded like she had to tell herself everything important outloud and still went with the wrong thing- and then we have the guy in finance-”

“-Jason,”

“Huh?”’

“His name is Jason,”

“Oh.. uhhh, yeah- him.. Anyway, he only got interested after I said I needed to speak with my fiancé and that just opened up a door of whatever he was looking for. I think you put some of them in the wrong departments...and maybe you need to let gossiping Sally go,”

“Emma, he’s only been here a day-”

“-yeah, and I can already tell he’s going to be troublesome… just trust me on this one, okay?”

“Okay,” Regina agrees and Emma nods. “Will I get to see you for lunch?”

“Yeah, I’ll bring you something.. Besides, I need to show you something anyway,”

“This sounds bad already, Emma,” Regina tells her and the blonde makes an incomprehensible sound.

“What do you want for lunch?” she finds herself asking to steer the conversation in another direction and Regina just goes with it.

“Pizza,” she admits and Emma is about to rejoice in that, but the brunette stops her. “Actually.. A salad with grilled chicken. I already ate ice cream for breakfast this morning- I can’t afford to continue with the unhealthy trend,” she mumbles and Emma laughs.

“So, your mom was right- you _did_ indulge this morning,”

“I only did it because they put so much thought into it..besides, you’ve seen Kohana.. It’s nearly impossible to deny him,”

“No, you’re just getting soft. You were better with Henry with things like this,”

“If I am being honest.. No, no I was not. I managed just barely with Henry but there were moments in time that I cracked..though, that’s not my fault we have very convincing children.. Obviously they get it from you,”

“I plead the fifth,” Emma argues and Regina rolls her eyes.

“I have to go,” she sighs and Emma becomes sad.

“Already?”

“Yes, I’ll see you for lunch?”

“Yeah.. what time?”

“Is two good?”

“Two’s perfectly fine. Want me to bring Henry?”

“If he’d like to come, then of course,”

“Yeah, I’ll see about him.. Cora told me he left for the library to study. I’ll call him.. I’ll talk to you later,”

“See you at lunch,”

“Yeah.. love you?” she asks the woman and Regina smiles.

“You do..love you?”

“You do,” Emma grins before hanging up and Regina puts the phone back…

“Don’t say it!” Regina scolded Clara before she could even begin to speak, but the woman took it in stride and just grinned.

“I wasn’t gonna.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Henry was starting to go blind just looking at all the crap he had to study. Then again, he could take a lazy day today and start again tomorrow.

His phone rang and he picked up.

“Hey ma.. What’s up?”

“Nothing, just wanted to know if you’re free around two to have lunch with me and your mom?”

“Uhhh,” he begins as he eyes the stack of papers before him. He sighs before pushing them away and then smiling. “Yeah, sure.. Where?”

“Her office, where else?” Emma laughs and Henry rolls his eyes.

“I don’t know.. Granny’s?”

“I’ll see if I can convince her, but she almost cracked earlier and put in an order for pizza,”

“Are you sure it’s my mom you’re talking about?”

“Yup.. anyway, how’s the studying going?”

“Gone,” Henry admits and Emma is interested.

“What’s the matter?”

“Can’t do it. I overloaded, just needed today off. I’m at the library with Belle. She’s distracted, said she was looking for something important so I left her alone,” he informs his blonde mother and she hums.

“I guess that’s fine.. I’m not going into work today, well- as I just found out my dad said, this entire week- wanna hang out?”

“Yeah, where would we go though?”

“Anywhere outside of city limits?” she offers and he hears the distinct sound of something akin to a pill bottle. Emma quickly swallows them and chugs some water after.

“Ma, you know we just barely get past the barrier for town, how are you going to go outside of city limits?”

“Kid, it was a joke..” Emma groans and Henry huffs. “I’ll be at the library in like five minutes. Think you can have your stuff packed up by then?”

“You underestimate me a lot,” Henry says with a grin and Emma shrugs.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hello?” Emma answered as she climbed out of her car and began to walk towards the library.

“Emma- hi,”

“Hi dad,” she acknowledges a little embarrassed.

“Hey pumpkin, just wanted to check in on you,” he informs her and she blushes.

“We’re good, dad. Gonna have lunch later with the kid and wife to be, but that’s about it,” she tells him as she continues walking. She pushes the library door open and looks around the room, instantly catching Belle’s attention and the squeaking sound making her father grind his teeth.

“You at the library,” he comments through a wince, stilling grinding his porcelain whites.

“Yup,” she popped her p before she started walking through the building. Her eyes scanned and scanned until she spotted that familiar head of hair that matched Neal’s so well.

“Ahhh, looking for something?”

“No, I found him.. Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you need something?”

“Oh- no.. just calling to have a conversation with my baby girl,”

“I’m pushing thirty five,” she comments and he grins.

“So am I. Thank Regina for that,”

“Yeah, don’t think I’ll ever get used to being the same age as the two of you..dad, I’ll talk to you later, right now I need to get my son and spend some time with him...not that I’m not already forced to take an entire week off but still,”

“Alright, Pumpkin. Love you,”

“Love you too, dad.”

  


“Ma? Did you break your arm?” Henry asks immediately after he noticed his mother. Belle didn’t even bother shushing him considering she was also confused by the broken arm. Emma laughed uneasily..

“Heh, yeah.. Long story, but I’m fine. Doc patched me up. You ready to go?” she changes the subject and he fumbles for a moment before nodding.

“Y-yeah.. I’m ready,” he answers after getting up and grabbing his bag. He slings it across his back and walks closer to his mother. Henry pokes at the cast, shakes his head and laughs. “At least you and Kohana match now,” he comments and she grins.

“He says we don’t because my cast isn’t the same colour as his- and I’m pretty sure we broke different arms,” she lies and Henry rolls his eyes.

“We all know you both broke your right arms..I mean, mom _does_ know right?”

“About that…” she attempts, trailing off and Henry groans.

“Ma-really!” he shouts and this time, some random person shushes him. He scrunches up his face because- _there’s people in here?_

“Hey- chill,” she hissed and he huffed. “I was gonna tell her but she was already gone for work. Hell, everyone went missing by the time I was back. Your grandma and little brother are locked in her room frying brain cells and you’re across town and your mom’s at the back end of town. You see where I’m going with this?”

“Yeah, but this place is about as big as a speck on the map,” Henry sassed and Emma thumps him. He laughs as she wraps an arm around him and they walk over to Belle. “Don’t say it.. I know what you’re thinking,” Emma comments and Belle makes a zipper across her lips. “When are you going to come over? You’re supposed to come help Regina, remember?”

“I remember, but I’ve been busy helping someone do a bit of research and it’s become a little...heavy handed,” Belle admits and Emma doesn’t pry.

“Alright, well- whenever you ca-,” her phone ringing cuts her off. “Hello?”

“Emma, hello- It’s Qupid,”

“Hey Qu, what’s the deal?”

“Well, I’m happy to tell you that the ring is finished and Arrow’s been asking for you,”

“Oh that’s cool, thanks Qu.. and maybe this week if it’s okay with her mom I can take her out.. Apparently I’ve been benched for the week,” she grouses and the man laughs.

“Being benched isn’t so bad, right?”

“Not really.. I at least get to spend it with my family,”

“That you do...so, should I package it and bring it to you?”

“Oh, no Qu I’ll come see you tomorrow and check it out and we can talk about another one,” Emma tells him and he smiles.

“Sure thing..alright, goodbye Sheriff,”

“Bye Qu- be safe,”

“I should tell you the same,” he grinned before they both hung up. Emma pushed her phone back into her pocket and looked at both Belle and Henry. “Whaaaat?” she sings in question.

“Sounds like someone bought something fancy,” Belle teased and Emma turned red.

“You could say that,”

“Is it for mom?”

“Actually, it is.. But I can’t tell you what it is. You just have to promise to keep it a secret until it’s time to use it,” she tells him and his eyes gloss over in excitement, but he nods eagerly.

“I promise..”

“Good. Belle, talk to you later. Come on Kid- let’s go hang out.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Madame Mayor,” one of the interns interrupted and she looked up with bleary eyes. This one had an old man’s name.. Jeff or something like that.

“Yes?” she answers him and he smiles a little. Clearly he can tell she’s stressed and he’s not about to add to it.

“Your two o’clock is here to see you,” he informed her and saw the way Regina’s face immediately brightened. Clara had left for the day and Regina was not far behind. After lunch, she was damn sure closing the town hall. She sat up straighter and shifted.

“Send them in,” Regina told him with more excitement than she wanted to give away and he nodded before opening the door. Immediately her eyes settled on the blonde in the cast and her head dropped before she rubbed at her temples. “ _Please_ tell me that’s not really broken,” she begs Emma but the blonde shakes her head, uneasily smiling at the beautiful woman before her.

“I’d love to, but it is…”

“ _How?_ ” Regina asks, still- she doesn’t want to know the answer to it.

“It doesn’t really matter,” Emma tells her, but that’s what forces Regina’s hand and makes her repeat her questions. It’s different when Emma says it’s not important, because that usually means it really is important.

“Emma,” Regina begins and the blonde sighs. She nods and puts her hand up in an easing motion to let Regina know she will tell her.

“Fell down the stairs this morning when you were sleeping. Crushed it somehow and that was that. Just went straight to the doctor and she patched it up,”

“Doctor Keaton?”

“Yeah…” she answers and Regina only nods slightly. Emma holds up the bag of food and Regina can’t help but smile just a little at her. “Brought you lunch,” she says with her usual goofy smile and Regina walks over to her before pressing her lips against the blonde’s. Emma winces when she feels hands settle on her side.

“I’m just happy you’re here,” Regina admits and Emma clears his throat. “What’s the matter?” she finds herself asking the blonde and Emma huffs before raising her shirt and Regina wants to touch her bruised side… She pulls her hand back and looks at the blonde sadly, but Emma kisses her.

“I’m okay.. It just hurts a little. I have Aleve for that, I’ll be fine,”

“Promise me,” Regina says and Emma kisses her again.

“I promise…”

“Guys- teen in the room here.”

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Momma!” Kohana shouts as he spots Regina first. He hugs her tight and she hugs him back before letting him go and watching him sprint for Emma. “Mommy!” he yells and that seemed just a tad more excited . Regina honestly doesn’t mind because seeing the look on Emma’s face when this little boy acknowledges her is something that makes Regina fall in love with their predicament over and over again. She admits it to herself that she’s beyond happy about how everything with them is going and is even more surprised that Snow and David seem to just be letting them grow to love each other, even if they don’t know the actual basis of it all. Kohana stays glued to Emma as he asks her about her day and she asks him about him. Regina and Henry head for the kitchen and meet Cora and Marco cooking.

“You’re cooking- again,” Regina comments a little surprised.

“Is that surprising?” Cora questions her and Regina looks a little off put at first before she bobs her head and settles on saying.

“Only slightly...Marco, hi,” Regina finally acknowledges and Marco just nods and smiles at her. “I see the last of the damage has been rectified. Thank you,”

“It was honestly no problem. On the house,” he further says and Regina sputters.

“Oh no- no. I have to pay you,”

“It’s perfectly fine. Take it as more practice classes for the dwarves. Helps keep them acclimated to the processes and the trade,”

“Very well...mother, did you pick up the books?”

“No,” Cora admits and Regina sighs. “I’m having them delivered later this evening. I couldn’t very well walk the distance with your son.. He’s beyond short with attention,”

“Fine.. how was the day?”

“Eventful. He’s extremely smart. Sassy, something he clearly got from you, but other than that, he’s quiet. Clumsy, but quiet,”

“Sounds like you both behaved yourselves today,”

“In a manner of speaking, yes. We both behaved… you look like you experienced some levels of hell today,”

“We had interns.. They’re.. lacking in competence,”

“That bad?” Cora asks and her child nods. She sighs. “Well, eventually it will change. This was their first day, just take your time. You always were such a patient young woman.. When you needed to be at least,”

“As far as Timothy was concerned, I was wholeheartedly eager and that was in essence part of my downfall,”

“I’m almost positive he did not say it was due in part to your downfall,”

“No, he didn’t,” Regina answers a little flatly. “But what was to stop him from thinking so. He told me I was eager and that if I’m eager and rush things it will feel the tension,”

“Regina, he was referring to the bread he taught you how to bake,”

“It still applies to my life.. Point being, he was right.. Now, what’s for dinner,” she doesn’t really ask in subject change and Cora huffs before she tells her. Sometime later, everyone else comes into the kitchen and somehow all the hands end up at some level of food construction. By the time they’re done cooking and eating, laughing and talking about random things, Kohana is sleepy and so is Henry, however, his is for a different reason. Kohana requests Regina this time and as she gives him a bath, he’s curious.

“Momma?”

“Yes honey?”

“How’d mommy get her owie?” he asks and Regina takes a deep breath as she contemplates the different possible ways to tell him what happened. In all honesty she could just say it how Emma said it, all detached and as if it was literally a common thing with her; but considering the child before her, it made sense just to tell him in a way he would understand.

“Mommy fell down, sweetheart,” she begins and his eyes go wide with interest, fear and awe.

“How?” Kohana questions her. Regina shrugs just slightly.

“I don’t quite know, but she said she fell down the stairs and on her arm,” she informs and for a moment the child goes silent. He looks down at the boats floating in the water and then back at Regina.

“Did it hurt?” he queries and she sighs.

“I would imagine it did. She fell from the top step,” Regina lets him know but it sounds a bit lighthearted somewhere in there. Kohana bites his bottom lip before he huffs and pushes his boats away. He stands up in all his naked glory and attempts to climb out the tub. Regina quickly grabs hold of him, wrapping him in a towel and tucking her arm under his legs.

“Don’t wanna take a bath anymore,” he tells her and she nods before she pulls the plug and walks into the bedroom with him. Regina sets him on the bed and walks over to the box where the clothes are and pulls out some pjs for the child. Kohana looks at them after she brings them over and scrunches up his face.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart?” she questions and he points at the clothes.

“I don’t like those jammies,” he admits and Regina tosses them on the bed. She sits next to him and sighs.

“Is it the jammies you don’t like, or is it because mommy got hurt?” Regina questions and the child shrugs a little. “Kohana, I need you to tell me what’s bothering you. Are you upset mommy got hurt?”

“uhuh,” he whispers and she moves to hug him. He lets her and hugs her back.

“It’s okay, baby boy. Her owies won’t stay long,”

“Bu-but.. “ he tries but he huffs loudly.

“Baby, she’ll be okay. Her owies make her stronger,” she tries convincing him and he nods. “Now, do you want to look in the box and find some jammies? I think there’s one with ducks on it in there,”

“Duckies are cool, but I don’t wanna wear jammies,” he informs her and she’s now confused.

“Then what will you wear?”

“Big boy undies,” he grins cheekily and Regina huffs out a laugh.

“Alright then. Big boy undies it is,” she caves and the child cheers.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You seriously let our son convince you to let him sleep in his underwear?”

“Henry did the same at his age. Besides, he was upset earlier and it seemed to be the best way to ease his pain…”

“Why was he upset?”

“Your broken arm,” Regina sighs and Emma shakes her head.

“But I’m fine,”

“To him, you’re not. He’s convinced otherwise and I can’t blame him for it. He wouldn’t admit it but I believe he thinks he’s here to protect you.. And me. Him not being able to do that is what upsets him…”

“But, that shouldn’t matter. We’re supposed to be protecting him not the other way around,”

“I know that, but he sees it differently,”

“He shouldn’t be worried about us. We’re his parents, that’s our job,” Emma grunts and Regina sighs heavily.

“Emma, I know that, but our son is a replica of his entire family. He’s stubborn and headstrong and what he’s gotten from you most is how much he cares about the people he loves. He will worry regardless of if we tell him to or not. That’s just how it goes..”

“He’s a kid. He’s barely old enough to bathe by himself- and yet, he’s here worried sick over something he has no control over,”

“I know-,”

“-do you?” Emma bites out in question and Regina huffs before she takes the woman’s hands and kisses them. “He’s my son and I can’t even do one thing right and not have him worried over me,”

“I do know. He’s my son too,” Regina reminds her and Emma sighs.

“You sound like me when I had to remind you about Henry in the mines,”

“It helped me realize I didn’t have to share the burden of worry alone..and that’s something you will never have to do by yourself, ever…”

“Can you promise me that, though?”

“I can’t, but I can surely try to make it as close to a reality for you as possible, so long as you can try to do the same for me,”

“Always,” Emma tells her immediately and the brunette hugs her.

“Good.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Tuesday- let me count the ways.

 

Something was prodding her side and it irked her to no end. It felt like a claw, or worse, someone’s foot in her back and for the life of her, Emma couldn’t figure out what the hell it was until she rolled over and smushed whatever it was that seemed so comfortably glued to her.

“Mmmf,” came some disgruntled mumble that Emma recognized belonged to a human.

“What the-,”

“Mommy, get off, you smush my head,” Kohana had groaned- still very sleepy, but more upset that Emma’s backside woke him up.

“Jeez, sorry kid,” she apologises sheepishly before twisting and sitting up. Kohana does not move, instead he takes up even more residence and as Emma looks at him and smirks, she looks down the expanse of his body to notice two things. He was serious about just sleeping in his underwear and both of his feet were on Regina’s face. How that didn’t wake the brunette up is beyond her. Emma can’t just let him lay across Regina like that, but she also can’t help but laugh, so before he decides to move, she manages to grab hold of her phone and snap a few photos. She’s then pulling the little boy off his other mother and onto her lap where he can lay his head comfortably. He kicks his feet and that ends up hitting Regina with a solid thump to the arm. “Hey-hey, stop that. Your momma’s sleeping and you’re kicking her,” Emma scolds him and he stops, clearly embarrassed by his actions and balls up next to her. “Kid, you need to put on a shirt or you’ll get sick,”

“But, momma said it was okay…”

“I know what momma said, but mommy says it’s not safe. You could get sick and I don’t want that,”

“But-,”

“-Hana, no buts. Now go put on a shirt and some pants,” she commands and he pretty much throws a silent tantrum as he all but jerks himself from the bed in a pissy manner. “Cut the attitude or you’ll be in timeout,” she warns him as he nears the box and he spins with all anger and a pout settled in place.

“But I didn’t do nothin’!” he shouts and Emma gives him the look that would freeze hell over. He simpers where he stands as she gets off the bed and walks over to him. Emma bends to his height and looks him in the eyes.

“I will give you three seconds to apologise or you’ll be in timeout for ten minutes. Your choice,” she tells him with the flattest tone that in all honesty, frightened the hell out of him. But where fear was, so was his defiance and his defiance ended up with him in timeout before he huffed at her, folded his arms and looked away from her. “Alright, you made your decision,” she tells him before picking him up and conjuring a small stool. She sits him on the chair in the corner of the bedroom. “When you’re finished with timeout we’ll see if you learned to control that attitude,” she tells him but he says nothing to her and she walks back over to the bed and settles in. Emma turns the tv on and folds her arms when she hears a groggy voice speak to her.

“You really didn’t have to put him in timeout,” Regina mumbles sleepily, still trying to get her eyes open and Emma looks at her and then at Kohana and then at the tv. She flicks through the channels as she responds.

“He was being rude and I’ll be damned if I raise a boy to ever disrespect a woman...it doesn’t matter how good the parenting, men become boys when they shouldn’t and as boys become men when they should, they still make mistakes. His mistakes will be nothing in the nature of disrespecting his mothers or his girlfriends or his wife… or whoever he ends up with…”

“I get that, but he’s a child. He’s going to throw tantrums and he is right. I told him it was okay,”

“Yeah, but if he gets sick, who’s going to take care of him?”

“We both will,”

“How, if you have to work and I could be called in at the station at anytime. Your mother goes missing more often than not, we don’t trust anyone well enough with the wellfare of Henry, what makes you think we’ll trust anyone enough with Kohana’s wellfare?”

“Emma-,”

“-Regina, no- okay… no child of mine is going to stomp around this house and throw tantrums all because he didn’t get what he wanted. I know what you told him, but he’s about as big as my thigh. He doesn’t have enough meat on him to sustain cold air…”

“...fine. You’re right,” Regina gives and Emma shakes her head.

“I wasn’t looking to be right. I was making a point. The same way we didn’t want Henry to turn out into such a spoiled brat and that still happened is the same way we’ll be working to make sure Kohana doesn’t, even if it still ends up happening- at least I can say I tried,”

“Alright,” Regina says softer and Emma sighs again. Regina scoots over and lays her head against Emma’s shoulder and after a moment, Emma wraps her arm around Regina. “I love you, Emma. And I’m sorry I don’t understand your reasons sometimes, but I will try to more often,” Regina promises and Emma nods.

“I love you too… Kohana, timeout’s over kid,” she tells him, but he doesn’t move from his chair. He doesn’t even look at her. Technically his timeout wasn’t over, he’d only been sat there for about three minutes, but she figured it was long enough for a child his age. Regina looks over and notices the child is unresponsive and she immediately goes over to him and picks him up. She walks with him back to the bed and lays him down.

“He’s asleep,” she comments and Emma scratches her head.

“He must’ve made himself tired with the tantrum,” she said and Regina looked like she could see that being the reason.

“Well, he still got his request… he’s not wearing anything but his underwear,” the brunette commented and Emma waves her hand, happy that she managed to magic a giant shirt on the child.

“It might not be the ideal sleepwear but at least it covers him,”

“Emma, he’ll trip in this,” Regina said as she pointed to the t-shirt that was pretty much down to his ankles.

“He wanted to be superman. At least he’ll feel like he’s flying once he puts his arms up,”

“My child already has one broken arm. He doesn’t need another,”

“We’ll put him in a bubble,” she says seriously and Regina has to pause for a moment to look at her and see if she genuinely was serious about the bubble. She shakes her head.

“I don’t have a response for that.. I need to get dressed for work,”

“Right.. I’ll make breakfast. What do you feel like eating?”

“An omelette would be nice,” Regina admitted and Emma smiled.

“And it’s good that I can make them as well,”

“It is,” Regina agreed before she was the receiver of a very heartfelt, morning kiss.

“Good morning,” Emma whispered to her with such a radiant smile that Regina couldn’t help it and she smiled back.

“Morning.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I love you,” Emma told Regina before she handed her a bag and kissed her cheek. “See you for lunch, and be safe,” she commands the brunette as she shuts the car door for Regina and the woman lovingly rolls her eyes.

“I will,”

“Call me if anything interesting happens,”

“Considering where I work, I’m positive the only interesting thing in there is the new gossip about us,” Regina grumped and Emma looked impressed.

“We’re top of the teen tabloids already?”

“From Clara’s knowledge on it all, yes- yes we are,” Regina smirked and Emma smirked back.

“You like being the topic of conversation, don’t you?”

“Sometimes, I’ll admit it is nice to hear people wonder about the Mayor and the Sheriff- oh the scandal!” Regina joked as she laughed at the craziness of it all.

“Stop that!” Emma reprimanded but even she was grinning. She leans over to kiss Regina once more before she eases her head out of the car window and stands up straight. “Did you kiss our kids?” she finds herself asking and Regina settles her with a look.

“When have I ever _not_ kissed our children to say goodbye?”

“Just asking,” Emma backed away only slightly. “Easy, momma bear,” she says and Regina shakes her head.

“If you’re so bent out of shape wanting to know. I kissed Henry before I came downstairs because he was still sleeping and I was attacked with a flurry of kisses from Kohana, so I’m nearly positive I’ve done my motherly duty this morning,” she retorts and Emma smirks. “What time do you intend to come for lunch?”

“Whenever is good for you,” Emma says and Regina bobs her head left then right.

“Two seems to always be the best time as of late,”

“Then we’ll see you at two-,” her phone rings and she recognizes the number as the one from yesterday. “-hold on...hello? Oh yeah.. Actually, is later today okay for you… sure- yeah-yeah no problem. Ahhh, I see why you asked about that time. Yeah, that’s no problem.. If what’s still on? Oh! You mean the-yeah, it’s -I can do it today. I mean I have the time, so yeah. Alright then, talk to you later. Thanks- bye…” she hung up and Regina was looking at her on the verge of confusion. “Oh, it’s just a business deal I needed to handle. I’ll be busy right up until lunch so if you need me, call,”

“A business transaction?” Regina questions because she’s not quite buying it. Emma nods, seemingly unaware of the implication behind the question.

“Yeah, the one I told you about a while back when you freaked out over me not leaving the note.. That business deal,” she informs and Regina’s beautifully scuplted eyebrow goes up. She leans on the window space and crosses her arms before resting her chin on them.

“Miss Swan, am I to be concerned that you might be involved in some form of foul play?” Regina questions with all seirousness, but a hint of her usual deadly innocence somewhere tossed in there. Emma takes a stifling step back as she laughs, albeit, very confidently.

“No, none of that is or will be any concern. You won’t get a call from my job saying the Sheriff did some under the table recklessness… now go to work, you’ll be late- I mean, technically you already are late. I think I’m starting to rub off on you,”

“I set my own hours, Emma,” Regina say, deflating the blonde’s bubble immediately.

“Ruin my fun why don’t you,”

“Gladly,” Regina sassed. Emma groaned but Regina started her car and put on her seatbelt.

“Momma, wait!” Kohana shouts as he comes bounding down the walkway in nothing but a pair of pants. Emma hangs her head as she’s now realizing he’s not one for clothes.. At all. He comes to a stumbling halt and holds up his little art piece to Reigna’s face. “It’s for your office. I made it super special cus it gots lots of glitter in it,” he tells her, putting truth to his words because Emma not only looks back to see the trail of that demon fairy seed dust thing, but she also sees it pretty much caking his hands and arms, parts of his hair and now, Regina’s very black Benz. He opens the card and out pops more glitter, almost as if it were spring loaded. Some of that nicely packed glitter had fluttered into Regina’s face and when that happened, Kohana laughed and when Kohana laughed- well, so did Emma and Regina tried giving them both a scolding look, but no.. didn’t work.

“It looks like one of the fairies at the convent exploded on you,”

“ _Emma_ ,” Regina scolded but the blonde couldn’t help it, she laughed again and Regina just huffed out a sigh. She reaches for the homemade card and when she looks inside she sees that there’s a drawing in it and her eyes well up.

“Whas the matter, momma?”

“It’s a really nice card, honey,” is what she tells him and as she continues to look at it. Emma wonders herself, what’s precisely is on the card. Regina looks up at her and turns it so that the blonde can see and when Emma’s vision focuses on it, she has to admit that her son was pretty damn smart.

“Das, daddy and poppa in heaven and there’s nana and grampa David and gramma Snow and then there’s grampa Henry and he gots the biggest wings cus he has the nicest heart and he loved momma a lot,” the child explains and Regina opens the car door before she’s hugging him and kissing his head and whispering a thank you. She then holds him at arm’s length and speaks to him.

“Did nana tell you all of that?” she asks and he nods, but then he shakes his head.

“Nana told me about grampa Henry, but.. I saw him,” Kohana says as if it were a distant memory.

“You saw him?” she asks and he nods eagerly at her.

“He said… he’s proud of you,” the child continues and Regina looks up to the heavens, shocked beyond measure and unsure in so many ways of what she should say in response. She instead settles for a smile and kisses his head once more before she tells him she’ll see him later. He runs back into the house and as Emma watches him leave, Regina’s staring out across her wheel. When Emma looks back at her, she can see the war and everything else that’s going on in the woman’s mind. She goes around the car and climbs into the passenger’s seat.

 

It was time to talk.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I just wanna know what the deal is with you and Nick,” Grace had told her friend and the boy avidly denied her to go any further.

“What do you mean what’s going on between us? We’re fine,” Henry tries to convince her, but Grace isn’t stupid and he knows this. He also knows that Grace isn’t one to just let something she feels is important, go. So, with a look that he always tells her reminds him of his brunette mother being levelled at him, Henry caves.. Well, slightly. “We’re just going through some...guy stuff. It’s stupid, but we’re trying to work through it, that’s all,”

“Sure...right,” Grace says a little prickly. “Even if that were it, we always tell each other everything. You and I were always two peas in a pod and now you can’t tell me because? Nick? Nick’s your favourite person now, right?” Grace scoffs and Henry sighs and pretty much yanks himself up with his frustration over it. He looks both hurt and distraught, but he really just looks broken.

“Grace, come on. That’s not it- I swear,”

“Don’t swear on something that’s a lie, Henry. Does you no good. You know that,”

“But I’m not lying. You have to believe me,”

“Why?”

“Because I’d never lie to you,”

“You also promised to tell me everything regardless of what it was,”

“I _can’t_ ,” Henry expresses, clearly still distressed about it and Grace huffs.

“why?” she whispers in question and he softens immediately.

“I’m struggling to figure out how to solve it..or whatever I should be doing with it.. I wanna tell you, but it doesn’t just affect me anymore. It affects a whole bunch of people and one person in particular, I cannot afford to hurt because I told you I’d tell you everything. I know I promised, but Grace, this has to be vetoed as one of them.. _Please_ ,” Henry finds himself begging the girl and she huffs before her eyes shut and she nods.

“Okay- but-,” she says as she sees his imemdiate relief over it. “-after you figure out, will you tell me then?”

“I’d have to eventually…” he admits before her hugs her tight. “You’re the best person I could have ever hoped to have as a friend and pain in the butt, but a sister and sometimes you’re a good love interest,”

“When it suits us winning a bet,” she scoffs but she’s not mad. She actually likes it that way. Henry laughs lightly.

“Never change Grace..”

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was coming pretty close to ten already and Emma had to wonder for a second where the time was going. Henry and Grace had finally started with his studies because he’d positioned his schedule in such a way that he would take between one to two exams on set days. He was supposed to go in for eleven and be finished by two, pulling at least two of his exams off his to do list.. Or in this case- To Pass list. The blonde made her way into the kitchen to grab some water when she heard a crash that honestly did not sound good at all. That prompted her to run up the stairs and stop on sight. A range of emotions went through her in that moment. Where was her son? How the fuck did that break? Is he okay? How the _fuck_ did that break? Where the fuck is Cora and is she okay? And of course _How in THE EVER LIVING FUCK did that break?_

“If I tell you what happened, you wouldn’t believe me,” Cora said immediately and Emma just sighed. She held up a hand and saw Kohana peer around the doorframe and look at her. He looked scared and she concluded he was involved in the incident, somehow. Emma didn’t say a damn thing. She went downstairs, got the broom, the dustpan and a trashbin and hauled it back upstairs. She dropped the trashbin on the floor and began to sweep up the millions of shards of glass that littered the now scratched, wooden flooring of the house. Emma scooped up and dumped and repeated the action. Cora and Kohana just watched until the child needed to pee and then he disappeared for a minute.

“Mommy,” he says and Emma grunts to a stop.

“Yeah bud?” she questions, going back to what she was originally doing.

“I’m hungry,” he informs Emma and she pauses her miniature task at hand for a minute. She looks at the mess before her and she can see that glass is literally everywhere. The smallest little pieces would cut into his soft skin and he’d be in a mass amount of pain. She sighs to herself before she speaks.

“Cora, do you think you can put on some shoes and take him downstairs for me and give him something, please?” she asks nicely and doesn’t even realize it, but regardless, Cora would have said yes and when she does say yes- Emma goes back to cleaning up the mess. She knows she probably looks absolutely silly with this bloody cast on one arm making her feel like she couldn’t even wipe her butt by herself anymore. She hears glass crunch and Cora is walking with Kohana in tow, pretty much glued to her like a little koala and the old woman takes him down the stairs and into the kitchen as promised. She makes him some mac n cheese and Emma finishes up the cleaning. She’s sure she didn’t get it all, but she sweeps, double sweeps and then triple sweeps just to be sure she at least got most of it. She takes the trash out and then heads back upstairs where she stares at the broken display case. She hauls that downstairs and puts the broken pieces in their recycling bin and settled on the backstep of the house. She looks out at the backyard and takes in all of it. She’s not in awe this time around because she’s thinking. Usually when she’s thinking something that has her face looking like she may have smelt something foul, Regina’s right there to tell her to chill out and come back to earth.. Or better yet, come back to her. Emma dusts her hands against her thigh before she pulls her phone out and goes through her contacts. She dials out and decides to just catch up with a few people.

 

By the time she felt reacquianted enough with everyone she pretty much knew like the back of her hand, Emma was putting Kohana in his carseat and making sure Henry had everything he needed for his first two exams. Grace left for work and Cora decided to tag along because she didn’t have anything better to do. They drop Henry and Emma meets with Arrow’s mother to pick the child up. She’s never been one to think something was cute unless it was really - _really_ cute.. and by cute, it involved her six year old son, blushing as a very bold Arrow pretty much stole his little heart. Emma didn’t know what to think about it, or say about it, but it was just too damn cute not to take pictures and send to Regina.

 

_Is that Arrow?_

Yup, and guess what- our little guy here’s got a giant crush on her!

_Emma, I’m really not trying to be a grandmother at this age._

But, baby it’s so cute. They like each other, and Hana’s like- enamoured with her. She’s pretty damn headstrong and I guess that’s why he likes her so much.. He won’t stop blushing every time I mention how much he likes her

_Why are you trying to scar our son at the age of six?_

It’s a pivotal point in his life

_Honey, he’s six. Leave him be._

But..but. They’re so cute!

_You are insufferable.. And it looks like someone messed something important up...again. I’ll see you at lunch. I love you._

I love you too.

 

“Hey, kids where do you guys wanna go? We have three and a half hours of playtime before we get Henry and go see momma for lunch, Hana..”

“Can we go to the Y?” Arrow questions and Emma shivers at that request but Kohana laughs.

“Mommy’s scared of the ball pit,” he tries to whisper but clearly can’t and Emma squints at him.

“I am not afraid of it!” she defends but her son and his grandmother giggle at him “Not you too, Sandbags,” Emma says with a pout and Cora shakes her head.

“Listen Swan, we all have our kryptonites,”

“I swear I’m not afraid of them. They’re just.. Disgustingly unsanitary..I ended up with a bandaid on my boot and some unidentifiable liquid on my hand. I don’t know if it was pee, sweat- juice.. Ballpits are evil,” the blonde tells her and Cora muffles a laugh to agree.

“That sounds like many things waiting to happen,” she comments and Emma nods.

“It does and they are.. But, they wanna go, so I’ll take them. I’ll just put them both in bubbles and they’ll be fine,”

“Yeah, of _course_ ,” Cora sarcastically agreed but Emma didn’t catch it. “Are you sure it’s safe for you to drive with a broken arm?”

“You wait til after I drop Henry to ask that question? It probably isn’t but I’m not about to walk when I have a car and a broken arm won’t stop me…”

“Very well, just drive slowly,” Cora tells her and Emma rolls her eyes.

“Alright then.”

 

As per request, Emma takes the children to that disturbing bandaid ballpit from hell’s splinter cell and isn’t surprised that they’re enjoying themselves. Thankfully, there’s no injury as well. She doesn’t realize that the time nearly gets away from them until Henry calls and asks her where she is and she has to rush everyone from the ballpit, sanitize their hands and then go get Henry. When they reach for him, he’s smiling and that means he kicked ass on his exams.

“I take it by that smirk on your face, it was easy?” Emma asks as she looks at him for a moment and then puts her eyes back towards the road. Henry scoffs out a laugh.

“Beyond easy. Half the questions were straight from our old tests and the other ones were just multiple choice,”

“Which subjects did you take again?”

“Science and History. I’ve got paper one for Algebra and English tomorrow,”

“Think you’re prepared enough for it?”

“For the most part, yeah. Those papers are the easy ones, I’m more concerned about paper two for algebra and paper three for english,”

“What’s on your paper three?”

“Reading Comp and basically back to subject verb agreement with a passage that’s like six pages long,”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,”

“It’s not that part that’s bad. It’s the time. We only have an hour and a half to do the whole exam,”

“Yiiiiikes.. Okay, I see your dilemma.. How long before you take that paper?”

“Thursday or Friday, it all depends if I wanna take everything this week or spread it out over next week too,”

“What do you think your best option is?”

“Probably both weeks.. What did you guys do today, anyway?”

“Took your brother and his new girlfriend to the ballpit at the Y,” Emma teased and Kohana made a noise from the back that indicated Emma was just embarrassing him. Henry shook his head with a laugh.

“Already getting the girls little man?” Henry asks Kohana but his brother shakes his head.

“Nooooo. She’s just super pretty,” he admits and Emma has to stop the car just to look back at him and talk to him.

“What do you know about pretty girls?” she asks him and he grins.

“You and momma, duhhhh,” he tells her as if she should already know this. Emma takes that as him having her card and she gives him that one.

“Alright- _fine_. You win, now tell me what you guys wanna eat before we go get lunch with your mom-”

“-Pizza!”

“Burgers!”

“Pasta!”

“A beer and a blunt!”

“Seriously Cora?”

“What? You asked, I answered,”

“What’s a blunt, mommy?”

“Something that you will never see in your life because your grandmother might be in a jail cell before you can,”

“...oh, okay then,”

“Yeah, now- who wants burgers?” she asks and Arrow raised her hands. “Me too, kid..and who wanted pasta?” Henry raised his. “And I take it little man wanted pizza, right Hana?”

“Uhuh,”

“Okay, tell you what, I will get all of you what you want, but this is the first and last time, next time you guys need to decide on one place- got it?”

“Got it!” she heard them agree and went about spoiling everyone in the car for probably not the last time.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“We come bearing food and a very disgruntled mother in law,” Emma announces as she walks in with a bag of food in her hand and the children come trailing in behind her with their greasy fixings. Regina looks up from her work in time to see Emma set a very clean white bag before her and she instantly knows that it’s alfredo. Shrimp alfredo at that. Emma tilts her head with a smirk and bends over to kiss the brunette.

“Why hello there, gorgeous,” she compliments and Regina blushes.

“Hi, Emma.. I see you travelled with a miniature soccer team today,” Regina acknowledges and Emma laughs.

“That and a broken arm,”

“And how was that for you?”

“Eventful.. They went in the ballpit and our son took his first two exams,”

“How were they?”

“He said they were easy, and I’m inclined to believe him with the smirk he had on his face. He says he’s more worried about Algebra paper two and English paper three,”

“That’s to be expected,”

“Yeah, other than that, he says he’s fine. Our youngest son however, is still crushing over Arrow,”

“ _Emma_ ,” Regina begins in a slightly scolding manner, but she’s not mad, she just wishes the woman wouldn’t be so adamant about marrying their children off so fast.

“Sorry,” the blonde apologises in a sheepish manner before she finally sits at one of the chairs before the desk. “I won’t be able to spend all of lunch with you guys. I’ve gotta deal with that thing I told you about earlier. Do you think you can keep the kids until I’m done,”

“Of course. Casey’s here today so Arrow and Kohana will have another friend to play with and knowing Henry he may hole up in his cave that’s quite literally five years too young. Now my mother is another story. There’s nothing much to keep her distracted unless she wants to torture the interns,”

“Sounds like something Cora can do without having to move from her chair…”

“She probably could.” They fall silent for a moment until Emma remembers.

“Before I forget.. Your mother and our little one broke the display case upstairs,”

“Which display case?” Regina questions a little hesitant.

“The one with the vases and little glass figurines,” Emma tells her and immediately the brunette groans.

“Really mother!” Regina scolds and Cora huffs. “You couldn’t watch your grandson long enough to not damage my fifteen thousand dollar display?”

“I’m sorry,” Cora tells her as she looks away. “It’s not really my fault, though,”

“And how am I to believe that when you and Kohana were the only two eligible enough and clumsy enough to do that?”

“We both slipped,”

“Slipped how?”

“We just did. We were supposed to go get snacks and went through and down the hall like usual. He started to run and I went after him and we both slipped. He hit it first- I hit it second and bam.. It fell over… My head made more contact with it than anything, but I don’t understand how.. It looks as if it was at least two hundred pounds evenly- even with the figurines…”

“It is… are you both okay?”

“Yes, we’re fine.. Emma cleaned it up but there’s probably more glass there somewhere. Everything broke- but I will replace them,” Cora says but she doesn’t look at Regina.

“Mother..” Regina sighs. “It’s okay.. Don’t worry about replacing it. As long as both of you are okay, that’s all that matters.. I’m sorry about my temper earlier,”

“It’s understandable.. I suppose I’ll go somewhere to stay out of your way,” Cora tells her before leaving and Regina feels terrible over it. Emma just hugs her and tells her it’s okay even though they both know it really isn’t.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“So, I’ll see you guys later. I gotta go do something,” Emma informs the room of people before Regina stands and walks with her towards the door. Regina has to wait as the kids give her hugs and love and Henry pats her back. Cora disappeared a while ago which was no surprise to any of them. She and Regina leave the office and the brunette walks her to her car.

“You’re going to run this car to the ground if you don’t let it rest,” Regina tells her and Emma looks at the bug with a pout.

“That thing’s my baby. It’s been with me longer than pretty much everyone and everything in my life. It’s the only thing I know won’t literally just walk away from me and leave me. So, if I gotta ride her til she drydocks, I will…”

“Persistent,” Regina teases and Emma pouts harder. Regina kisses her and apologises. “I’m sorry, but you are persistent, hardheaded in most cases, but persistent nonetheless,”

“All I’m hearing is stubborn,” Emma grins softly and Regina kisses her again.

“That’s because those were just nice ways to say you are in fact stubborn, but I love you,”

“You better,” Emma tells her and Regina rolls her eyes. “I love you too. I’ll see you later,” she says to the brunette before kissing her forehead and going to her car.

“Come back to me in one piece,” Regina requests and Emma laughs.

“I will. I promise.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That’s the ring?” Neal asks Daniel as they float around the display case in the jewelry store.

“That’s the ring,” he smiles and Neal floats closer to it before he presses his face up against it, immediately forgetting he’s a ghost and having it go through the glass instead.

“It’s.. pretty,” he compliments and Daniel laughs.

“Thank Emma for that. The ring I proposed to Regina with was different. It was simple, just had the emerald on top. She wanted to add the diamond to it and the other ones Q says are referred toa s chocolate diamonds..I dunno, they look rootbeer coloured to me,” he laughs and so does neal

“Well she kept it, you can tell she didn’t wanna throw that part of you away…”

“Yes, I suppose I should thank her for that. When I came to talk with Q the other day I made him promise to look out for Emma,”

“Why’d you make him promise?”

“Because.. He was the blacksmith at the time who made the ring for me when I proposed to Regina.. And he’s also my uncle. He took care of me after my parents were killed in the war for the kingdoms…”

“Sorry to hear that,”

“Don’t be. They fought to protect others and that’s the image of them I keep. They weren’t perfect and they weren’t rich, but they gave me everything I ever needed and helped me get everything I ever wanted. The ring was from an original that my father had made for my mother… I asked Q to fix it for me and I kept it.. I kept it until I realized I was in love and even though I didn’t get to have Regina for more than a small spec in time, it still felt like forever to me,”

“Sooo, this is the second time this ring is being.. Redone?”

“It is. My father proposed to my mother with it and I proposed to Regina with it.. It’s just, I wasn’t meant for her at the time. Emma is, though,”

“How do you know that?”

“I told you already. Your father told me.. The blue fairy lied to me and he told me the truth. He told me I’d die eventually but that my proposal to her was still important. The blue fairy had appeared to me shortly before him and tried to deter me, but for some reason, your father wanted to help me,”

“Pfft, he didn’t. He needed Emma to live so that he could get her magic,” Neal scoffed and Daniel shook his head.

“He didn’t want her for that reason.. He made a promise…. he wanted to keep it…”

“Can you just tell me the whole story,” Neal groused and Daniel huffed.

“We both know we only got half the story. You have the second half of the story. Put two and two together and focus on getting four,” Daniel scolded and Neal groaned.

“Fine..” Neal caved before he went off on a miniature talk with himself over the situation. There was a thump and a sigh.

“Could you boys _not_ float around the store like it’s the new ghostly hangout?” Qupid questioned the young men and Daniel had to smother a laugh, but Neal was so focused on solving the obvious that he didn’t hear him.

“Sorry Q, Neal-,”

“-yeah?”

“Come on, we have to get going anyway. Emma’s coming soon and we pretty much maxed out our time down here for today. Q, we’ll see you later. Stay safe,”

“You too, Daniel,” he says before realizing what he just said, but Daniel just laughs.

“Kind of don’t need to worry about that considering I’m dead,” he reminds the old man and Qupid blushes. Daniel and Neal disappear just shy of Emma’s appearance.

“Qu! Hey, what’s up?” Emma questions the old man and he looks over at her .

“Hello, Emma. How are you?”

“I’m good.. Just left the kids with Regina so I could come pick up the ring.. Can I see it?” she asks and he nods before ushering her over to the display case. He takes it out and shines it a little before presenting it to her and Emma takes it greedily, her eyes watering by what’s before her. “It’s...beautiful,” she whispers and the man smiles a little sadly at her. “Qu- it’s..thank you,” she chokes out a heartfelt whisper and the man nods.

“It’s quite alright Emma.. here,” he tells her before pulling out a velvet purple box and giving it to her. She takes the box and sticks the ring in it before sniffling and wiping her face. Emma shoves the box in her pocket and pulls out her wallet, eyes welling up with tears.

“H-how much?”

“Nothing,” he tells her and she looks up at him quickly. Before she can even try to argue, he speaks. “Consider it a gift, Emma. I enjoyed constructing the ring. It was a beautiful piece to work with.. It’s on the house,” he tells her and Emma sputters out a few tears. She just nods and goes to hug the man who hugs her back and pats her back. Qupid looks up and sees a nod from Daniel and puts a thumb up.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“How were the interns today?” Emma questions Regina as they stare at the ceiling in their bedroom. The night sky is soft this evening, lacking in most appearances from the stars, but that’s been common lately when the clouds fill the sky. Regina sighs gently, clearly thinking about how to answer that.

“They were better I suppose.. I wasn’t around much of them today, which was thankfully a good thing,”

“You needed the break that bad huh?”

“Very much so..and it was good to spend some time with the boys and my mother, even if she slept most of the time…”

“She plays video games too late into the morning, that’s why,”

“This is true,” Regina agrees and they share a laugh. “I’m convinced she’s compensating for something painful,”

“You think it has to do with Mayim, still?”

“That’s the only thing that helps conclude it as plausible… unless something else has happened, I doubt my mother is focused on anything, but that,” Regina says and Emma pauses before she scoots closer to the woman and wraps her arms around her. She kisses Regina’s neck and sighs.

“She hurt her pretty bad, though,”

“Yes, but my mother is stuck on hoping she’ll change.. Or maybe she’s just waiting for the other shoe to drop and let it go,”

“Do you think Mayim knows she’s hurting her this bad?”

“I’m sure she’s aware she’s hurting her somehow, but what she doesn’t know, my mother won’t tell her.  My mother isn’t expecting her to know, but she’s also not expecting her to be that blind to the damage she has done. She cares about her, but if her caring about her brings her this much pain, she’s ready to let her go…” Regina tells her before going deathly quiet.

“We won’t end up like that,” Emma tells her because she knows that those exact words are what’s haunting Regina in that moment. The brunette burrows into Emma’s arms even more and sighs in content.

“I know.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 Thursday.

“No, I won’t be able to make lunch today, ma,” Henry lets her know and Emma huffs.

“Why?”

“Nick wants to talk. He sounded upset.. Just tell mom I’ll have lunch with you guys tomorrow,”

“It’s not your mom I’m worried about,” Emma tells Henry over the phone and the teen groans.

“Alright, put him on, let me talk to him,” Henry says and Emma hands Kohana the phone before she decides to clean the kitchen.

“Yes, yes I know..” Cora answered before rolling her eyes at the person on the other end of the line. “Stop yelling at me, that’s not necessary. I hear you. I understand you. I get it- no, you’re the one who doesn’t seem to understand… I don’t have to do _anything_ ,” Cora nearly seethes at them and Emma spins around, nearly losing balance as she watches Cora take a seat at the island and drop her head on the counter for a moment as she listens to the clear loudness of whoever it was on the other end of the line. “I didn’t _want_ to. I don’t have to do any and everything you say. I’m a grown woman, nearly senile enough to not have to deal with this shit any longer…. I DON’T CARE!” she yells and Emma flinches. She swallows and goes back to cleaning the fridge. “Fine.. yes well… _yes_ , later is fine.. Mhm,” Cora answers before hanging up. She drops the cordless phone and lets it clatter on the granite.

“Should I ask?” Emma questions after hearing the telltale sign of a sigh and Cora’s head thumping the counter. The old woman groans.

“No, but since I have nothing else to do for another hour, it was Mayim throwing a pissy fit over nothing,”

“ Didn’t sound like nothing,”

“It was, trust me.. I have to meet her in an hour,”

“So, you’re missing lunch today too,”

“Yes, I’m sorry, but she seems to be adamant that something’s wrong with me and I honestly don’t want to have this strung out longer than need be…”

“Kid’s not gonna be happy about this,”

“Which ‘kid’?” Cora asks.

“Kohana,” Emma answers as she pushes one of the drawers back in and reaches for the next one to push that in as well.

“You and Regina have him spoiled beyond measure,” Cora tells her and Emma grunts as she pushes the other drawer in. She has to jiggle it because for some reason it’s stuck and once she gets it to go in she huffs and turns to Cora with a smirk.

“We know,” the blonde agrees and Cora shakes her head. “Regina said this was tame though. Henry was apparently worse. Kid got whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it… unless it was ice cream for breakfast.. Kohana’s the only one who gets away with that one,” Emma acknowledges and Cora nods.

“He is.. I need to go get dressed..”

“Before you do that, you might wanna tell him you’re not going to lunch with us,”

“Why do I have to?”

“Because Henry’s already explaining why he can’t come either and because, that’s your grandson…”

“Fine, where is he..and why isn’t Henry coming?”

“Same situation as you. Nick’s mad about something and Henry has to go deal with it after his exams,”

“You’re trying to tell me it’s going to take him four hours to talk to Nick about why he’s mad? Henry’s been gone from nine this morning with Regina..” Cora reminds and Emma nods.

“I know that, but he has two exams today. That’s at least three hours and some change. I can’t put a timer on the time he spends with his friends.. Besides, I knew it was coming eventually,”

“How?”

“A certain someone is involved, that’s why?”

“ _No!_ ”

“Oh yeah,” Emma tells her and Cora sputters.

“ _How?!_ ”

“Ava likes him.. She works with him. Nick went to go pick her up one day and well.. You get the rest,”

“Oh boy,”

“Exactly… I already kind of gave him a heads up, but I don’t think he’s prepared for it even still,”

“Who would be.. Alright, I’ll talk to Hobbit Brown about my absence,”

“Thank you.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wow, you _actually_ showed up,” Mayim scoffed a little as she looked at Cora and the woman pretty much just sat without giving away any emotion that Mayim could focus on. They were meeting at a restaurant that was about five minutes away from where Mayim worked. Thankfully, no one there would recognize them if it ended in broken tables and tears.

“You asked- or rather, yelled that we needed to talk because I was quote ‘acting like you did something’.. I’m here like you requested,” Cora answers flatly.

“Yeah, but with a shittier attitude than usual,” Mayim tells her and Cora shakes her head.

“Whatever you say, Mayim.. You wanted to talk, so talk,” Cora speaks and the young woman before her shifts in her chair. Something causes her to sober up and actually talk to Cora instead of talking down at her.

“I tried calling you and texting you, but you never answered me,”

“I lost my phone,” Cora answered her immediately and the young woman looked confused.

“How?”

“Does it matter, the point is I misplaced it and haven’t found it since.. Is that all?”

“No.. I just- why are you acting like this?”

“I’m not ‘acting’ any form of way. You speak to me as if I’ve hurt you emotionally and abused you physically when I’ve done nothing of the sort. You are with Denny are you not?”

“Well..yeah-but-,”

“-So what does it matter how I’m acting? I’m giving you what you want.. Granted, you take what you want without asking anyway, but does that matter to you? No, it doesn’t… why are you so hellbent on forcing an answer out of me that I don’t have?” Cora asks her and Mayim freezes for a moment.

“Because..” she starts only to trail off and Cora pushes.

“Because what, Mayim? Because- what?”

“You were my friend first,”

“Yes and now Denny is both your best friend and your boyfriend, what’s your point?”

“I miss you.. I miss us. We used to get smashed together and out drink my old schoolmates and get into trouble,”

“Yes and then you took it one step too far and did the worst thing you possibly could by vandalizing an elderly person’s property and calling me a shit person for processing you,” Cora reminded her as if the girl clearly looked as though she genuinely forgot. Mayim went silent once more.

“I’m sorry about that,”

“Are you really sorry or are you just saying that because there’s some trouble in paradise with you and Dennison,” Cora questions, but doesn’t really at the same time because in all honesty, she could give no shits about Mayim and Denny’s issues.

“Both,” the woman admits and Cora’s head falls back as she lets out a soft and unbelievable laugh.

“I should have known.. And what exactly were you expecting me to do to help you solve your trouble in paradise?” she asks and now she’s genuinely interested. Mayim shifts uncomfortably.

“Nothing really.. I just thought I could talk to you about it,”

“And why would you want to talk to me about it? What help could I possibly offer you-,”

“-he proposed,” the girl blurts softly and Cora freezes in shock. She says nothing for all of one minute and Mayim looks oh so frightened. “Say something...please,” she begs and Cora actually manages some words.

“Congratulations,” she tells her and Mayim shakes her head.

“I didn’t say yes.. I.. I _can’t_ say yes.. I just...I can’t,” she admits to the older woman and is surprised when Cora just shakes her head.

“What are you expecting from me?”

“Tell me not to marry him.. Tell me I shouldn’t marry him,” she begs and Cora stands immediately, pushing the chair back with a screeching squeak. Some people turn around to look at her and Mayim before she’s shaking her head again.

“That’s not my place,” she tells her and Mayim stands up immediately after the words leave her mouth.

“Yes it is.. It always has been,” she admits to Cora but the old woman begins to leave the restaurant and Mayim shouts after her. “Stop!” she begs and Cora pauses, stumbling slightly before she shakes her head violently and continues to exit. Mayim picks up their jackets and goes after her. She manages to catch up to Cora and puts the jack on her shoulders. “Talk to me.. I just.. I need you to tell me not to,” she requests as she looks at Cora’s back. The older woman just stands there, questions littering her mind.

“Why? What does it matter? That’s your boyfriend. You deal with it-”

“-I can’t!” Mayim belts and Cora huffs.

“You can, you’re choosing not too,” she informs her and the young woman looks away from her. They’re now back to back.

“I’m not choosing.. I just.. What I want is for you to tell me not to,” Mayim repeats.

“Why me? Isn’t it enough that our friendship ended because of how you felt I handled a situation?” she asks and Mayim is about to answer, but Cora cuts her off. “Isn’t it enough that I let you do whatever it was you wanted and said nothing when you went overboard? Isn’t it enough that I was perfectly fine with you dating the manchild who eats any and everything and let you be around _my_ family even though it hurt like hell to watch? Wasn’t that enough, Mayim!?” Cora yells before she spins around, her eyes red and her anger spilling over. “Tell me! Wasn’t that enough that all I cared about was that _you_ ended up happy, no matter who that was with?!”

“Cora-”

“God damn it! ISN’T THAT ENOUGH!”

“NO!” Mayim shrieks out a tear filled yell. “IT’S NOT ENOUGH, YOU IDIOT! It n-never will b-be!” she sputters as her body goes weak with the force of the yell. She hangs her head, now fiercely wiping her tears away.

“Why?...why?” Cora questions and Mayim wipes at her face some more. Cora looks up at the sky for a moment as she inhales and comes down from her anger.

“He’s not you, and you’re not him,” Mayim tells her. It’s a convoluted way for her to say they both have parts of a whole that she wants.. or needs, but it’s as if she’s trying to tell Cora that the woman has more of everything than he does.

“You’re right, I’m not him.. I shouldn’t have to be him to be cared about either,” Cora spits and Mayim whimpers. “I shouldn’t have to be second best for you to care about me at all.. Or anyone for that matter… You care about him more than mostly anything else in your life- go marry him, have a happy fucking wedding and a lot of fucking children. Good luck,” she bites out before she turns to begin walking again. Before Cora can register anything past the hand on her shoulder soon yanking her back, she feels her heart drop so low, she’s not sure she’s ever felt this hurt over something.

“Look at me,” Mayim tells her and she manages to lazily focus on the woman.

“What?” she asks, losing all the momentum to continue this conversation.

“I don’t _want_ to marry, Denny,” Mayim whispers, looking into Cora’s eyes but the woman pulls away.

“Then do what suits you,”

“I can’t.. I need you to tell me not to.. I need to know that if you tell me not to, that means something,”

“It meant something before you ended up with him.. Finish that story, this one has been discontinued,” Cora just says and she’s not filtering anything or the tone of her voice either.

“Cora-,”

“-Mayim, stop it. I am not you, I am not your brain and I am not your heart. I cannot and will not decide for you just so you can blame someone in the end if it doesn’t work out the way you want it to. You ended up with Denny. Stay with Denny. I don’t care what you do anymore. I stopped the day you said what you said to me… Don’t you see that I’m not someone you can just hurt and come right back to because you need me to tell you not to make a mistake… I’m not your person, Mayim.. Not anymore. That’s Denny. So, marry him, have his kids- I don’t care what you do. Just don’t know me when you need me. That’s not how a friendship works,”

“I wasn’t trying to,”

“Oh, really now? Okay, then tell me what you were trying to do-,”Cora only manages to get most of the words out before she understands what exactly it is Mayim has been trying to say but just won’t. She feels a spark travel across her lips in a heated need for her to understand and to know just what Mayim is trying to telling her. Cora yanks herself away from the young woman and instantly sees the fear in her eyes. She still shakes her head. “We’re not doing this- you and me.. This is not happening,” she motions between them. “You are dating Dennison-,”

“-But I don’t want to anymore-,”

“-then tell him that, don’t tell me. I’m not some scapegoat you can just conjure up when you need it. Don’t do things like that…”

“I was trying to show you like you told me,”

“Not like this. And what’s to keep me believing you won’t do the same thing to me as you’ve done and are doing, to him?”

“You’re different,”

“And? _Different_ caused our friendship….Your need to be who you are and talk to me as if I was some criminal caused our friendship. Everything was all about you. Mayim this- Mayim that. Me, me me-frickin’ me!” Cora says disgruntled before she puts space between them. “Love me from a distance because I don’t trust you.. Care for me from a distance because I don’t trust you...Be with me from a distance Mayim- because I don’t trust you. You hurt me and now you’re about to hurt him all because you needed to forget me and now you want to remember again.. I didn’t go and drown in someone else’s bed even though I had the opportunity to do it. You didn’t see me partying with anyone else, or sleeping with someone else. You didn’t see me wreck our friendship by bringing another person into it and putting them before you. I didn’t wreck our story- you did that and because you did that, this is where we are. So fuck you and fuck this story. It’s over, it ended. Go be with Denny, for fucks sake!” Cora shouts at her, but her words are cracked. Mayim just stares at her, the gaze she’s giving Cora is one that’s smoldering. It’s intense, but it doesn’t frighten her in the slightest. Mayim walks forward and looks at her. She shifts her gaze to look between Cora’s eyes and reaches blindly for her hands. Cora gives in because she’s tired at this point. Tired of telling her to just go and she’s tired of thinking about it. She’s tired of talking about it. She’s just tired in general.

“Is that what you want?” Mayim asks her seriously, holding her stare.

“It’s not about what I want, Mayim. It never has been….”

“Tell me what you want me to do,”

“Make your own decisions like you always have been. I’m not waiting on anything or anyone. Life goes on and however it’s meant to pan out, I will let it,”

“Are you telling me to marry him?” she asks and Cora sighs heavily. Cora slips her hands out of Mayim’s hold and holds them against her chest.

“I’m telling you to leave me out of your decision making,” she says finally and turns before she’s walking away and drowns out Mayim’s words and pretty much everything else around her.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hey,” Henry says after walking out of the classroom from his previous exam. Nick pushes off the wall and walks over to him.

“Hey,” he waves a little awkwardly, but detached in the same breath. Henry shifts his backpack and looks at his friend for a moment.

“Sooo, what’s got you so upset?”

“You know why I’m mad-,” Nick begins but Henry cuts him off.

“-Actually- I don’t.. You might want to tell me before you go off on me,” Henry warns and Nick rolls his eyes.

“It’s about Ian,”

“What about him?”

“Are you two dating or something?” Nick questions and Henry looks beyond confused and a little offended.

“No...why?”

“Because… you haven’t really been talking to me and Ava says everytime she sees him he’s always smiling like he’s got a girlfriend or something,”

“Okay, Nicky first, I’ve been studying. Sorry for being radio silent but my grades are important, and how about you ask Ian about that. I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to him since that night,”

“I did today.... He said I should ask you…” Nick tells him and Henry shrugs as if that’s a half-assed answer. “Look, if you guys are dating, just tell me so I don’t waste my time,”

“Nick. You and I aren’t even dating.. And Ian and I aren’t dating either. He probably told you to ask me because of what you and I already went through,”

“Do you like him?”

“What?”

“I asked if you liked him?”

“Well, yeah I like him...why wouldn’t I?”

“Do you like him like you like me?”

“Nick-,”

“-Answer the question,” Nick cuts off and Henry huffs.

“I don’t know, Nick…”

“What do you mean ‘I don’t know’,”

“What do you think I don’t know means?” Henry sasses before he starts to walk out of the school and Nick follows behind him.

“Explain it to me,”

“I haven’t been thinking about any of that. I have exams, none of that is on my mind. I don’t know, now can you drop it?”

“No.. I wanna know.. Do you like him the way you like me?”

“What’s it matter if I do?”

“Because that just means I’m wasting my time with you!” Nick belts and Henry stops short, turning to face the young man.

“Seriously?! Is that the only reason you became my friend?” he questions the young man before him and the look he recieves tells him Nick now seems confused,

“What?”

“Answer the question… why are you friends with me?”

“Because you’re a good person and I like you,”

“So what the hell do you mean by you’re just wasting your time with me if I like Ian. If I like him- so freaking what.. You and I are supposed to be friends first Nick. Everything else doesn’t matter after that,”

“It matters to me-,”

“That’s because you make everything into a big deal when you shouldn’t…” Henry tells him and Nick goes silent. Henry sighs. “Nick, none of this should be on your mind right now.. Is this why you aren’t working for the summer- you’re too focused on this to bother getting a job?”

“It’s important to me,”

“Nick, no one should be important enough that you stop bothering to be active and live life,”

“You are though,”

“And you’re the same for me, but I’m not going to stop living life because you matter to me- or because I care about you,”

“I bet it’d stop for Ian-,”

“-Nick-”

“-Tell me I’m lying,”

“You are lying,” Henry answers him immediately. He looks like he doesn’t believe him. “I don’t care who it is, I’m not going to stop doing things in my life because at the end of the day everyone will move on with theirs. Even you. Let it go. It’s not that big a deal who I like from who I don’t like,” Henry tells him before he starts walking again and oddly enough, they end up bumping into Ian.

“Jesus, sorry,” the man apologises and they both look at him.

“It’s alright,” Henry smiles and Ian smiles back. Nick scowls at them both.

“How’s the scar coming along? Your mom said something about your little brother helping heal it or something?” he asks before Henry removes his collar to show the man that he is in fact scar-less.

“All gone, all good,” he smiles and Ian high fives him.

“Good- good. It’d been a sad day for you to not be able to show your chest anymore,”

“For who, me or the people I tend to attract?”

“Both,” Ian grins and Henry grins back. Nick huffs and bumps both of them out of the way and Henry rolls his eyes as he watches the boy stomp off.

“Sorry Ian, I gotta go.. I’m dealing with… well, hurricane Nicholas right now,”

“I can see that.. Guess that’s my fault. I told him to talk to you about it,”

“He said he asked you if we were dating and you told him that he should have asked me,”

“Uh- no. Since the other night, I told him I doubt you even liked me even as remotely close to the way you liked him…Today he asked me if we were dating because of what someone told him. Wasn’t paying attention to who he said it was- but.. That’s a thing. I don’t even think it’s about just you anymore… apparently someone else likes me too?”

“Oh yeah, all bent out of shape over you,”

“Crap… I didn’t ask for this,”

“Yeahhh, sorry you’re involved in teen drama,”

“I should be apologising, I guess I gave him the wrong impression by telling him to talk to you about it,”

“No, You shouldn’t have been involved in it to begin with and that’s my fault, so I’m sorry I put you in it to begin with,” Henry tells him but Ian shakes his head and hugs him.

“All good.. Just, you know, keep him from trying to kill me please?”

“I’ll see what I can do.. Listen, about the kiss-,”

“-Henry, it’s fine,”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m wholeheartedly sure. I’m a bisexual male who actually got an ego boost because a teen still thinks I’m attractive enough to kiss. You did me a favour more than anything else,” he admits and Henry rubs the back of his head.

“Okay..cool.. Listen, I gotta go and deal with Nick.. I’ll see you around,”

“Sure thing, Henry. Be safe.”

“Yeah, you too,” he tells the man before jogging up to catch up with Nick. He puts a hand to his shoulder and turns his around.

“What?!”

“You’re being childish,”

“No, I just don’t wanna see you cut up and flirt with your stupid boyfriend!”

“Ian’s not stupid-”

“ _Ian’s not stupid_ ,” Nick mocks and Henry scowls.

“You know what Nick.. you’re an ass and I really do not need to deal with this petty shit right now. I have exams I should be more concerned about, but you- you just ruined that all because you’re insecure over something that literally should not be your focus…”

“You can’t give me a straight answer,”

“Nick, I don’t owe you anything- especially an answer on this situation you wanted to turn into an issue...what the hell does it matter if I like Ian or not-,”

“-Because, I like you!”

“Don’t you think I know that?!”

“Clearly not,

“Nick- seriously, you kissed me. We’ve kissed multiple times. I’m not stupid. I know you like me-,”

“-But you like Ian,”

“WHO CARES!”

“I DO!”

“WHY!”

“BECAUSE, YOU’RE MINE- NOT HIS!”

“I’m not property, Nicholas,” Henry scolds and the boy growls at him.

“You’re my friend- mine! You just can’t kiss someone and kiss someone else knowing they like you,”

“Nick, I can do whatever the hell I want. I can kiss whoever I want. Why isn’t me being your friend enough for you? Why isn’t me being there for you enough? Can’t we just be friends and that be enough? Why are you trying to force me to figure something out that I don’t even know where to start with?”

“Because, I need to know… I don’t wanna waste my time with someone who can’t tell me how they feel about me,”

“Nick, we’re supposed to be friends-,”

“- I don’t want to be your friend… I can’t just be your friend anymore,” he admits and they’re once again interrupted. This time, by Grace and Ava.

“Hey guys,” Ava greets and Grace grins cheekily at them.

“Oh boy, they’re arguing,” she notices immediately and her cheeky grin fades. Ava huffs.

“Not again.. Guys, what’s the issue?”

“There is none,” Nick says flatly and Ava rolls her eyes.

“Nicky, you’re about one shade from being a tomatoe, what’s wrong?”

“I said _nothing_ , Ava!” he snaps and her face goes sad. He doesn’t even bother apologising at this point. Ava starts to cry a little before she’s walking away from the group and Grace punches his shoulder.

“You’re a dick, Nick,”

“How about you go suck one, Grace!”

“How about you stop being an asshole to people who care about you before you lose them, _Nicholas_!” Grace snaps before she shakes her head. “You two better solve your shitty problems because we didn’t become friends just to end up like this. We promised each other nothing comes before our friendship and you two idiots are screwing that up,” she scolds them both and Henry shakes his head before he now walks away. Nick stares at his bcak and hears Grace huff. She moves as well and then, Nick is left there standing by his lonesome.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Mayor’s office, how may I help you?”

“I need to see my daughter, now,” Cora told the young girl at the counter. She looked slightly frightened, but nodded and managed to not piss herself.

“W-who is your daughter Miss-,”

“-Mills.. Regina.. The mayor. That’s my daughter,” she answered her in a clipped tone and the young woman swallowed. She cheered silently when she managed not to misdial Regina’s line.

“Madame Mayor, your mother is here to see you,”

“Send her up,” she hears and Cora softens for the moment as she lets out a sigh.

“Thank you.. I’m in a bit of a distressed state right now, I do apologise for my tone earlier,” she tells the young woman and the girl smiles a little softly at her. Cora watches her nod before she puts her head down and pulls a piece of paper off the desk and scribbles something on it. She puts it on the top of the counter and slides it forward.

“If you wanted.. I was going to have drinks with a few of my friends later… that’s where we’re meeting and that’s my number,” she informs the older woman and Cora being the unfiltered little human she is has to ask,

“Are you hitting on me?” to which the young woman nods softly.

“If it’s not an insult to you, I’m not. I just wanted to invite you somewhere. You look like you could use it..”

“No, it’s not an insult… I’ll think about it,” Cora tells her.

“Good, that’s all I wanted to hear..have a nice day, Miss Mills,”

“You too…” Cora says before she’s trailing off and the young woman stretches her hand out.

“Talia,”

“Talia,” she repeats with a smile. “Well, Talia.. I’ll let you know,” she reminds her and they loosen their grip on each other’s hands. Cora walks up the flight of stairs and towards Regina’s door where she sees an intern leave with a heavy breath and surprisingly- no tears. She walks right in to see Regina with glasses threatening to slip off her porcelain face.

“Hi, mother,” she acknowledges and Cora speaks.

“Hi…” she says but she trails off and Regina’s eyebrow quirks. She sets her pen down and looks up.

“Something’s wrong,” she comments and Cora closes her office door.

“I just got invited to go out drinking with your ummm… secretary?”

“My what?”

“The young woman at the front desk,”

“The receptionist-,”

“-yes, her..she invited me to go out with her… that wasn’t the same young lady at the desk the last time…”

“No, I had to switch them.. My other receptionist seemed to be a bit… frazzled handling things like that,”

“Mm.. good choice,”

“I pride myself on those most days.. Mother,”

“Hmm?”

“What’s the matter?” she queries and Cora shrugs but finds herself sitting on Regina’s couch, fingering the edging of the paper. Regina pushes her desk chair out and then walks towards her mother before she’s sitting beside her and nudging her. “You can tell me, mama,” she says softly and Cora smiles somewhat before she speaks.

“Well, you know why I couldn’t make lunch today,”

“Yes, you said something about having to talk with Mayim..how did that go?”

“Ohhh it _went_ , alright,” Cora admits and Regina huffs.

“Not well, I take it?”

“Not in the slightest… Denny proposed.. She wanted me to tell her not to marry him and then...she- kissed me,” Cora recapped with a bit of a light tone at the end. Regina’s eyebrows went up.

“What did you tell her?”

“Many- many things.. We argued more than we talked and basically she wants me to make a decision for her because she doesn’t want to date him anymore.. I don’t know where her head is and I don’t care.. I’m just tired of fighting with people I care about. I’m tired of it all. I didn’t ask to feel something and because I did- this shit happens…. I told her I don’t care what she does anymore. I told her to marry him and have his kids because she chose him over our friendship. I told her not to put me in her decision making because our friendship ended when she said what she said to me. She only wanted to meet with me so that I could make a decision for her. You don’t tell someone you don’t want to marry the person who proposed to you because you need them to tell you not to. She put me in the middle and I took myself out of the situation. I am not going to be there when Mayim makes a mistake and expects me to help her clean it up. She’s old enough to take responsibility for her own problems…”

“She is, but it just sounds like you really liked her, to me,”

“I did, but I’m not going to be an idiot when it comes to her. Talia invited me out and I just might take her up on that,”

“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”

“I want to forget.. This is the best way I can,”

“It’s not, but it’s your decision,”  her daughter tells her and even though Regina’s right, Cora can’t help but say,

“It is, and I’d just be happy if you would let me make it,”

“I will.. I’m just saying it’s not the best way to forget,”

“I’m aware but I will do it anyway,”

“I know, mother..if you’d like to rest you can, but I have to get back to work. I take it you just wanted to tell me about your endeavours as of late?”

“Yes, that’s it.. I’ve felt enough emotion today,”

“You did rather well,” Regina tells her and Cora laughs.

“Dear God, I failed miserably,” she jokes and Regina smirks.

“It could not have been that bad, mother,”

“It was.. I’ve never felt this drained… I’ve never had to argue with your father over anything of the sort. One thing I can say about that man, he spoiled me beyond need….”

“Mayim’s female.. She will be an emotional wreck when you least expect it and when you do expect it..which is all the time,”

“Women are complicated little shits,”

“That’s a not so nice way of putting it, but it is true,”

“Unapologetically me,”

“This is also true,” Regina says before standing and walking back over to her desk. “Do you feel any better?”

“To be honest… no, not even slightly and I know I won’t even if I decide to get my face smashed tonight, but I just.. Want to forget…”

“I know. It’s okay,”

“Is it? Is being brokenhearted really okay, Regina?” Cora finds herself asking and she asks this because Regina’s experienced that already.

“No.. it’s not, mama. It’s never okay- the pain of it, the memory of it.. None of that is okay. It never will be either. There will be moments when you think about it and times when all you can do is think about it, and there will be moments where it doesn’t register at all, but when you think about it, you feel everything it’s ever made you feel, all the pain, all the sorrow-everything… you get older, you get stronger, but never against it.. You never seem to master how to handle the heartbreak…”

“I’m sorry,” she hears her mother whisper to her and she snaps from her daze.

“Whatever for?”

“Being the cause of the pain you feel even to this day,”

“Mama, it may never go away, but I have Emma now.. I have her, and you and Henry and we’re going to have more kids. We promised each other that nothing will stop us from being happy and it’s something we intend to keep. You don’t have to still be sorry about what happened to Daniel.. He had to leave me for a reason…. It’s fine,”

“You always say that but I can’t help but believe it isn’t,”

“It is though. It’s just life, and it’s a life I have accepted….rest, mama. We’ll talk about things some other day,” Regina promises and Cora nods before she lies on her back and falls asleep. Regina covers her up, kisses her forehead and goes back to her work.

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The doorbell to the house rang and Emma answered.

“Oh, Ian- hi?”

“Umm, hi- sorry, Henry called me. He asked if I could come over to talk,”

“It has something to do with this weird teen drama, doesn’t it?” Emma asks knowingly.

“I think it still does. I bumped into him and Nick earlier and it wasn’t pretty,” Ian informs and Emma sighs.

“No wonder his face has been screwed in nine different directions.. Come inside, I’ll call him,” Emma says and at first Ian is hesitant. “Don’t worry, you’re safe in here.. Just sit in the kitchen or something and I’ll go get him,” Emma commands and the young man listens.

“How’s the arm?” he asks Emma as she’s about to disappear from the kitchen. She waves the casted limb and smiles.

“Getting used to the idea that I can’t do many things without it.. And constantly bumping into things all the time….” she grins and Ian laughs.

“Should have told you about that,” he says but Emma shakes her head.

“Nah, it’s cool.”

Once Henry comes into the kitchen, Emma leaves them be.

“Hi,” Henry says and Ian turns around.

“Hey, you wanted to talk about something,”

“Yeah- actually, I wanted to apologise for how Nick was to you earlier and how he’s been acting. He’s struggling with his sexuality and his temper’s shortened as of late...Since the whole confusion and kissing thing, he’s been really possessive and scared that I don’t feel the same way about him the way he does about me,”

“Do you?”

“That’s just it, I don’t know.. I don’t know what I feel. I know I like him, I know I realllly like him, but Nick’s in love with me and I don’t think I feel that much for him,”

“So, tell him,”

“I can’t. He’s not listening. He’s stuck on labelling you as my boyfriend and telling me that I’m lying.. He’s so paranoid about it all that he’s convinced we’re dating all because of what Ava said,”

“What did she say?”

“She just said it looked like you had a girlfriend or something because you were smiling more than usual like all googly I guess. I don’t know,”

“My transfer was approved,” Ian admits softly and Henry looks at him.

“What transfer?”

“To the hospital. They’re taking me from the genral practice area and putting me in one of the sections of the hospital. I don’t know which one yet, but I know I’ve been approved,”

“That’s awesome. Congratulations,”

“Thanks.. Maybe she misread my emotions, but that’s all it’s been. I’m not dating.. I’m too afraid to,”

“Why? You’re a good looking guy, you’re smart.. Anyone would be lucky to have you,”

“Yeah, I guess.. But I don’t have the confidence to find out,”

“Maybe I can help.. Ava really likes you.. How about going out with her,”

“She’s what? Fifteen?”

“Sixteen but who’s counting?”

“I am.. I’m not trying to go to jail,” he reminds the teen and Henry makes an oh face.

“Sorry, I keep forgetting you’re not our age...okay, maybe I can ask around and see who else likes you. I’m sure there are people out there. Ava’s ogling you every chance and I’m almost positive some of the other interns are too,”

“Only two of them are in my age group,” he admits. “And they’re both dating each other,” he then says and Henry shakes his head.

“Then we’ll broaden the search. I’ll ask my grandma’s friend and see if she can help,”

“Thanks Henry, but you don’t have to,”

“It’s the least I can do for screwing up half your life already,”

“You didn’t,” Ian tells him before patting his shoulder. They stand and walk towards the door and as Henry opens the door and walks Ian outside, he hugs him and Ian hugs him back. “Who knows, maybe I’ll find someone awesome like you and we’ll get gay married and have gay babies,” Ian jokes and Henry punches him.

“If that happens, I’ll be the best man,”

“I’ll hold you to it,” he tells him. Ian and Henry say their goodbyes and as the man drives off, Nick comes up and is squinting to look at the car. He sees Henry standing outside and staring at the driver and rolls his eyes.

“Was that Ian?” he asks and Henry nods.

“Yeah, we needed to talk about a few things,”

“Why?”

“Because you’re being ridiculous and I needed to apologise to him,”

“I’m not being ridiculous,”

“Then what are you being Nick, because it damn sure isn’t sane,” Henry tells him and Nick huffs.

“I didn’t come to argue this time.. I actually wanted to see if we could talk it out,”

“Why should I hear anything you have to say with the way you’ve been,”

“Because this determines whether or not we’ll be friends or enemies at this point,” Nick tells him and Henry throws his head back.

“What are you on about, Nick?”

“Can we talk inside,”

“...fine.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Well, our son is in the backyard arguing with Nick. Ian just left and Kohana’s down for his nap,” Emma says and Regina hums.

“Mother’s still asleep as well.. She had a discussion with Mayim that turned into a full fledged argument,”

“Henry’s still _having_ his argument and it’s literally almost sundown. Ian said they bumped into each other from earlier today and Nick and Henry were pretty much arguing from then-”

“- _Isn’t that enough!”_  Emma hears Henry yell and she pauses.

“Shit, it’s getting worse,” she informs and Regina sounds worried.

“What’s happening?” she asks just before she sees Henry and Nick shoving each other back and forth.

“What’s happening is that I need to go stop those two from fighting each other, give me a minute,” Emma says before dropping the phone and rushing outside. “Hey! Hey! Stop-that,” she manages before yanking the boys apart and pushing them both back. “CUT THE CRAP! BOTH OF YOU!” she yells over both of them yelling at each other and Henry stops moving just as Nick stops moving. “Talk like men, if you can’t do that, then don’t talk at all,” she says and Henry speaks, huffing and puffing.

“Why can’t friendship be enough for you, Nick?!” he asks angrily and the boy bites back.

“Because I like you, Henry!”

“Don’t you think I like you too?!” Henry flails his arms and Nick yells at him even angrier than before.

“It’s not the same!”

“Of course it’s not the same, Nick! I don’t know what I’m dealing with- stop pushing my hand to figure it out. I’m only fifteen. I don’t wanna know right now.. I just wanna live. Can’t we just do that without the labels?”

“I need to know,” Nick tells him.

“Nick, you don’t need to know anything right now. And if you feel like that, I’m not the only person to get an answer from if that’s the case,”

“You are, you’re the only person that’s ever mattered enough for me to talk about that with,”

“You’re putting unnecessary pressure on me over a situation that has nothing to do with me,”

“It has everything to do with you,”

“That’s because you made it that way. I never gave you any implication that I wanted to be your sole focus or that I should only be your sole focus. Why isn’t friendship enough?”

“Because a while back you told me you liked me too,”

“Because I did.. I still do,”

“You act as if you’ve forgotten that,” Nick spits and Henry huffs.

“I haven’t forgotten anything. It’s all too much to focus on right now. And you haven’t made it any easier with your paranoia over Ian,”

“You kissed him after you kissed me,”

“Because I was confused! I still am, Nick,”

“Why couldn’t you just tell me that?”

“I have. You refused to listen…. Isn’t our friendship enough for you?...Isn’t that enough?” Henry asks him, tired of it all and Nick shakes his head, the hurt blatant in his body language and facial expressions.

“No, Henry… it’s not. It’s not when you’re in love with your best friend and he doesn’t love you back.. It’s not enough when you feel you have to compare with an older guy because he’s cuter or seems more interesting than you. It’s not enough that I thought I would have and could have been enough for you when it sounds like I’m nowhere near anything for you.. So, no Henry. Friendship is not enough.. None of this is enough.. I thought you felt something-,”

“- I did,”

“Yeah, but not enough that it was anything important. Did I really disgust you that much that you had to go and kiss your PT doctor?”

“Nick-,”

“-I don’t wanna know...You like Ian and that’s obvious.. You like him more than you like me,”

“That’s not true,”

“Doesn’t matter anymore, does it?”

“Nicky-,”

“-Henry.. It doesn’t matter anymore..say it,”

“But it does,” he tells him. His words soften and his heart feels heavy with the weight of it. Nick shakes his head.

“Not enough for you to tell me you don’t like Ian the way I like you… I’m going home. This was a waste of time..” he says before he turns to leave and Henry just lets him. He falls to his knees shortly after and curls up on the grass. Emma bends down and rubs his back but he flinches away.

“Just go, ma.. Please,” he begs her and she obeys his request.

 

“It’s bad,” she whispers on the phone and she hears Regina sigh heavily.

“What’s happened?”

“Nick left.. they… I don’t know. He doesn’t want anyone near him right now.. He’s crying on the grass outside...can you just come home now.. Please.. I miss you and today’s just been terrible,”

“I will.. I love you, Emma,”

“I love you too, Regina.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“You look nice,” Regina comments with a smile on her face as she looks away from her book long enough to take in her mother’s appearnace.

“Yeah, you look pretty hot there, Cora,” Emma compliments and the old woman blushes as she looks down at her attire.

“Are you sure it’s not too much?”

“It’s not.. It’s enough and a little more,” Emma compliments, hoping to give the woman’s ego a bit of a boost. Cora just nods softly, seeming to accept the compliment. “So, where are you guys supposed to meet?”

“At one of her friend’s house,”

“Who is she again?”

“My receptionist,” Regina grins and Emma looks impressed. “She hit on my mother and I don’t know if I should be proud of this old woman or frightened that my mother will turn into some pimp,”

“Guess I should have gotten lessons from Cora. I’d have been with you faster than this,”

“The point is, you’re with me now,” Regina tells her before kissing her cheek.

“True.. Cora, have fun, yeah?”

“I’ll try,” the woman agrees and that’s all they can ask for. Regina then fiddles for somthing and tosses them at her mother. Cora has fast enough reflexes to catch them and squint. “Why are you giving me your keys- I can’t drive,” she reminds her child and Regina rolls her eyes before she stands.

“I know you can’t drive.. I’m taking you so that you don’t have to pay for a taxi,” she tells her mother and Cora nods.

“Oh, I knew that,”

“Right,” Regina grins before she turns back to Emma and kisses her. “I’ll be back.. Please try to make sure Kohana actually goes to bed this time,” Regina tells her and Emma pouts.

“You know he won’t sleep unless we’re both there to give him kisses and he definitely won’t go to sleep early even if we do.. Kid’s too smart,”

“No, he’s spoilt and I wonder why,” Cora say to both of them and the women both blush.

“Come on, mother. Let’s get you to your party.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Okay, but what if I just pretend sleep?” Kohana asks and Emma laughs.

“Kid, as much as that _sounds_ like a good idea.. It’s not a good idea. Your momma will definitely know.. And then she’ll punish me because you aren’t sleeping,”

“But mommy, I’m not sleepy.. Not at all,” he tells her and she sighs.

“I know. You never seem to be sleepy….tell you what- me and you will watch a movie until you are sleepy and then I’ll put you to bed. Deal?”

“You and momma?” he asks but Emma shakes her ehad.

“I don’t think so, kiddo. Momma went to take nana to a friend’s and we don’t really know where that is. She could live pretty far out, or really close.. But if she is close then momma might be back in time to help tuck you in,”

“...’kay.. Can we watch minions?”

“Oh boy...sure, kid. Go put it in,” Emma tells him and he claps happily. He scrambles back into the chair and settles against Emma.

“Where’s Henry?

“He’s taking a rest.. He had a rough day today,”

“What happened?” Kohana asks as he pauses to look at Emma and she turns to face him too. Her features soften as she lowers her body so that she’s eye level with him.

“He and a really close friend aren’t friends anymore,” Emma tells him and the child looks as though he’s now hurt by the news.

“Will they ever be friends again?”

“I honestly don’t know.. That’s a question you’ll have to ask Henry when he wakes up… but for right now, let’s watch the minions and wait for momma to get home, okay?”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“ I think this is it,” Cora said as she pushed her face forward and looked up at the building. The house was in another suburb but it was blatantly obvious that whoever owned it was well off.

“Well damn,” Regina commented as she halted the car and allowed Cora to call Talia and find out. They don’t have to wait for the woman to answer the phone because Cora sees this leggy human come towards the car and knock on the window.

“I think you were right,” Regina says and Cora swallows before screwing the window down.

“You made it!” Talia greets happily before she bends a little lower. “Good night, Madame Mayor,” she then says to Regina and the brunette smiles.

“Hello, Talia.. Please take care of my mother and I’ll see you tomorrow..mother, have fun,” Regina says and Cora smiles before she gets out of the car and shuts the door. Talia puts a hand to her shoulder and guides her up the walkway.

“Let me introduce you to the gang,” she says before she ushers her inside. “Guys! Look who’s here,” Talia announces and the music stops, people stare and smiles grace their faces. Talia goes through the process of introducing Cora to everyone in the room and then saying, “More people are supposed to come over later,”

“More? There’s well over fifty of you in here, how many more are you expecting?”

“ ‘bout thirty.. We do this every Thursday. Since we’re all either law or medical students we need our weekends not our weekdays. So, we party like thirty something parents and get stupidly drunk once a month, but drink at a friend’s house every Thursday,”

“Just for fun?”

“Just for fun.. Come on, I’ll get you something to drink,” she says and Cora follows her into the kitchen. Talia gets her a Jack and Coke and after tasting it, Cora spits it out which makes the young woman laugh at her. “I had a feeling you’d hate that,” Talia comments.

“Then why did you give it to me?”

“Just wanted to know if you could take something that crappy and not cry,”

“Well,” Cora says as she sets the drink down. “That’s a shitty drink.. Can I have something good now?”

“You can, what do you want?”

“Anything that isn’t that or an appletini…”

“Too fruity for you?”

“Yes, tastes like syrup straight from the bottle,”

“Agreed.. Here, not too fruity, not-not fruity enough,” she offers and Cora takes it with a smile before she drinks it and exhales happily.

“Okay, this is better,”

“Good, let’s go. My plan is to get you just drunk enough that you pass out,”

“Sounds like you intend to take advantage of me,”

“Not even remotely close…” she tells her before the doorbell knocks off and she jumps. “Oh! Guess that’s the rest of the crew,” she informs and Cora follows her to the door. When Talia opens the door, she’s speaking for only a moment. “The other people are friends of a friend.. I don’t really talk to them much, but some of them are like recent grads and whatever else. They’re supposed to be really-” she stops short and Cora looks through the doorway. Her heart drops as she swallows.

“Shit.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When Regina finally got home, she was greeted by little feet sprinting for her, covered in white socks she was sure would be destroyed after that.

“Mommaaaaa!” he screamed as he tore down the walkway and for Regina. He jumped into her arms and she caught him easily before kissing the top of his head.

“Hi honey.. I see mommy didn’t put you to bed,”

“That’s because I promised him we’d wait up for you so we both can put him to bed,” Emma says as she walks up to the pair and leans over to kiss Regina and rub the top of their son’s head.

“Yup, mommy said you’d come tuck me in,”

“He didn’t want to sleep unless we both did,” Emma adds and Regina shifts Kohana in her hold. Regina rubs the child’s back and nods at the blonde before taking him inside with Emma following closely behind. Once they’re inside, they take him upstairs, read a story to him and put him to bed. They both check in on Henry and he’s still balled up on his bed, covered by his blanket and just done with the world and the people in it. They shut his door and go into their own room before they shower together and lie down.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I did not know you two knew each other,” Talia whispers to Cora but the old woman sighs.

“It’s perfectly alright. I’l just...ignore her for the evening- or better yet, the rest of my life,” Cora mutters and Talia tilts her head, looking at the woman with inquisition.

“What happened between you two?” she then questions as they sit side by side in the couch. Mayim and Denny are sitting directly across from them. Denny is too busy trying to kiss her to notice she couldn’t be bothered with him at all. Cora looks away from that.

“Nothing you need to be concerned with. Nothing I need to focus on ever again,”

“If you say so.. You need a distraction- and I’m going to distract you,”

“And how do you propose you’ll do that?”

“Get up and let’s go play some games. My cousin set up a playstation in the other room,”

“Now that.. I can get behind,” Cora smiles and Talia grins.

“I didn’t know you gamed,” she says and Cora grins back as they stand.

“There are many things you do not know,”

“Teach me?”

“I just might,” Cora winked and they left the room. Meanwhile Mayim finally took notice that Denny was trying to kiss her and shoved him off.

“Could you stop?” she asks him angrily and he pauses, whimpering like a puppy. She softens and leans in to kiss him. “I’m sorry, Den.. just not feeling it, hun,”

“You wanna go home?”

“No- no.. it’s not like that.. I guess I’m just not up for the PDA right now,”

“oh..okay,” he answered with a soft nod of the head. Mayim smiled sadly at him and kissed his cheek again.

“Let’s drink and get stupid drunk.. I wanna have some fun,” she tells him and he brightens at that with an eager nod before he’s up and gone to get them more drinks. Mayim sighs the second he goes, but it’s of both relief and extreme tiredness. She doesn’t know how much longer she can keep it up for, but she’ll damn sure try to for as long as she can.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“So... the house is in some rich family area?” Emma asks through a grunt as she tumbles onto the bed. Regina helps her right herself and is extremely careful with her arm. She then settles herself next to the blonde and shakes her head.

“It’s a well off suburb,” she comments as she pulls a book from the nightstand and turns to her marked page.

“AKA- rich people area,” Emma laughs and Regina pinches her thigh.

“What did I just say?”

“I’m just saying.. We live in one, they live in one. It’s not surprising.. You did make StoryBrooke a thriving little kingdom… but your mom’s okay- she wasn’t nervous or anything?”

“Not as far as I can tell, no. She looked eager if I’m being honest,”

“She wanted out that badly..” Emma comments and Regina sighs.

“She wanted more than that.. But it looked as if Talia would take care of her,”

“Better than Mayim did or?”

“I would be inclined to say so…”

“She’s how old again?”

“23,” Regina answers and Emma nods before she goes silent. Emma shifts a little and Regina moves her body to allow the woman space to move around. Emma huffs before she turns to Regina and leans over to kiss her neck. The brunette moans lightly before pulling away gently. “We can’t,” Regina tells Emma but the blonde pushes forward, neglecting the broken arm and aiming for Regina’s..well, anything. Regina pushes her back and puts a finger to her lips. “Emma, we can’t,”

“Just ignore it,” she pleads with the woman but Regina shakes her head.

“It’s kind of hard not to notice it, sweetie,” she responds and Emma groans.

“But I need it.. I need _you_. I’m pulsing down there,” she admits without a damn filter and Regina groans, both from pleasure and the disruption it’s doing to her lower half. She leans in only so much and kisses Emma back, finding that she melts way too easily into the blonde’s kisses. She pulls herself back once more.

“Emma, your arm is broken,” Regina tells her, looking between her eyes and noticing the woman is about ready to throw a fit .

“I can’t go three months without sex!” she complains and Regina sits up straight.

“You went about two years without it,”

“Yeah, but that’s because I didn’t want it from Hook. I _want_ it from you.. I need it..badly. Do you know how good the release felt when I got what I wanted?” Emma questions and because she knows Regina has a smart ass mouth, she answers over her. “Don’t answer that,” she says and the brunette grins. “Regina..” she says before taking the woman’s hand and slipping it into her shorts. Regina’s fingers curl immediately once she feels what she knows is Emma’s clit and that forces the blonde to whimper slightly. The brunette’s mouth falls open slightly as she sees Emma bite down on her lip and shudder with the feeling. “You do that to me,” she admits before she pushes Regina’s hand lower and the brunette can feel the slick wetness between Emma’s swollen folds. Emma hisses lightly when Regina stops bothering to have control over her fingers and they graze the blonde’s entrance. “ _shit!_ ” Emma hisses and this time her body juts forward with the motion. She swallows thickly and lets go of Regina’s hand. “ _please,_ ” she whispers urgently and Regina is just staring at her in awe.. And what she can feel radiating off of the woman as love.

The brunette steadies herself on one arm and begins the working motion of the other, slowly swiping her fingers up and down the hardened nub. She watches with a fire that’s been ignited in her eyes as the blonde muffles squeaks and groans through her pleasure. Regina shifts closer and brings her lips to Emma’s, consuming Emma’s moans as she circles her fingers on the woman’s clit and feels Emma jerk forward against them. Emma stills her hand and breaks the kiss.

“Right there,” she whispers to Regina and the brunette tilts her head. Emma shifts the woman’s hand and speaks. “Can you feel that?” Regina nods. “It’ll be over before I can finish a sentence if you stay right there,” she tells Regina and the woman picks up exactly what she means. Regina, without any form of go ahead, starts up a rhythmic stroke. Her fingers graze Emma’s outer ridges and the wetness between the blonde’s thighs, pool just enough that it gives Regina the right amount of lubrication to stroke faster and harder. She puts her lips to Emma’s once more and somehow pulls the blonde on top of her. Regina stills Emma’s body as her fingers pick up in pace and because the blonde is reaching for her hand to draw it out, Regina moves it away and keeps a firm grip on it as she continues to give the blonde what she begged for. True to Emma’s words, her orgasm hit faster than she could formulate a sentence. Emma jerks forward and freezes. Her hand catches hold of Regina’s and the smallest most frightened whimper leaves her.  She breaks the kiss without trying to and collapses on top of Regina. Regina tilts her head up and smirks until she hears sniffling. When she opens her eyes, the blonde is in tears.

“Emma! Did I hurt you?” she asks the woman in worry but Emma shakes her head and wipes at her face. She buries it in Regina’s neck. Regina wants to touch her but she doesn’t because she’s nearly positive she did hurt Emma. “Are you sure?” she asks again but Emma shakes her head and manages a soft smile. She kisses her neck and tries sitting up before she looks at Regina and then kisses her again.

“It was just intense.. That’s all…” she tries to ease the brunette but Regina looks at her as if she’s not so sure she believes that.

“Have you ever.. Has this ever..” she tries asking in so many ways and Emma shakes her head.

“This is the first time,” she admits.

“Did I hurt you?” Regina asks because that’s the only concern of hers. “Please tell me I didn’t just take advantage of you, Emma. I’m sorry-,”

“-hey.. No, that’s not it.. It was just intense… it’s medically possible that a woman can and does cry after sex… I’m okay, I promise.. I just had a really intense orgasm that I’ve never experienced before,”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Good? It’s fucking great.. I’ve never came that fast. I mean, I may not be able to walk for like two hours, but that’s totally good with me...thank you,” she says to the woman and Regina finds that she smiles just a little.

“For what?”

“Giving me an orgasm that’ll make me sleep good tonight,” she says and Regina’s smile softens.

“I feel like I’ve hurt you,”

“You didn’t and I don’t know how to prove that to you but…” she says before she stops and tries to stand up on the bed… “pull em down,”  she then tells the brunette and Regina hesitantly does so. Emma drops back on top of the woman and says. “Look.. Not bleeding, not mangled..just swollen and sated..and still horny if I must admit,” she adds and Regina moans. The brunette has to remember to keep control of her hands because if she doesn’t, one would end up back on Emma’s bare goods and she’s not so sure she’d stop fucking her if she starts up again. She instead pushes Emma’s shorts back up and the blonde settles herself back on top of Regina’s chest. “My body is tired but my libido is annoyingly strong… tell me a story?”

“Are you sleepy?”

“mhmmm,” the blonde mumbles quietly and Regina has to smirk just slightly.

“What story would you like to hear?”

“How you fell in love with Daniel,” the blonde says, snuggling closer and Regina runs her fingers through Emma’s hair.

“Would you be surprised if I said it and the way I find myself falling for you were and still are the same?”

“No.. I’d feel special knowing I was worth falling in love with to begin with,”

“How do you think I feel?”

“The same, I guess,” Emma acknowledges and Regina hums. “But you were worth it to him and you’re worth it to me,” Emma then finds herself saying and feels when Regina’s hand stills against her head. The brunette kisses her head and begins to rub her back.

“You are very much worth it to me as well, Emma.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Shit.. I forgot something. I will be _right_ back,” Talia said as she stood from her spot on the floor and Cora looked at her.

“What do you want me to do until then?”

“Play a round or two by yourself.. I won’t be long, just need to find it and I’ll be right back,” she says and Cora nods. Talia exits the room and Cora turns back to the screen and begins to game. She’s so engrossed in it that when the door open rather closely after it has been shut, she just blurts out a sentence.

“That was fast.. What took you so long?” she joked, but the response she gets, isn’t from Talia- hell, it’s not the person she was hoping it would be who answers her.

“I had to get away from Denny first,” comes the words and Cora drops her controller. She turns back to see Mayim standing in the doorway, beautiful as ever and -why was she thinking about how beautiful this girl was.. She hurt her. “Hi,” she waved a little awkwardly and Cora swallowed. She turned back to her game and picked up the controller. She says nothing for all of two minutes and Mayim sighs before walking into the room. “Is this your way of telling me you want nothing to do with me?”

“What do you want, Mayim?” Cora finally asks and the young woman pretty much shrugs.

“ still don’t know,”

“Then steer clear of me,” she says before there’s a telltale sign of someone nearing the room. Mayim walks closer to Cora until her knees are at the woman’s back and she bends down.

“I can’t,” she admits but Cora rolls her eyes.

“You’ve done it before.. You can do it again,” Cora reminds her and the sound gets even closer. Cora can see the young woman out the corner of her eye but vows to keep her focus on the game.. That is until Mayim takes the controller from her and she _has_ to look at her. Before she can actually formulate a complaint, Mayim presses her lips against Cora’s.

“Hey- I found it.. Turns out someone was sitting on i-,” Talia manages before her eyes settle on the pair before her. Cora shoves Mayim off of her. Something registering in her mind that this is not what she wants. She hasn’t noticed anything besides that, so Talia standing in the doorway isn’t something that fuelled her to do it. She pushes herself back and shakes her head at Mayim.

“I told you this wasn’t going to happen,” she reminds the young woman and Mayim stands before she tosses the controller at Cora. She looks at the doorway and Cora follows her line of sight. Mayim smirks at Talia and Talia continues to gape at them.

“I’ll see you around.. Cool party, Talia,” Mayim says as if she did absolutely nothing wrong and walks straight out the room. There is silence amongst them for a good bit until Talia opens her mouth.

“Should I ask?” she questions and Cora sighs and shakes her head, a soft-

“No,” leaves her lips.

“Are you… are you- o.kay?”

“I don’t know,” she says.

“Why did she do that?” Talia asks quietly and Cora shrugs.

“Once again.. I don’t know,”

“Have you two..did you two..date?”

“Never,” Cora whispers. Talia sits next to her and hugs her.

“I’m sorry…”

“So am I,” the woman answers dejectedly.

“You did nothing wrong,”

“I think I have.. I’m just too out of it to remember what..”

“No.. you did nothing wrong… you have to remember that and you have to know that.. I would have been back sooner, but someone was sitting on my backpack.. And then I noticed her lapdog was missing his master and I completely forgot about the backpack and came up here..since I didn’t hear anything, I thought nothing happened until…”

“Until you saw a kiss that looked like I could have wanted it.. Or did want it,”

“No.. I saw her taking it as an opportunity to do something stupidly reckless because she knew she could..she’s afraid,”

“Of who?”

“Not who, but what. She thinks we’re together.. At least based on how she said cool party like it was nothing- I’d say that’s her assumption,”

“Why would she think that?”

“I don’t know. You know her better than I do,”

“So you may think, but I barely know anything good about Mayim past her need to constantly be where alcohol is and be around people who drink more than they formulate sentences…”

“How old is she again?”

“Eighteen… or somewhere around there…” Cora mumbles and Talia tilts her head.

“..mmm, come on,”

“Where are we going?”

“We’re leaving.. You look like you could use the solitude anyway…” Talia tells her and she takes a moment to think before standing. They walk out of the room and Cora waits for her to get her backpack before they say goodbyes to a group of people Cora can tell are the woman’s friends and coworkers. Talia then tosses her keys at her guy friend and they walk outside. “I would drive but, I’m intoxicated and I don’t think the Mayor would deem me good influence if I drove with her mother whilst drunk..that and I could never bring myself to do it, anyway,”

“How far is this walk?”

“About fifteen minutes. We all live in the same suburban area, but my house is like the furthest at the end of the block..” Talia informs before she and the woman begin walking.

“If the houses are that close, why don’t you walk regularly?” Cora inquires and the young woman shrugs.

“Dunno, I guess I just like knowing that my car is something I worked for and can and will use whenever I please...and sometimes I don’t like walking alone with my thoughts..they tend to get out of hand,” she admits and Cora looks like she’s about to say something but Talia shakes her head. “I have a few mental disorders, but they’re nothing I can’t manage with. It’s just… I _don’t_ like dealing with them all the time and they’re a thing I have to handle on a consistent basis. If I’m not taking medication for one of them, I’m doing brain and cognitive practices for the other ones. That’s kind of why I wanted us to game a little…” Cora nodded and as she looked up, she was beyond surprised at how..alike all the homes seemed to be. They walk in the silence of the night because Cora didn’t know how to help her and Talia seemed to be distressed about what she said earlier anyway. “It’s just up the hill and right at the end of the corner, come on,” Talia says and Cora follows until they reach the young woman’s home and Talia unlocks the door and they go inside. She flicks on one of the lights that has a domino like effect that switches two more on and then takes her coat off. Cora follows suit and hands hers over and the young woman hangs them up. “Need anything to drink?”

“Water would be nice,”

“Lucky for you, I have that,” she grins and Cora smirks. She tosses the bottle Cora’s way and the older woman catches it. Talia gets herself a bottle and guides Cora into the living room where she turns the tv on. Her living room is minimalistic at best, but it’s clean, save for the few papers she knew had to do with the woman’s studies. “Don’t be so enamoured with this.. My room’s a mess,”

“How did you know I was thinking about that?”

“That glassy look in your eyes and you looking around the room probably trying to figure out why it’s so bare.. Actually, follow me.. May as well give you the grande tour, right?”

“May as well.” Cora had agreed before they left for the other rooms. True to the young woman’s words, her room was an absolute mess. “How do you sleep amongst all of this?”

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me,”

“Try me,” Cora challenged and the girl smirked.

“It’s comfortable.. Because of my mental disorders I both function and thrive in the chaos of it and become frustrated and angry and overwhelmed by it at the same time…. you don’t look like you prepared yourself to stay overnight,”

“I didn’t, however, I didn’t tell my daughter what time to get me either because the last time.. _she_ took me home,”

“She as in…” Cora nodded.

“Yes,”

“Ahhh... so I guess I’ll  need to take you home then?”

“I doubt it. I’m old enough to stay out for as long as I wish and my daughter seems to be more trusting of you than she was of Mayim,”

“Well, what do you want to do? Because I can if you want, or I can give you one of my t-shirts and some pants and you can stay for the night,” Talia had offered and Cora sat for a moment to think.

“You have work in the morning, don’t you?”

“I do,” Talia nods.

“And you also need to pick up your car as well?” Talia bobs her head.

“I mean, I can if I want to, but I can just go next door and one of my friends will take me, or I can take the bus.. We have those, remember...Look, if you’re worried or concerned that you’ll be taking away from my morning time or cutting into my schedule, don’t be concerned with any of that. That’s not your worry. I just wanna know if you want to stay the night?”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to it in the slightest. I’m just concerned about you,”

“Don’t be,” Talia waved off. “I’ll deal with that later.. Now what size do you wear?”

“I’m positive you can tell by my size it’s at least an extra large,”

“You’re about as big as my thigh. It’s just your hips.. You literally have no meat on you,”

“Pfft,”

“I’m serious.. Here-,” Talia tells her before handing over a sweatshirt. “-this’ll fit..aaaaaand- here. These’ll fit too. Bathroom’s that way. Let me know if you’re hungry when you’re done. I may be consistently drunk, but I do know how to cook,” Talia smirked and Cora smiled before she nodded and left.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Oh my god,” Emma grinned as she wiped her eyes filled with tears. “You two seriously sounded like you got into more trouble than usual,”

“Well, being Daniel’s girlfriend meant I lived like a child most times..that was until mother was around and I would have to pretend as though nothing was happening….” Regina recalled fondly and Emma looked up at her.

“Hey, Regina?”

“Yes, darling,”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“You just did, but go on..” she said and Emma sat up. She could tell this was going to be a serious moment and did not want to break that. She too sat up straight and face Emma. The blonde huffed and sighed before she gathered herself and took a deep breath.

“Jesus.. I can’t do this,” she muttered and looked away from Regina instantly. The brunetee gave her a soft yet sad smile and took her hands before she spoke.

“Emma- there is nothing you can ask me that I won’t answer, we’ve gone through this before. Don’t be afraid, okay?”

“I know- I’m not afraid, but damn it this is an important question and it deserves a serious answer,”

“I understand.. You always had a way of giving yourself away when you needed to deal with a situation,” Regina informs her, but she remains lighthearted about it. Emma manages to smirk just slightly.

“I don’t have a speech prepared or a debate, or reasonings and that’s honestly because I don’t think I need them...but, I wanted to know...Regina,” she started up and inhaled deeply. “Regina...will you...god damn it,” she berated quietly and feel on her back. She felt a shift in the bed and Regina lie down next to her before they made eye contact. Regina reached up and brushed errand strands from Emma’s face. She smiled at her and nodded. It was as if she was telling her they were completely okay...completely safe and that… she would say yes to whatever it is Emma asked of her. “marry me?” Emma whispers and at first the words don’t quite catch and they don’t reach Regina’s ears. Emma can see the slight bit of confusion on her face, but a soft smile is there just the same. She clears her throat. “Marry me?” she repeats her question and the words dawn on Regina. It takes all of a split second, but then, Regina immediately begins to tear up before her. She shuts her eyes and nods.

“yes,” she whispers back hoarsely and Emma smiles. Her eyes gloss over ass she scoots closer.

“Promise?”

“Yes, you beautiful fool… I promise.. I will marry you,” she says eagerly before closing the distance and sealing that with a kiss.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“You weren’t kidding.. You actually can cook when you are intoxicated. I am impressed,” Cora told her and the young woman snickered.

“I’m functioning. I don’t give away all control, but I like my fun, so I drink,”

“I would say that sounds dangerous, but it seems to be working for you quite well,” Cora implores and Talia bobs her head.

“For the most part.. Alright, what now?”

“I don’t know. You’re the party monster. You tell me,”

“Usually I just go right to bed afterwards. Wake up and go for a jog-,”

“-mmm, I have reservations against that demon ‘exercise’ as you people call it…”

“Do I want to know?”

“I’m sure I will tell you eventually, but as for right now, I can assure you Cora won’t be jogging with you in the next…”she trails off to look at her watch.

“Six hours and seventeen minutes,” Talia answers and Cora looks up at her.

“How did y-,” Talia cuts her off by pointing to the clock and Cora turns around. “-right..anyway.. You probably should go to sleep considering you work and I don’t,”

“I probably should..” Talia agrees and then she’s taking their plates and setting water to wash dishes. Cora has no idea what crawl up in her, but she goes over to help and in the silence of the room, they wash dishes and put them away. After that, Talia leads Cora to the living room, gives her the run down on the remote because she’d remember Cora mentioning somethign along the lines of setting things she didn’t know how to use, on fire. She then showed Cora the spare bedroom and showed her the shelving in the closet that held the towels and another change of clothes. “I fyou want, you can wash those before and just put them back on or you can go home in some of my clothes.. Doesn’t matter. Washer and dryer are in the room that looks like another pantry near the kitchen. Extra blankets are under the bed and should you need anything else, you know where my room is,” she says to Cora and Cora nods.

“I do.. Thank you, Talia.. honestly, this has to be the best I’ve felt in a long time,”

“Hopefully it’s not the last..good night, Cora,” she whispers before she leans in and hugs the woman. Cora smiles as Talia pulls back and nods.

“Good night..”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Babe, she’s singing again!” Emma grins as she nears the kitchen to see Regina fixing breakfast. Kohana was helping her once again and had begged for chocolate chip pancakes to which, Regina amended. Regina looked up from watching their son longe enough to answer Emma in question.

“Who?”

“Your mom,” the blonde answers immediately and Regina shakes her head. She looks back down at Kohana and sees he’s got his hands _in_ the batter. She shakes her head again and Emma sees that. This makes her laugh as Regina carries the child over to the sink and helps him clean up. She sets him down and banishes him from the kitchen with chasing him and threatening to tickle the ever living cutenes out of him. He of course takes the bait and sprints from the kitchen. Regina laughs to herself as she dries ehr hands and continues on in making breakfast. Emma leans over to kiss her and she turns so she can kiss her back. “Morning,” Emma greets and Regina kisses her again.

“Good morning.. How’s your arm?”

“Itchy,” Emma admits and they share a laugh. “Seriously.. Thing feels like it’s dead already… but that’s not important.. Your mom is singing again.. The happy kind.. The same kind as when..well, you know,” Emma recalls in a coded way that Regina remembers.

“Hopefully it’s different this time,” Regina tells her in all seriousness.

“It might be,” Emma says in response and Regina looks at her once again. “I mean.. Mayim was different. Talia walked her home this morning and made sure she ate and everything like that… and your mom came home with clean clothes, neatly folded and in a bag..Mayim...well, she just dropped her off drunk and crying and left,”

“I see your point,” Regina acknowledges and Emma shrugs.

“You want some help?”

“If it’s not too much pain for you,” Regina says, giving Emma another option, but the blonde shakes her head.

“I can manage, besides, you’re off today and I want to spend every second I can with you,” Emma admits to the brunette who smiles at her.

“I had a feeling this small surprise would make you happy,” Regina said smartly and Emma rolled her eyes.

“Yeah well… yeah,” Emma caved only to receive a kiss for it. “Do you think we could go out tonight..just you and me?”

“As in a date?” Regina questions directly with a knowing smile on her face and Emma reddens.

“Yeah, a date..what do you say?”

“I would say that I’m not surprised, but that your date plans will clash with mine,” Regina responds and Emma is beyond confused for a good bit. Regina laughs. “Emma?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you go on a date with me?” Regina finally asks her and the blonde catches it immediately.

“Oh crap.. You had one planned already!” she just about squeals and Regina nods with a laugh.

“I did.. Is that a yes?”

“Hell yes,” the blonde answers happily before she runs from the kitchen shouting about it and claiming she needed to get the good flannel for their date. Regina lost it laughing a moment later only to be questioned by her mother and tease the woman in response because she was being teased. Cora shrugged and took it as is. She had to help Regina makes breakfast because Emma was telling Henry she had a date.. She was telling Ruby she had a date.. Emma was telling anyone who would listen that she had a date.

 

Their date time came with ease and went with ease. Cora and Henry agreed to watch Kohana as the women went on their date and what Regina had planned was just all versions of sweet to Emma. The brunette had gotten them a catered table on the beach and at first she thought Emma would think she wasn’t worth something fancy, but when Emma saw that she was getting a burger and french fries, she almost cried at the fact that Regina _didn’t_ bother to force her be all controlled and different. Regina never gave her a dresscode, so Emma dressed comfortably, but she looked nice. She wore her black leather boots, true to her flannel word- a white and grey flannel shirt with a black cami beneath. Tight blue jeans and a black coat over it all. She had a beanie on her head because it was bloody cold and Regina matched her in casual wear. She wore booties instead of boots, her own dark wash denim jeans and white shirt and a black blazer, completely fitted to her curves over top. She had flat ironed her hair and still ended up with a beanie on her head because like Emma said… “it was bloody cold.” They dance in absolute silence once they’re done eating and spend their time walking the boardwalk afterwards. It’s a simple date, but that’s because Regina has truly become very intuned with having them, especially because they make Emma feel at ease. She knows she wouldn’t mind doing date nights like that if it made Emma happy. Simplistic and not asking for too much. But in the same breath, she knew that there will be times where she spoils the blonde absolutely rotten with what she would have had planned.

They finish off the night in such a way that this is what makes Emma tell Regina she’s better at date planning. Regina had gotten the keys from the owner of the arcade and set Emma off on her own to run wild and play whatever and how many ever games she wanted. Of course she got her beautiful date to play a few with her, but Regina took more pictures than not and just watched Emma become a child again with such a radiant smile on her face that when they got a call from Henry saying Kohana was literally just bouncing off the walls and claiming he wanted to play video games the teen only knows exist at the arcade, Regina takes pause... _it’s as if they’re one mind_ ….

“Your son wants to play video games,” she interrupts Emma and the blonde turns to her, eyes wide- still struck in that awe induced state.

“Which one?” She grins, flashing white teeth at the woman and Regina smirked.

“Take a guess,”

“Ahhh.. well, tell them to come over then,” Emma tells Regina and the brunette kisses her.

“You’re willing to share your date night with our children?”

“I’m willing to have some quality time with everyone as much as I can before I’m due back to work..so yeah, family time is good,” Emma answers and Regina pulls her away from the game long enough to plant a heavy kiss on the woman. Emma moans and drops whatever she’d had in her hand. She is pressed up against the game and is just about ready to start ripping her own clothes off, but Regina pulls away and goes back, aiming for her neck, sinking her teeth in and sucking hard. “ _fuck_ ,” she groans out. “God..I’m r-really...fuck..okay, we have to stop,” she manages and Regina stops. Emma swallows thickly. “We have children, we have children,” she mumbles twice and Regina loses it laughing.

“You poor thing,” she teases and Emma spanks her thigh.

“It’s not my fault.. You can’t do that and we’re expecting kids any second,” Emma says and Regina tilts her head.

“There’s always later,” Regina offers and Emma then grins stupidly evil.

“More time to make babies..for the hell of it?”

“For the hell of it sounds crass,” Regina tells her but she’s smirking. “But I’m under the impression you believe our engagement garners more sex where you’re concerned,”

“Doesn’t it?”

“...it does,” Regina tells her and Emma smiles.

“Theeeen, shouldn’t we make use of it _every_ opportunity we get?”

“Yes, but if you like your legs, you wouldn’t do it every single day for four hours nonstop,” Regina tells her, airing their little sexcapades and Emma chokes.

“We’ve only done it three times!” Emma complains. “And we didn’t even do it fully the third time. I just gave you a-,”

“-don’t you finish that.. And it was four. But of course, the third and fourth ones were not both ways,” Regina said and Emma sat in silence for a minute.

“I missed going down on you in prayer twice,” Emma blurted and Regina scrunched up her face.

“Please avoid saying those words...forever,” Regina tells her and Emma begins laughing.

“I forgot where they came from..hey?”

“Yes, darling?”

“I love you.. Did you know that?”

“I did.. And I suppose it’s time I admit the same. I love you as well. Did _you_ know that?”

“I’m starting to believe it more,” Emma smiled.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Henry had asked both his mothers as he came in fixing his shirt. Tonight was another gathered family dinner night with the in laws. Emma and Regina shared a look before Emma sighed and nodded.

“It’s our best bet as of right now to pretend as though nothing’s wrong, so yeah.. Good idea, maybe not so much, but it is an idea,” she tells her son and he takes a moment before sighing and nodding. “Where’s your brother?”

“He’s walking around singing it’s Saturday- it’s Saturday..still in his underwear mind you,” Henry recalled before smirking.Emma groaned and Regina rubbed her back. She turned to the brunette for a moment.

“Babe, can you please get him. If I go, we’ll have another Superman dilemma,”

“I take it I’m the bad cop?” Regina acknowledges and Emma blushes. She leans over to kiss the woman and gives her an apologetic pout.

“No, you’re just good at getting that little minion to listen,” Emma admits easily and Regina shakes her head.

“Fine.. I will get him. Could you check on my mother and see how she’s doing?”

“Sure thing. You take the kid and I take Sandbags,” Emma says as if that were their game plan and Regina agreed before they split up. Henry followed behind his blonde mother and Emma stopped short. “Hey kid?”

“Yeah ma?”

“How are you, kid? I know you asked that we just leave it all alone and not talk about it, but how are you? Are you.. You know, upset, hurt- anything?”

“I’m functioning,” Henry admits to her and she sighs. “Ma, it’s okay.. I mean, I think it is… the dinner should help distract me, but you know as well as I do I’ll still end up thinking about it at some point. I just don’t want it to take over my life, but I’ll be fine. I don’t know where he and I stand, but I can’t focus on that. I still have four more exams to take and I’m too tired from those and this to let them both kill me. He’ll always be there to deal with, but my grades and these tests won’t….”

“You really sure about this.. You can skip it, you know.. Your mom and I agreed it’s totally okay for you to skip it,”

“It’s better if I’m not alone to think about it. I may break something or.. It won’t end well,” he admits to his mother and she pulls him in for a hug.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Honey, you cannot go to dinner in just your underwear,” Regina tries to communicate to her six year old but he shakes his head and laughs.

“But momma, it’s freeeee!” he giggled and she couldn’t help but smirk.

“I know running around at home makes it okay, but you’re not supposed to do that in public.. It’s not what good little boys do,”

“But- I’m good!” he proclaimed and she laughed before she picked him up and kissed him.

“You are, and good little boys have to look their best when they go out.. And that does not include running around in Superman underwear, baby..”

“..okay, fiiiine, but can I wear Superman colours?” he asks her and she nods. Regina walks with the child over to the closet in his bedroom and rifles through the clothing she’d hung up for him. She had to admit it as well, Henry was a stylish little boy. She continued to rifle before picking out a blue t-shirt and some red cargo pants that stop at his knees. She gets him a pair of black sandals from the closet and finds him a little black jacket to go over the top.

“Now you look prepared to go to the beach,” she grumbles but he laughs before he kisses her cheek.

“I look super cool, momma,”

“That you do, honey.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Looking goood, Sandbags,” Emma compliments and Cora spins around.

“I’m well aware that I look somewhat put together,” she acknowledges and Emma rolls her eyes.

“Can you take a compliment?”

“I’d be inclined to take one if I felt confident enough to do so,”

“At least I see where Regina gets it from,” Emma mumbled. Cora looked at her for a moment until her phone went off.

“Right, before I forget.. I invited a friend. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, I’m sure Regina wouldn’t mind. I know I don’t,”

“Good.. thank you,”

“You don’t have to. I mean, you need to be comfortable and having someone there should help that, right?”

“She does,” Cora admits and Emma smirks.

“She, huh?”

“Yes.. she. Rather lovely young woman. Interesting spirit.. Old soul,”

“Just say she’s cute and you like her,”

“Well, yes, that’s also true,” Cora manages but Emma knows Cora didn’t catch what she meant. She just shakes her e head and laughs. “Your daughter sent me to come get you. We’re leaving the second she manages to get our youngest into some clothes,”

“He’s not still naked is he?”

“No, I managed to get him in underwear because he was worried about someone seeing his ..well, his little guy,”

“At least he’s modest.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

“Shit,” Emma says as they pull up to the restaurant. They took Regina’s car this time around because it had more space and Emma’s good ole bug started acting up again, but whatever. It’s the same restaurant where Mayim works, but Cora’s so distracted by her new phone, she doesn’t even notice it. Eyes stills ettle on her and then she can sense it. She looks up.

“What?” she asks and Henry just his chin out and towards the building. Cora follows his line of sight and goes numb.

“Who picked this place?”

“My dad,” Emma says. “That’s what he texted when we asked him where to meet,” she continues and Cora nods.

“Very well. He clearly liked something about this place.. Let’s go in shall we?” she says a bit more confidently than any of them expected. They all leave the car and are directed to their now specifically reserved table. Kohana immediately sits in Regina’s lap and gets comfortable. Emma leans over and grins.

“I see what you did there, _Supermom_ ,” Emma winks and Regina blushes. She kisses her and rubs the top of her son’s head as he clearly begins to burrow in her arms. Regina looks down at him.

“Baby, are you sleepy already?” she asks him and he nods. Immediately after, Emma yawns. Kohana winces and shortly after, Emma winces. Regina looks at both of them and asks.

“Are you okay?” to whoever would answer her first. They answer at the same time.

“Stomach’s hurting,” and she swallows.

“Kid, is that you kicking me again?” Emma asks him but he shakes his head and Emma doubles over. “God- fuck,” she says a little too loudly and even in his pain, Kohana scolds her. The pain passes after a total of six minutes and it’s as if nothing ever happened. That doesn’t go unnoticed by everyone at the table, Snow and David exclusive, but that’s because they were just arriving and surprisingly brought Neal this time around.

Everyone exchanges pleasantries, but Regina remains worried about her son and her soon to be.

“How did that..and that happen?” David questioned as he pointed between Emma and Kohana.

“I fell down a flight of stairs.. Kid fell off the monkey bars,” Emma said shortly, but she wasn’t upset, it was just the quickest explanation.

“Oh boy,” David said in his usual fatherly tone and Emma had to hold back from laughing.

“He’s a tough cookie,” Emma explains. “So am I.. didn’t even cry,” she said.

“That’ because you were too in shock,” Cora teased and Emma squinted at her. She noticed the old woman was still on her phone. _Nothing new there._ She shakes it off and they order their food. Kohana complains about it though.

“Moooom, I don’t wanna eat from the kid’s menu again!” he complains to Regina as he looks at it, but he has no qualms about still sitting in her lap. She and Emma share a look.

“Alright honey, which menu would you like?”

“Yours,” he says petulantly and Regina gives it to him. Emma watches, Henry watches, Cora watches, hell, the entire table is watching. He read over it and looks at her. “Alfredo,” he decides.

“Which kind?”

“Chicken,” he answers and Regina nods, before she looks at the menu again, deciding on her own meal. They order, but by the time they order, Cora’s friend has arrived.

“This is my friend, Talia. Talia, I believe you know everyone here,” she says and the young woman nods before she bends.

“Everyone except this little guy,” she smiles and kohana huffs.

“I’m not little. I’m twelve,” he says confidently and at first, Snow and David and Talia laugh, but Kohana’s direct family take those words with a grain of salt because that’s information they didn’t expect to get. Instead of making it an issue right then and there, Emma and Regina play along, which in turn make Henry and Cora play along. Talia sits and Cora informs her she’s ordered for her, so they wait. After the food arrives, they pray and eat. No one misses when he says mom to Emma or mom to Regina or even nana to Cora, but that’s common because Henry still says it. Snow and David don’t see anything off about it, but it’s Emma and Regina who it really clicks for. They were momma and mommy.. Not mom and...mom.

Thankfully Cora didn’t have to worry about Mayim for the night and had admitted as much to Talia that was where Mayim was employed. She ends up leaving with Talia before dinner ends and that’s okay because shortly after, Snow and David have to leave as well. David pays the bill this time and soon after the Swan Milla family leaves as well.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Mooooooom,” Kohana shouts and both Emma and Regina appear in his doorway.

“Yes, honey,”

“Mom, why do I still have these baby clothes.. They’re not cool,” he tells Regina and the woman then looks at Emma.

“Honey.. You’re six.. Those clothes are appropriate for a six year old,” she says but he shakes his head.

“Mom, I’m not six.. Not anymore at least,” he tells her and she looks so lost.

“T-then, how old are you, honey?” she asks and he speaks.

“I’m twelve,” he says and now Emma finally speaks.

“When did you turn twelve?”

“Tonight.. That’s why I was in pain…” he says.. “You felt it too, right?” he asks Emma and she nods.

“Does that mean?”

“No.. only me,” they communicate, but Regina gets it..at least, she thinks she does.

“Okay.. but kid, you’re only about, ye high.. We can’t really find clothes for you that fits the twelve year old demeanor.. I mean, we can got to the store and get you some new things, but.. You have the body of a six year old,”

“Crap,” Kohana says. Emma groans and Regina seems to be.. Off.

“Mom.. are you okay?” he asks the brunette and she nods a little half-heartedly.

“Just confused, sweetheart,” she admits and he nods.

“Okay.. can you remind me to tell you guys something before next week Saturday?” he asks them and Emma nods quickly. “It’s really important and I need to make sure I tell you before I age again,”

“You’re going to age again?” Regina asks and the child nods. “By how much?”

“Well.. six years I think...so I guess I can’t have any birthdays,” he grins and for a moment it felt normal when she and Emma laughed along with him, but when it settled she was still wrecked. “No one else but you guys will know though,” he remembers after a moment.

“Is that why your body won’t age?” Emma asks and he nods. “Right..”

“Sooo, can we go to the store tomorrow and get me some new stuff?” he asks sweetly and both Emma and Regina manage to smile at him. “Sure thing, kid… time for bed though. Your mom and I are tired and trust me when I say you are going to need the rest in these years..”

 

He obliges and they put him to bed. Granted he complained about being tucked in but it was clear he really loved it. Somehow, little Ermis has ended up in his room and gotten comfortable on the bed.. Ermis was starting to grow, but both Emma and Regina knew he wouldn’t grow all too big, even though he ate any and everything. They shut his door and head to their own bedroom. Too tired to think or talk about it, they fell into bed and fell asleep.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

_I’m sorry_

For what?

_Everything…_

Okay

  


_Do you think we can talk sometime soon?_

In all honesty.. I don’t want to talk to you.. I’ve tried but you didn’t listen. Sometime soon will be a never in your case..good night.

 

_Wait.._

_Please!_

_I really need to talk to you.._

  


_Alright.. Just know I’m sorry.. Good night._

 

_~~~~~~~~~~~_

 

 _"_ So, your brother aged six years today..somehow and your mommy and me are confused by it but we said nothing," Emma admits to Regina's still flat stomach after she'd managed to wake up at one point. "Kid, in all honesty, I ave no idea what's going on anymore. I just know that this is how things function...oh- and I got something extra special for your mommy... kinda sorta has to do with the ring. Other than that, life is as crazy as it's always been and no one besides your brother s aging six years and running around in just his underwear.. hopefully hat stops now because he's twelve, unless he's just completely naked at this point. We have to take him shopping sometime this week because he hates his clothes and if he ages like I think he might.. we'll be buying him new clothes every week. Henry's birthday is pretty soon too... but that's another party to plan.. Sleep easy in there, kiddo. I love you."

 

Day 108. June 27th


	26. Things  and Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know someone is gonna kick my ass for being MIA for so long and I'm sorry, but like.. seee, I did the thing. :)

_Day 109- June 28th_

_“ Regina..hey, Regina,” the voice called and it pulled the brunette’s immediate attention over into a hollow, black hole- where she wondered for a moment how she got there._

_“Who is that? Who’s there?” she questions and hears a slight laugh as the person comes into view._

_“Hey,” he waved and she squinted for a moment, stepping closer and closer to the figure until his face appeared in a bit of light that showed up out of nowhere. The ‘room’ around them was still pitch black, but that light.. That was a light you usually saw in a dungeon when a single bulb hung low over a kidnapped person’s face. But, here he was, smiling at her like he was so used to being in… a cavernous hole pretty much. She stepped just a little bit closer and paused._

_“Neal?” she queried and the grin was back._

_“Hey,” he repeated with a smirk. “You look skeptical still.. I see that’s never changed,” he teased and she scowled at him, but it lacked a hell of a lot of venom. She wasn’t trying to either. She’d come to..respect Neal, if you could call it that, but that was after he died._

_“No, I have changed.. But that was because of Emma,” Regina admitted and Neal rubbed at the back of his head with a smile. It was his goofy and endearing smile that gave way that he agreed, wholeheartedly._

_“Sounds like Emma. She always did see the best in other people and take the brunt of it just to see ‘em change,” he’d said and Regina nodded softly._

_“She did.. She’s still doing it,” Regina says softly and Neal hums._

_“I know,” he tells Regina and she looks at him strangely. He rolls his eyes and laughs. “I’m dead..remember, I can kind of see everything now?” he questions her, hoping to jump start her memory on that matter and it clicked._

_“So you’re watching us?” Regina combatted and Neal held his hands up in defense._

_“Woah- no! It’s not like that!” he claimed and Regina hummed._

_“That’s creepy.. Why are you watching us?” she pushed and Neal turned red with embarassment._

_“Regina, come on. That’s not what’s happening-,”_

_“- Then why admit to watching us? You leave me to believe you’ve seen us in very intimate moments of life,” Regina tells him seriously and he can see why she’s become so.. snappy in all of five seconds. He understands it now._

_“Regina, I can promise you-,” he told her with an easing motion as he stepped closer and she instinctively stepped back, arms folding immediately as she did so. Neal paused and his lip folded in as he put his hands down and snapped his fingers. The lights fully came to and around them was a white room. It looked never-ending and that’s quite possibly due to the realm transparency that Neal was not allowed to interfere in. Regina doesn’t move, not even slightly as he continues to speak. “- I can promise you that it wasn’t like that at all… Daniel and I-,”_

_“-Wait.. You and Daniel? D-Daniel’s…” she swallows thickly as she attempts to speak and Neal nods softly._

_“He’s fine Regina.. He’s alive, well- dead but alive.. and he’s been watching over you guys too. We both have. We just wanted to make sure you were both okay. We wanted to make sure you, Emma and Henry were okay.. That’s kind of what our job is upstairs,” he says before tilting his chin and grinning slightly as he looked up. Regina followed his eyesight but swallowed thickly again because she was feeling uncomfortable about it still._

_“_ **_Why_ ** _are you watching us?”_

_“I told you. It’s our job. We both have to take shifts keeping watch over you guys.. And because Kohana’s there now-,” he manages to get out before she interrupts him again._

_“- you know about him?” she questions even though she remembers Henry telling her and Emma that the young child had mentioned his fathers telling him to be there._

_“Yeah.. yeah we know about him. We were the ones who sent him.. And we know you and Emma know that now, but we’re taking chances trying to do this. The big man upstairs is giving us this one bit of leeway because of you guys,”_

_“Why?” Regina finds herself asking very strongly and very confused, but interested._

_“Because.. It’s your chance to be happy now,” he tells her simply and she inhales sharply. She doesn’t say antyhing else to him for a good minute and he sighs. “Look, this is a really good thing and it’s really scary in the same breath. Kohana is there to help, but I know how he has to help is going to be really tough on you and her. Daniel knows it too, we just.. We wanted to help and this was our only way,”_

_“He’s going to_ **_die_ ** _, Neal,” she bites out, her own fingernails sinking into her flesh. He looks at her arm that’s now turning red and sighs._

_“We know,”_

_“Then why still do it?”_

_“Because if he doesn’t die- You definitely will and guess what- your mother made a deal with the devil a long time ago that Hades plans on keeping. If you think I’m lying, ask Cora. She may not remember it, but she made a deal that Hades answered… She made a deal that if she could escape her old life, her child would be the most loved human.._ **_Human_ ** _… But because she taught you magic, because she chose to protect you the way she did by forcing you to use magic, she voided that promise that Hades answered…. It wasn’t her fault though.. She just didn’t know. She thought it was just luck that got her where it did….”_

_“So, more problems,” Regina mutters._

_“No, it’s not that. Not more problems, just a solution for a problem. He’s here because he needs to be and because he needs to be, it’s the best thing for you and for Emma.. It’s the best thing for Henry and for the baby. We were just trying to help. I swear, that’s all it is…. Listen, you’re gonna get some news from Keaton in a couple of days, or maybe today, it just depends on what she finds,”_

_“What she finds?” Regina asks and Neal nods._

_“Yeah, the blood sample you gave her.. she’s been looking into it, but she’s been looking into everything else around it too..anyway, the point is, she’ll come to you when she gets something and listen to everything the kid tells you. He knows why he’s saying it and he knows when he’s supposed to say it. If he only tells you half now, you gotta take his word for only doing just that when he does it,”_

_“....okay-okay, okay I get it. I understand. But why are you telling me this?”_

_“I owe it to you for taking care of my son when you could’ve given him back. I owe it to Emma for leaving her the way I did. I owe it to Henry and to everyone else there to help you prove that the person you were, is not the person you are today. I want to help.. Daniel wants to help.. We just hope you’ll continue to let us,” he admits before he hangs his head and begins to turn and walk away, Regina falls mute for a moment and as she watches Neal leave and then it clicks in her head._

_“Neal,” she begins and she sighs once she gets his name out. Her hand is stretched out towards him, beckoning him to come back. He stops and turns around- his eyes meeting hers and he does go back. He walks right back to her and just stares at her. She pulls her hand back and folds her arms in that way that usually gives away that she’s afraid or she’s hiding something. “Thank you,” is what she says to him, but she doesn’t whisper it. She says it as strongly as she can, but it’s just how she won’t look at him. He still doesn’t say anything, believing that she has something more to say. “Thank you both..for caring and for protecting us and I’m sorry I assumed you were..” she swallows thickly as she trails off. He shakes his head._

_“It’s okay, it really is… I just.. Nevermind. Can you do something for me?” he asks her gently and she nods. “Could you promise to give Emma everything I didn’t and couldn’t?” he almost begs and she goes quiet for a moment. As she looks at him, she can see it in his eyes that he’s serious and pretty much begging her to do him this one favour. This one justice.. She nods._

_“You have my word,” is what she tells him, determined and serious. He grins._

_“I know.. And it’s good to cash out on…”_

_“Would you mind telling Daniel I said hi,” she requests and Neal smirks at her before he nods._

_“Of course, but I’m nearly positive he already knows..besides, he sent me with a message to tell you he’s happy you’re opening yourself up to love again..he’s happy it’s Emma,” he whispers that last part and it’s almost as if he can still feel the hurt from it or something, but he then smiles at her. And he means that smile. He means the action because it may have taken him a while to notice and to accept, but he realizes, Daniel was right about them being together. He realizes now what Daniel was saying then. “_ **_I’m_ ** _happy it’s Emma,” he adds and sees the way her eyes begin to water. She bats them and blinks rapidly, the tears collecting on her lashes, making her eyes appear even more glossy than usual. “I gotta go..” he says before he sticks his hand into his pocket and then pulls it out. He tosses it at her and she catches it. “..take care Regina, tell them both I love them” he says quietly before fading away._

 

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

 

She jolts awake, realizing it was just a beautiful dream where she managed to send a message to Daniel and bring one back for Emma and Henry. She sits up swiftly and feels her hand flex around something. She then looks down and looks at the rope that’s wrapped around a half circle of wood in an almost intriquite kind of design. Her fingers close around it, clutching it tight before Kohana’s pushing the door open lightly and peeking in. Regina’s head snaps to the side and her eyes meet his. Her face softens as a smile forms around the edges of her mouth, pulling the beauty from her usual morning face. Kohana grins and runs over to her before trying to climb into the bed for which, she has to help him get into. Once he’s in the bed and pretty much sitting on her lap, she kisses the top of his head, hearing him groan like a twelve year old but the grin is all six years of cuteness and adorability that she cannot unsee.

“Good morning, my handsome little man,”

“Morning mom,” he smiles and she pouts.

“I liked it better when you were six and still called me momma,” she grouses and he laughs lightly.

“Technically- I still _am_ six, considering… Sorry momma,” he apologises, watching the way she lit up at the word. Regina pulls Kohana to her, closer and tighter before she’s kissing the back of his head and whispering to him,

“Why can’t you stay little forever?” in question and having him sigh and turn before he wraps his arms around her and whispers back,

“Because.. I gotta do something really important to keep all of you safe.” His mother sighs and nods her head. She rests her chin on his shoulder after they pull from their hold and he’s once again sat in her lap. “You know.. I love you guys right?” he asks hesitantly and Regina finds herself nodding again.

“I know sweetheart,” she says to him. “I know.. We love you too,”

“You didn’t say it when I said it the first time,” he reminds her and she sighs.

“I know I didn’t.. It was hard to say it to a child who I knew I would lose one day because of all the mistakes I’ve made in my life-,”

“-mom!” he says urgently and Regina jolts. “You really gotta stop blaming yourself for what happens to people and what’s happened to people..even the ones you’ve never even met!” he urges, quite clearly angered by her sadness.

“I’m sorry-,”

“-stop apologizing! You haven’t done anything wrong. You didn’t do this. You didn’t cause this. I’m here for a reason. To right a wrong that someone _else_ has done. Not you. You didn’t do anything that made this situation the way it is. Mom, I know it’s hard to believe- but mom wouldn’t tell you that, Henry wouldn’t tell you it, gramma wouldn’t tell you it and neither would I if we didn’t think there was truth behind it. We _know_ that it’s not you who made the mistakes- or who messed things up. Mom, we know you’ve been trying and are trying to keep changing. We know you love us and we know that you wished we believe you- and we do. Trust me we do..we just..we just-we just wished you’d believe it too, mom….please,” Kohana whispers after because his anger had dissipated. Regina gave him a soft half smile that felt and was genuine. She squeezes the child to her.

“I love you.. Stop growing up so fast,” she whispers and he laughs.

“I can’t.. It’s life,” he whispers back. She notices his hand is clasped around something and tilts her head.

“Sweetheart, what’s that in your hand?”

“Oh-,” Kohana remembers before his clasp around the object loosens. He holds it out to her with a soft smirk on his face. “-Dad was making it and he gave it to me the other day,”

“Your father?” she questions, obviously lost for words. Kohana nods before he catches her confusion.

“Right, sorry.. Neal. When I was still six but kinda being a brat to grams he gave it to me. He said it’ll come in handy or something like that.. He didn’t say it out loud but I knew why he made it,” Kohana tells her before holding it out to her for her to take. “I think you know what to do with it,” he smiles at her and she slowly takes it from his grasp. “It kinda looks like that stuff mom loves...those-,”

“-dreamcatchers,” Regina answers in interruption, softly. Kohana nods at that as Regina swallows. She loosens the grip held on her own half of the dreamcatcher piece before she’s lifting them and placing them together. _They fit perfectly_. Kohana looks at her and then at the pieces and speaks.

“Dad gave that to you, didn’t he,” he comments and she nods.

“He did,” she admits. Kohana says nothing for about another moment.

“It’s important,” is what he settles for and she nods once again before shaking her head and coming back to reality.

“Thank you,” she smiles and he nods before he feels her arms tightly hold onto him. He groans like the twelve year old he claims to be before he speaks.

“Do you think we could go to the store today? I might have the body of a six year old, but I don’t wanna _look_ six forever,” he complains only a little bit, watching the way a grin splits out across her face. “ _Pleeeease, momma!_ ,” he pouts and pulls out all stops to make Regina crack, and she does. She cracks way too easily at that and tries scowling at her son, but he just grins at her.

“Fine… I’ll just take this as you telling me I lack a sense of style-,”

“-Awww, come on, mom. That’s so unfair. I just don’t wanna continuously look like I should just be starting primary school, that’s all…” he tries to convince and when he sees the smirk on his mother’s face, he’s now the one scowling at her. She taps his lip and speaks.

“Stop scowling,” she scolds, but she’s not the slightest bit upset. He stops scowling and throws his head into her chest. Regina laughs because she knows exactly what that means. “Yes, we can go shopping today,” she bends and Kohana jerks away from her to make sure she’s not playing with him. He squints.

“Are you serious?” he queries and she nods. She also laughs.

“You have the paranoia to compare to your grandmother’s,” Regina jokes. Kohana groans.

“That’s a special case,” he comments only to hear her snort. Regina rubs his back for a moment longer until the child seems to have had enough mother- son bonding time. Kohana is then clambering off of her lap and pulling the slight wedgie he’d gotten, from his butt cheeks. He waved at her before he left. Saying an I love you over his shoulder as he did so. Regina looks at the dreamcatcher piece for only a moment longer until she’s resting it on her bedside table. Regina then opens the drawer on the side table and pulls out a velvet box. It’s plain white all around, but just at the lips of the opening- is a small gold latch. Her thumb fingers over the little nub before she’s pushing it up to open the box that is comfortably holding onto two rings. Identical in appearance (which were mostly bare bands). It also holds a necklace that is roped around both of them, keeping them together, both hanging on the same threading of the gold chain. She pulls one of them from the box and feels across the smooth top surface of the ring before turning it over and looking at the inscription on the inner part of the band. In cursive print it read “My everything”, and to Regina, that meant everything. She’s so lost in looking at it for a moment that she forgets Emma is still asleep right next to her, but, almost as if her body senses movement from Emma, Regina jolts just slightly before she slips the ring back onto the gold chain and back into the box. She puts it back in the drawer and shuts it. Regina slips from the bed, picking up the miniature dreamcatcher piece as she did so. She becomes distracted once more, after having found her way over to their bedroom window and realizing that the day before her was nothing short of beautiful and sunny. She never notices that Emma is staring at her like she’s the most beautiful woman she’s ever seen.. And that’s more than due to the fact that Regina is in fact the most beautiful woman she’s ever seen.

Emma doesn’t bother her though. She doesn’t attempt to distract her, or let her know that she’s awake and it’s a good thing she doesn’t because, before she can actually say she would, she’s drifting back off into dreamland.

Regina leaves their room a while after, greeting her mother and her sons as she tries to enter the kitchen only to be stopped by the sudden exit of her eldest. Henry turned slightly to give her a quick greeting to leave. Cora and Kohana were talking about something to the extent of him not being able to handle the games Cora had bought...or something like that, anyway. But what had taken all of their attention was when Kohana had stopped the conversation with his grandmother- turned to his older brother and said,

“Crap.. he’s leaving… Adios big bro. Good luck on your exams,” and that had made the teen take pause. It felt weird to say the least. Weird that it was coming from a six year old- well, the body of one anyway, and to look at his little brother who was now claiming the age of twelve and not being so ‘little’ anymore. As far as the teen and his grandmother were concerned, he still genuinely was six. Regina blinked a few times and Cora all but gaped at him. He then realized what he’d said, turned to them- now ready to respond to that comment he’d made earlier, but thought better of it after smacking himself on the forehead.

“Did he just?” Cora questioned and Henry nodded eagerly.

“Hell yes he did,” the teen answered.

“Sorry, mom. I forgot,” Kohana referred to Regina. Her lips purse just slightly before she nods and her features soften. “I’ll tell them.. I’m the only one who can tell them, anyway,” he reminds her and she gives a slight nod as the go ahead. “Gramma, Henry- I’m not _actually_ six.. Well physically I am, but not mentally at least. I have the body of one, I look like one- but I’m not six,” he finds himself repeating when their faces go confused. He sighs. “Okay, I’ll explain. Saturday night, I aged- by six six years,” he says.

“Six?” Cora asked still utterly confused and he nods.

“Yeah six,” he answers before his mouth pinches. He looks at Regina, thinking she might scold him for the lack of manners, but she doesn’t. She’s just watching.

“So you’re _twelve_?” Henry then questions and he nods again.

“Yeah,”

“And.. you’re just going to ‘randomly’ age?” Cora questions again but he shakes his head this time.

“More or less, if you refer to it by date, but it’s actually not random. It’ll be at the end of the week. Every-,”

“-Saturday,” both grandmother and grandson interrupt in a quiet realization. Kohana looks at them both for a moment more before nodding once again.

“Yeah, so- enjoy it whilst it lasts… and I’m sorry about anything that I might say or do at this age. Teens are terrible,” he recaps in comment only to have his older brother nod.

“I know,” Henry says with a smirk, but his brain clicks over and he looks at his watch quickly. “Shit,” he hisses. “I have to go- I’m gonna be late!” he announces before rushing to his mother and quickly kissing her cheek- hearing her scold him for his swearing, hugging his grandmother and ruffling his brother’s hair.

“Hey man, watch the do. Ladies love this shaggy look,” Kohana complained lightly but smiled a moment after. Henry shook his head and left with a comment of,

“Mom, please tie him to something or you’ll be a grandmother before you can blink.” He watched his mother go pale just slightly at that. The thought of it alone, let alone it being Henry, now there was Kohana too. Even in a six year old’s body, he hand the mind of a now hormonal teenager. Henry rushed from the house and all but sprinted in the direction of his school. Kohana turned to his mother and looked up at her, a slight sorry- not sorry face in place.

“Guess I should have told him he passed his exams with really high marks and got into that Ivy league college he wanted to go to later on?” he voiced, making it sound like an innocent question. Regina blinked before looking at him. He’s ready to ask her what’s the matter, but his grandmother interrupts him before he can start.

“Hobbit Brown?” Cora calls and he laughs.

“Yes gramma?

“Can I still _call_ you hobbit brown?” she asks a little quietly and his face falls into a soft smile.

“You can...I’m not gonna grow anymore anyway,” he tells her and she nods. He looks between mother and daughter and then says, “You guys look like you need to talk. I’ll leave you to it,” before leaving them in the foyer of the house. They watch him go; Cora then turns to Regina.

“I’m not dreaming this, am I?”

“No..you’re not,” Regina answers lightly.

“He’s seriously aging?” she then asks and her daughter nods.

“He is.”

“And I’m _not_ dreaming?” she asks again. Regina shakes her head.

“You’re not dreaming,” she reassures. Cora and she both go silent for a moment until the old woman scratches her head.

“What now?”

“That, I do not know,” Regina admits.

“What am _I_ supposed to do?”

“Nothing. Go on as life allows.. You just can’t tell anyone,” Regina says.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m under the impression that if the wrong person finds out, we’ll have an issue...a magical one. That- and both he and Henry confirmed that it was his job to do this. He said he’s seen Neal,”

“When?”

“The morning you fed him ice cream for breakfast,” Regina recalls.

“That was Neal? I thought it was the tv..I will keep my mouth shut, then,”

“Thank you...I need to get dressed. I promised him I would take him shopping. He’s appalled by his wardrobe,” she comments with a soft laugh and Cora grinned.

“Are you sure he’s not just gay?”

“Mama, not _everyone_ is gay,”

“They are to me,” Cora mutters, but Regina swats her shoulder lightly because she heard that. “You say that to me and you’re marrying a woman. You could’ve fooled anyone into thinking you were straight, but no. For as many men as you’ve slept with-,”

“-I’ve slept with just as many women to combat that,” she comments. “That doesn’t make me gay, it doesn’t make me straight”

“Bisexual then,” Cora corrects. “The point is. Your eldest is canoodling with both sexes and this one looks like he might be a full fledged, sass-ridden, gay baby,”

“He just wants to change his wardrobe,” Regina defends.

“Regina, the child has the body of a six year old. Dressing him the age he wants to dress is impossible. I bet you anything. I bet you my left nut-,”

“-You don’t have any nuts!”

“Shhhhh! I bet you a flap that he will go for skinny jeans and buy very pastel colours….”

“Why are you categorizing my son?”

“Because, he has some sugar in his step,”

“You do realize that _you_ would also be in that category considering you flirted with Mayim and now Talia is a rather… breath of fresh air kind of option,”

“Talia doesn’t like me,” Cora defends with a scowl on her face that looked more like she wasn’t so sure about it. Her daughter scoffs.

“You, mother- are blind..very blind. She likes you. She’s just much more mature about how she handles you,”

“Thank fuck for that,” Cora comments crassly, but Regina has to laugh this time. She just has to.

“Was it really that bad?” she questions, deciding not to call a name and her mother looks at her before rolling her eyes..

“It wasn’t bad because nothing ever even happened. There was no exchange of words. We just.. fell into it. That was the confusing part. I’m already old, but for me to figure out where I stand with someone, you have to be straightforward...or don’t be forward at all…”

“I’m sorry, mama,” she apologizes but her mother shakes her head.

“I’m fine now. But, recalling experiences like that can be..”

“..traumatic?”

“Yes, that. But back to what I was saying. Everyone’s a little gay. Even the idiotically homophobic are gay as shit at some point in their life,”

“I beg to differ,”

“Beg all you want. It’s true,” she defends and Regina snorts.

“Alright...are you going with us?”

“Is it crowded?”

“It’s possible it might be. It is the summer season,” she remembers and Cora makes a really disgruntled sound.

“No.. I can’t. Too much likelyhoods that I’ll have an anxiety attack right then and there.. Or worse, blow something else up.. I will stay here and play. You two go,” she shoos.

“Mother, are you sure?”

“Yup… is it okay if I invite Talia over?” Cora then finds herself asking, sounding much like a young teen in this instant. Regina smiles just slightly at the woman.

“She’s working today, but of course you can. Town Hall will be closed at three today. I have half a mind to change the hours completely and only have it open certain days for certain departments,”

“Then why don’t you?”

“Because, most of them came for the experience- _and_ the money,”

“So, set the hours over the course of four days,”

“I can’t. I would be paying them overtime if I set it like that. If they work more than eight hours a day, overtime is mandatory. I have to fit their schedule to a fourty hour week. Ten hours- for four days will kill them.. And ruin my office. They’re just getting the jist of the basics. By the time this summer internship ends, they are required to take an exam… I can’t afford to keep them for ten hours a day, but I also wish to completely change the hours considering Town Hall barely has anything during this time of year,”

“Then Regina, I don’t know,” her mother comments and she sighs.

“It’s fine.. I’ll go get dressed. I won’t be cooking this morning. Will you be able to make something on your own?”

“You’ve got cereal, so I should be fine,”

“Cereal is a snack, not a meal. I can bring you something on the way back?” she offers in question.

“That would be nice, but I’d still like to eat cereal. I’ll be bored without company, but I’ll be fine after a while…”

“Emma’s still off,” Regina tells her as she begins to make her way up the stairs. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind playing a few games.”

“I thought she was only off for the week?”

“So did I, but if she was going to work like she’s supposed to- she would have been up from six,”

“Unless she’s still a prisoner to her own laziness and odd sleeping patterns,”

“That too,” Regina grins and Cora smirks. Regina rubs her mother’s shoulder before she tells her, “Go and have some fun before Talia gets here,”

“What makes you think I won’t have fun _with_ her here?”

“Oh, I know you will. There is no doubt about that,”

“Don’t get any ideas,” Cora jokes. “I’ll have a bit of fun with Hobbit Brown before you two leave,”

“You _really_ need to stop calling him that,”

“Like I said, smaller than Bilbo-,”

“- cuter than Frodo. Yes mother, I get it.. I’m going to change,”

“This is at least the third time you’ve said it.. Go already.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina showers and manages to get herself halfway dressed before she walks out of the closet and over to her dresser that has her earrings. She fiddles and fiddles through a couple of them until she finds the matching gold set of knobs. Her feet aimlessly take her over to the window just shy of casting a full on glow to her bed. She scans the little, sleepy town before her and something glitters. Something glitters and sparkles because it caught the light’s attention. Regina stops and the glittering stops. She shifts and it shifts and then is when she realizes it’s her jewelry. It was her hand, caught in the light’s rays. She finishes putting her earring on before she turns her hand to face her. The ring, the one Emma had gotten replaced, was absolutely beautiful still. She looks at it solemnly, remembering Daniel. She adored that ring, and still does. She still didn’t know it wasn’t hers though. And Emma didn’t know that Regina and Daniel had exchanged more than one ring.

Her hand falls across her chest as she fingers the spot where the second ring that was his should be.. That ring felt like her heartbeat. That ring held more value to her than life itself. She loses herself in her own thoughts for a good while until she hears the slight groan coming from Emma. The blonde is turning over in her sleep, burying herself deeper into the soft threads of sheets and blankets. Regina smirks before she walks over to the bed and sits at the edge of it. She leans over and kisses Emma’s cheek before brushing the hair away from her face. Emma shifts again and turns over on her back. Her breathing evens out until it’s unheard entirely, but Regina just keeps watching her. She looks at the ring that’s strung out across Emma’s chest and then she’s looking over at the nightstand table where the dreamcatcher piece is. Regina waves her hand and it appears in her palm. She thumbs over it and then it clicks in her head. She looks at the dreamcatcher piece and then at Emma. It clicks again.

Regina’s hand tightens around the dreamcatcher piece even more before she loosens her grip and decides to do something. She attempts- as quietly as she can manage, to get the necklace off of Emma’s neck. That attempt doesn’t go well as Emma shifts and Regina nearly topples over her and falls with a thud. Thankfully, her reflexes are quick enough to keep her standing somewhat better than she would have been. She inhales sharply and exhales in thanks as she rights herself even more before attempting it again. But, once again- Emma shifts, and this time, when Emma shifts, Regina tumbles on top of her with a thud. Funnily enough, it’s a soft thud that doesn’t really wake Emma, which shocks Regina to no end. She’s nearly positive she has enough body weight to actually wake the woman rather easily, but Emma’s sleeping like a brick.

Regina shakes her head and stands up once more, her fingers finding the loop of the necklace that lay hapharzardly across Emma’s collarbone.. Her fingers trails the innerworkings of the necklace before it manages to slip the clasp forward and into her eyes’ view. She puts her other hand to it and at first, she hesitates. But, the second she remembers the dreamcatcher, her dream and what Kohana had said to her, she goes for it. Regina gets the clasp undone before she hears Emma’s intake of breath that meant she definitely was waking up this time. She has to think fast because there is absolutely no way she can explain that she’s taking the ring for any other purpose than her original idea.. Regina grabs hold of the two parting pieces in one hand and settles both of them at the sides of Emma’s head. When the blonde’s eyes flutter open, she’s confused. Rightfully so. She squints at Regina and tilts her head. Even in her sleep ridden daze, she’s skeptical at best.

“Morning?” she questions a little offput by Reigna just hovering over her. The brunette blushes and smiles.

“Morning,” she answers. Emma inhales again and shifts in her position, attempting to sit up but Regina’s quick to push her back down. She huffs out a laugh.

“Not that I’m not for the morning love, but.. Why the hovering?” she questions only to be on the receiving end of lips to hers. When she registers it, Regina pulls back, tugging her lip as she went along. “oh,” Emma says softly, gathering the point. She grins beautifully at Regina before her hands slide around the woman’s waist and pulls her down. Regina grins against her lips, still skillfully holding onto the necklace rather well. They roll over and Emma ends up hovering over Regina, a hungry look settles in her eyes. The necklace dangles, as does the ring, but Regina makes good work of it by keeping her fingers trailing through the tresses at the nape of Emma’s neck. Her pinky keeps the necklace wrapped tightly around itself as she can now fully focus on Emma. The blonde dips and captures her lips. She knows exactly where it was heading and she damn sure was about to give in to it.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Post ripping Regina’s jeans off of her hips, biting, swearing...fuck me beggings, orgasms of a mind numbing sense and Regina tugging and pulling Emma’s hair when the blonde went down on her, she’s managed to snapped the necklace from the blonde’s neck without Emma noticing, or her noticing for that matter. When she does feel the telltale sign of a light tinkling against her arm, she opens her eyes and laughs to herself as she snaps her arm and it disappears. Emma comes up grinning from beneath the blanket and wipes her mouth. Regina can’t hide the blush on her face at all. It’s hard to hide something so obvious anyway.

Emma continues to inch her way up Regina’s body, her smile becoming more and more confident with the passing time. Regina smirks at her and tilts her head.

“Good?”

“Are you kidding! that was great!” Emma answered her- both winded and happy. “Can we have sex like that every morning?” she then queries and Regina laughs.

“I’m not entirely sure we’d last through sex every morning.. You look rather sleepy already,” Regina comments before laughing and Emma turns red.

“I am.. “ she admits and trails off with a soft smile. “I’m sorry but you.. Wow,” she compliments.

“I what?” Regina pushes because she would love to hear this one.

“Nothing,” Emma shakes her head before looking away. “It was just really good,” she says before she tries to get up, only to feel the weakness in her arms. She collapses back onto Regina and the brunette and she share a laugh. “Don’t think I can move now, either,” she admits and Regina hums.

“You haven’t experienced the lack of mobility just yet,” Regina teases and Emma lets out a weak groan.

“Babyyyy,” she whines and Regina shakes her head. She’s not about to let Emma slide with this one. As she shakes her head Emma nods and it’s that action that has Regina pulling the sheets up and over them and putting action to her words where Emma is concerned as she more than manages to bring the blonde to climax, three times in succession. The last one reminded her of the other night when Emma came so hard she started crying. This time though, Emma was laughing as her body shuddered with the shocks of her orgasm. She couldn’t breathe right and seemed to still be laughing or attempting to speak as Regina held onto her and layed her down.

“Sleep,” Regina whispers to her before she’s slipping her fingers into the tresses of Emma’s hair. Emma hums out a moan as she tries to fight it. The shuddering is beginning to cease drastically.

“But… Aren’t we supposed to take the kid to go get his new wardrobe?” she manages to ask before yawning heavily. Regina grins.

“We are, but he asked me again this morning if I’d take him and I told him yes.. You can sleep,” Regina reassures and Emma’s response is a hum. A very sated hum at that.

“What about….” Emma begins to ask as Regina’s fingers are still deftly working through her scalp. Regina waits for her to finish her question but it doesn’t come.

“Em.. Emma?” she calls, but the blonde doesn’t respond. Regina settles into a soft sigh, her fingers still in Emma’s scalp as she thinks for a moment. She cranes her neck to check the bureau where the necklace lay tucked behind a small teddy bear Emma had bought her randomly one day. It was cute. It was a panda. Traditional black and white, panda, teddy bear. The only added detail was the little sewing engravement of Regina’s name across his chest, but other than that, it was a simple little thing that Regina adored. She turned her head back and relaxed for a moment as she listened to Emma’s little wheezing breaths of happiness. They were soft and almost too quiet to hear, but the blonde was so close to her ear, she couldn’t avoid that. Her fingers find their way into Emma’s hair once more before she loses herself in the feeling of it all for nearly another hour.

Kohana of course comes in to ask her what’s taking so long, inheriting his grandmother’s lack of knocking. Thankfully, nothing was happening and no one was ‘naked’ when he directed his question to Regina, looking for an answer. He stops short when he notices Emma passed out on her chest.

“Mom was awake?” he asks and Regina looks over at him before nodding.

“She was,” she acknowledges, not even in the mood to scold him about his lack of concern where the door became an issue.

“She looks happy,” he smiles and his mother pats the bed, ushering him over. He quickly claims his space on her bed and feels her fingers run through his shaggy hair before smiling.

“So am I,” she admits and the young boy now smiles at her.

“Good. You deserve it,” Kohana tells her seriously. She doesn’t deny him that statement. “Is she going shopping with us?” he then asks but his mother lets out a soft laugh and shakes her head.

“I don’t think she can manage, honey,”

“Oh.. well. Is nana coming with us?” he then asks but Regina shakes her head again.

“Not with her anxiety as rampant as it is, no,” Regina says and he nods.

“I forgot,” he admits. “So, it’s just me and you?”

“Just us,” Regina repeats and sees the small smirk on her son’s face.

“Cool. Nana told me a friend of hers is coming over later. Is she pretty?” he questions only to hear his mother laugh.

“You, young man- are twelve. That’s the first thing. Secondly, she wouldn’t believe you are anything past the age of six. And third- you’ve met her already,”

“I have?” he asks and Regina nods with a hum.

“Talia,” she says and Kohana makes an Oh face.

“Ohhhh, the one who like Gramma,” he concludes and Regina actually laughs. Kohana scrunches up his face at her. “What?”

“Nothing, sweetheart. It’s just funny how you see it and my mother doesn’t,”

“Kinda can’t miss that. It’s really obvious,”

“Not to your grandmother it isn’t,” she reminds him. Regina sighs happily once before she shifts to sit up and motions that Kohana scoot off the bed. He follows and she slowly eases herself from beneath Emma. Regina manages to get the sheet to stay wrapped around her as she got out the bed. She brushes the blonde’s hair back and kisses her cheek before she smiles and reaches behind the teddy bear and pulls out the necklace holding onto the ring.  She sticks that into the pocket of her pants and rubs the top of her son’s hair before she gets herself redressed; grabs a jacket, her purse and her keys. She turns back and looks at him, dressed like a true pre-teen with his jeans and plaid shirt and graphic tee. He found a pair of tennis shoes that didn’t look too childish on him and seemed to just leave his hair as is. “Ready?” she questions him and he smirks before nodding.

“Ready.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Seriously, mom?” He asks her in disbelief. They haven’t even gotten out of the parking lot of the house yet and already they’re facing problems.

“Yes, seriously,” she answers him.

“I really have to sit _in_ the carseat?” he questions her in a deadpan like tone and she turns back to acknowledge him.

“Sadly, yes you do. You’re still too short to ride in a seat that’s suited to your height,”

“This blows, man!” he complains with a huff.

“I know,” she tells him and he pouts. “Honey, I can’t change the law. You have to sit in the seat. Either that or we can walk,” she says, giving him another option. He growls a little.

“No. I’ll sit in the stupid seat. It’s inevitable anyway,” he mutters and he watches as his mother just smiles at him. He is being a true teen at this stage. So, he climbs into the child-sized seat and settles into it with his seatbelt on and uncomfortable feelings in many places. “Can I at least take off the one for my nuts? This thing hurts,” he begs and she smothers a laugh as she nods. He releases his body from that one immediately and settles back into the chair. Regina looks back at him for a moment more before she begins driving and after a good bit of their on the road adventure, Kohana comments, “ Okay, not gonna lie- kids get the best stuff! This is so soft,” he says with a cheeky grin.

“They do,” she agrees with him and sees that his eyes are slowly starting to dip shut after a bit more driving. “Sweetheart… is it the seat or are you tired?” Regina asks him with worry and he groans a little.

“It’s the seat. My six year old body is enjoying the car ride too much…” he complains and trails off. “Well, we’re almost there,” she assures him and he puts up a weak thumb. Regina doesn’t smother her laugh this time around and thinks on for a moment until she comes up with an idea. “How about we talk about your fathers?” she offers and even in his weakened, sleepy state- Kohana brightens, if his eybrows jumping slightly is anything to go by.

“W-what about ‘em?” he asks. His mother speaks.

“Anything you want to know, though- I can only tell you so much about Neal,” she adds and her son hums.

“Than can you just tell me about Daniel?” he asks and she nods with a soft smile.

“I can.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma stretches and turns over in the bed before sighing. All she remembers is the really good sex with Regina and passing out, on top of Regina. She can’t remember anything past that or before that. She sits up just slightly and wipes at her eyes before pulling her hair back and sighing heavily. Her body releases the tension from the hours of sleep and as she moves to stand, she remembers just why she passed out to begin with. Her legs wobble unceremoniously, and as she falls back atop the bed, she manages to stabilize herself and push her body back into standing position. Emma lets out a laugh of disbelief as she tries to grab hold of everything she’s managed to have within her reach and walk herself to the bathroom. She gets into the shower and tumbles to the ground, opting to let the hot water run over her as she gathers her energy to stand again and at least try to get dressed. She’s successful, for the most part- and when it’s time to go down the stairs, Emma looks at it and groans. She shakes her head violently and turns away, but the grumbling of her stomach makes her turn back and she breathes in deeply before she tries pumping herself up… to go down. She manages not to crack her face open and break another limb. She then makes her way into the kitchen where Cora is, surprisingly enough.

“Hey, morning,” she acknowledges and Cora looks away from a book or a magazaine or something and blinks rapidly. She seems...confused by Emma’s presence before she answers back.

“Good morning,”

“You okay?” Emma then queries because.. That look is a bit frightening.

“I’m fine,” Cora answers and by the way Emma tilts her head and looks at her as if that’s not normal, Cora finds herself sighing. “I apologise, Swan,” she then says, still distracted by something.

“It’s fine. You just look… out of it, I guess,” Emma tells her and she nods.

“I suppose I am, though- I’m not exactly sure why,”

“You think it has something to do with Rumple?”

“No- no.. I already called about Rumple. He’s doing rather well, actually,” Cora waves off and Emma smiles.

“That’s good.. So, what do you think it is?” Emma questions as she takes a seat next to the woman and Cora flinches, just slightly, but that flinch is very noticeable.

“Mayim,” Cora finds herself saying without sighing. It’s said in a very dead tone, almost as if she knew and was finally letting the word- the name, come out.

“What about her? I thought you were done with her? Did she do something? Is she-,”

“-Swan, calm down.. It’s nothing in that manner. More so..” now is when Cora sighs. “...Regina and I were just talking about the situation a little bit, that’s all. And now it has me thinking of all the signs I got from her, that I might also be getting them from Talia,” she says only to hear Emma make that “ahhh” sound.

“You’re scared Talia might do the same thing Mayim did?” Emma asks because she just wants to feel it out and she isn’t remotely surprised when Cora says,

“No.. I’m not. I know _she_ won’t repeat my history,” and that’s what has Emma saying,

“But you’re scared you might, all because of what’s happened.” When Cora nods, Emma hums. “You think.. You really think you’re capable of hurting someone willingly? You think you’ll be the one to take Mayim’s place and hurt Talia?” Emma questions her and the way Cora looks at her is chilling.

“I screwed up my own flesh and blood. I think I’m very likely to screwing things up with Talia, intentionally. That’s the type of person I am-,”

“-Okay, stop,” Emma tells her, just a tad bit annoyed. “You are not self-destructive. Regina is self destructive. I am self destructive. But you, no. You’re guilt ridden and afraid to be loved. You wouldn’t hurt her willingly. You’re not the same person you once were and you functioned without the heart you should have kept inside... Look, I get it, I really do, but you can’t let the past with Mayim predict the future with Talia. She’s different, insanely different. She actually cares about you and what’s going on with you. She’s not rushing anything with you and she’s not labelling anything with you. She’s honest with you from what I can tell and she enjoys being around you in whatever setting that may be. Yeah the first night of drinks reminds you of Mayim and how you went out drinking with her, but look at the difference, she took care of you, took you out of a messed up situation, she didn’t judge you and she brought you back to us happy and clean,” Emma says before adding her little joking grin on the end there. Cora smirks slightly. “ Talia is being a friend to you. She’s letting you tell her things in your own time and do things when it’s comfortbale for you. You realize you didn’t freak out, not once when the thought of a party was something you had to deal with? You didn’t have an anxiety attack being around all those people. None of that happened. But you’ve told me before that being around some of the people Mayim knows, makes you uncomfortable and has made you uncomfortable and that she’s left you on your own before. Talia doesn’t do that to you and she wouldn’t do it to you intentionally,” Emma reminds her and when Cora moves to argue, Emma shakes her head. “Stop trying to find the good in Mayim that got dashed by her negativity and look at the good in Talia where the negativity wouldn’t even register. She’s proving it to you and you’re not even focusing on it. She’s showing you that you can have friends and be happy and nothing will go wrong, no one will take your place and that she will care about you when it counts and when it matters,”

“But why care about someone like me? She could have a friend in anyone at any age and like someone else, but why me? What makes me so great?” Cora asks, sounding defeated beyond measure and Emma smirks before hugging the old woman.

“All of the positive things you don’t let yourself see, Sandbags.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Wait, Mister Qupid is Daniel’s uncle?” Kohana asks just slightly confused and Regina hums before nodding.

“He is. The ring Daniel gave me belonged to his mother. His uncle made it the first time and the second time, when Daniel got it redone for me,”

“So..does that mean Mister Qupid is _our_ uncle?” he then asks and that has Regina smiling solemnly..

“That’s something you’ll have to ask him for yourself, honey. But- as of right now, you and I are at the clothing store,” she announces before jerking the car to a halt and Kohana’s vision flits over to the building. He scrunches up his face, ready to ask her if he slept at some point in time during that ride, but he thinks better of it. He unbuckles himself and clambers off the seat before pushing the passenger door open and hopping down. Regina exits the car and shuts her door before shutting his, hearing him grumble that,

“I can do it myself, mom. I’m not a baby anymore.” She shakes her head and holds out her hand for him to take, which he does without question and without hesitation, that is until he notices it fully and huffs. “Okay, so maybe I still am a baby just a little bit.. But still,” he tries arguing only to have Regina laugh at his expense in a loving way. They head into the store and at first glance, Kohana is ready to complain that she took him to a children’s store. It isn’t until she guides him through the entire place and finds the teen section that he smiles brightly before letting go of her hand and sprinting for whatever it was his eyes had settled on. He picked up a few pairs of jeans and some shirts before he waved his hand and they shrunk down to a child’s size. Regina smirked as she figured he’d figure out some way to get what he wanted. At least it wasn’t anything negative. So, as she watches him try on and switch, shake his head and toss. Try on and switch some more, she’s lost track of the time.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

“Anything?” the woman asks with a hopeful look on her face but the shake of the head she receives dashes that.

“Considering what I’m looking at isn’t something that has to do with Emma or Regina or their children...Nothing,” Belle sighs gently. “Nothing yet.. Something has to be there, but it’s either not obvious to the naked eye, this microscope- or it’s never been recorded,” she continues and Doctor Keaton huffs loudly. She drops into the couch near Belle’s desk as Belle looks away from her microscope for but a moment to look over at her. Her hands pat her lap as she smiles sadly at the good doctor. “You’re trying too hard to find something that might not actually be there in either of their blood samples or their cells,” she then whispers just loud enough that Doctor Keaton shakes her head.

“I’m telling you that there is something there, Belle. There has to be. This is a rarity that so much magical potential hasn’t even been activated yet. And the fact that Henry has magic is beyond me. The four of them all possess this recessive H level gene. Why is that? Why is it that Emma’s and Henry’s are..’stuck’ whilst the new addition to their family has active H levels. Emma’s activated _after_ her encounter with Regina and Henry’s has never been acknowledged or apparent until recently. Who is it coming from? _Where_ did it come from? Regina and Emma aren’t of the same bloodline, so how is it that this particular gene exists in the four of them?”

“I don’t know, but that doesn’t mean it’s important,”

“That doesn’t mean it _isn’t,_ either,” she counters and Belle sighs.

“Alright.. You’re right. Where’s Emma’s blood sample?”

“In the fridge at the hospital, why?”

“If you want my help to really figure this out. I may need to put it under the microscope and see if there’s any physical differences or DNA filaments that are mutated in her blood,”

“I told you the reason I don’t want to touch it is because we don’t have a normal blood workup to compare it to,”

“Yes and in the same breath you complain about not having answers. Angela… you need to pick one and do it soon. There’s only so much I can do from my position. There’s only so much information available on these sorts of things. You know this,” Belle reminds her and the way she says it makes Keaton sigh again before she nods. Belle turns back to her microscope and turns the little knob at the side to change the zoom on it. She becomes distracted for all of five minutes before she hears Doctor Keaton click her tongue and stand.

“What are you looking at now?”

“Some bark Robin brought in today. He said it wasn’t in the woods before and that none of the trees show anything similar in structure or internal design,” she answers, not pulling away from the sample. Keaont squints.

“He does realize that there are hundreds of trees in the woods, right?” Keaton questions and Belle smirks.

“I doubt it, but he asked me to identify it and I will.. Granted I believe I’ve seen this kind of tree back in the Enchanted Forest near Rumple’s castle, but I could be wrong,”

“You’re never wrong,” Keaton reminds her and she smirks again.

“I try not to be.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“She’s coming over later?” Emma asks with a smirk on her face and Cora turns red.

“Yes, later,” she answers as she picks up her sandwich and makes her way into the living room. She curls up in the chair and quietly eats her sandwich before she hears Emma walk in with her own. She sets a glass of something before Cora and motions that she drink it. The woman is very very grateful when she realizes it’s alcoholic. Emma then sits and turns the tv on before she leans back and begins to eat her food.

“So, what do you plan on doing when she gets here?” Emma then asks and Cora blanks.

“I hadn’t thought of that,” she admits as she stops mid chew. She drops the sandwich on the plate and Emma looks over at her with a very surprised face.

“Seriously?” she questions and the woman shakes her head.

“I suppose it slipped my mind,”

“Because you were too worried about screwing it up with her,” Emma added and she paused. Emma set her food down and turns to Cora. “What does she like? What does she eat? What does she do for fun?”

“She works. She doesn’t get to have fun,” Cora answers flatly only to have the blonde roll her eyes at her.

“Be serious-,”

“- I am. She already told me, they need their weekdays more than their weekends because they work so damn hard. I don’t know if she has another job or if it’s studying but that’s what I’ve been told. You think I’m gonna question a woman I’ve only known for one eclipse of the day?” Cora sasses and Emma is now smirking at her.

“Alright.. Alright. I was just asking so I could help,”

“Though I appreciate your help.. Don’t bother. The likelyhood that I’d succeed is vastly low,”

“You _really_ need to have more faith in yourself,” Emma says with a soft shake of her head.

“Have you seen me?”

“Yes- and?” Emma challenged. Cora just huffed at her.

“You don’t get it,” she says but Emma shakes her head.

“No, it’s you who doesn’t get it, but it doesn’t make sense arguing with you over it… since I’m off today, I’m trying to figure out what to do with myself. Regina said Kohana wanted her to take him shopping and only God knows how long that’s going to take,”

“She said that if I asked, you might say yes,”

“Say yes to what?” she asked and Cora smiled before she held up a controller and motioned that Emma take it. Emma looks at the controller and then back at the old woman before she grins stupidly and takes it.

“I like your proposal,” she compliments and Cora laughs.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Is something the matter?” Talia questions as she holds the receiver to her ear. Her face is scrunched up into thought and fear, almost.

“No. Nothing’s the matter. My mother told me you wanted to spend some time with her today and I don’t think I would be a very good boss if you had to go after hours when you could use that time to do other things,” Regina explained as she set one of the many bags in the back trunk of her car. Her cell phone was glued to her ear and as she neared the driver door, she shut Kohana’s and made a motion that he put his seatbelt on. She heard Talia make a sound as she set herself in the driver’s seat and put her seatbelt on. She halted from starting the car as she waited for a response.

“Miss Mills… isn’t that preferential treatment?” Talia questions her and Regina laughs.

“It would be, if I hadn’t already told Clara to inform the entire department that the day has been cut,” Regina tells her and she blushes.

“Oh… I’m sorry I assumed. I just didn’t want you to think you had to give me anything because of your mother…”

“On the contrary, I expect more of you now,” Regina tells her and she groans which makes Regina laugh. “Relax. Whatever it is you and my mother get up to is your own business, but I trust you enough to take care of her should you end up in any situation that is..unsightly- the same way I expect it of her to keep you safe,” she admits and the bit of silence that comes is due to Talia’s thinking.

“You’re serious about this?” she asks her honestly and Regina nods, answering her just as honestly.

“Yes, I’m very serious about this,”

“Is it for any _other_ reason why you trust me so much already?”

“You are ...different, Talia. And different is a good thing for my mother. She accepts change better than I do and what you’ve proven in the way you’ve taken care of her the other night is something I have to commend. My mother finds herself in very silly situations and no one around to help her get out of them. You did not leave her to her own devices or to the devices of others. You took her home with you and made sure she came home the next morning, safe and clean…. I don’t take things like that lightly,”

“It’s common human courtesy. I asked her out, it’s my job to make sure she gets home safe,” Talia says, not giving herself the pat on the back Regina was quite clearly giving her. Regina shakes her head.

“No. That’s what a good person does. Common courtesy is you making sure she had a way to get home, but you took care of her the entire night. You washed her clothes and made sure she ate. That’s something someone with a heart does…” Talia shrugged uneasily.

“...thanks, Miss Mills,” she finally says and Regina smiles.

“No need. I should be the one thanking you.. Have a good day, Talia,”

“You too, Miss Mills,” she says before they hang up and Regina looks in her rearview mirror to see that Kohana is out cold in his carseat. She starts up the car, puts the windows down and goes for a small drive around because she knew he would eventually wake and when he woke he would be hungry.

Somewhere through her drive, her phone rings and she pulls over to see that it’s Emma calling. Regina smiles as she answers.

“Hello,”

“hi baby,” Emma says softly as she bites her bottom lip. Regina blushes at the term of endearment. “I miss you,” Emma tells her and she sighs happily.

“I miss you too.. We finished shopping, but our not so little boy is asleep,” Regina informs her and Emma smirks.

“He winded himself on his shopping journey?”

“Indeed he did and then he attempted to ‘put the moves on’ the cashier,” Regina also says and Emma burst with a small laugh.

“Please tell me she fell for it,”

“She _did_ ,” Regina groaned with a soft laugh. “Though, he’s embarrassed that he still has to sit in the carseat,”

“I forgot about that part.. How’d you get him to get in?”

“I didn’t. I just told him we could walk if he doesn’t want to sit in it and he scowled for all of five seconds before he gave in… he later realized that his carseat is rather comfortable, which in turn causes him to fall asleep like an actual child would…”

“Cuuuuute,” Emma teases and Regina laughs slightly.

“He doesn’t seem to think so. How’s my mother?”

“She’s good. She’s kicking my ass in Mortal Kombat, though,” Regina hears Emma complain with a slight huff. She smiles.

“I expect nothing less from mother.. How are _you_?” Regina then asks. Emma shifts as she answers.

“I just miss you, that’s all,” she admits. Regina sighs lightly. She looks around her and the scenery gives her some indication as to where she is.

“I’m about half an hour away… get dressed and you, our son and me - we’ll go to lunch,” Regina commands. She hears the distinct shift of sound that Emma makes when she’s excited. She’s nearly sure that Emma nearly dropped her phone in the process of muffling her squeal. And if she wasn’t sure the blonde was happy, her own mother saying,

“Would you calm down, it’s just food!” gave her away.

“Shhhhh,” Emma hisses at her only to have Cora swat her arm, hard.

“Don’t shush me! You act as if you’ll die if you aren’t near her!”

“I could!” Emma dramatically claims and Cora stops short, a scowl permanantly etched on her face. She rolls her eyes before she presses the start button on her controller. “Stop cheating!” Emma scolds as she becomes distracted with the game and completely forgets Regina is still on the phone with her.

“Emmmaaaaaa,” Regina calls lightly, but she’s sure Emma hadn’t heard her because she can hear the blonde’s phone thud on something soft enough that it’s probably the couch. She shut her eyes and waits a moment to see if Emma even noticed, but Emma didn’t. Regina can hear Emma and Cora continue to argue. She decides to hang the phone up before she lets it slip into her purse and sighs gently.

“M-mom?” Kohana calls sleepily and groggily. Regina turns around to face him immediately.

“Hi honey.. How was your nap?” she asks him and he rubs at his eyes before he responds.

“Good,” he answers honestly and she smiles at him a little more. “I’m hungry,” he then says and she laughs lightly.

“I knew you would be, but we’re a half an hour from home and your mother just called,”

“She misses you, doesn’t she?” he asks her knowingly and Regina nods.

“We both know- you know the answer to that,” Regina says and he smirks.

“Yeah, but it’s fun to watch you two turn red because you’re all.. Googly,” he says only to have his mother give him one of those comical looks.

“And you blushing with the cashier was what?” Regina challenges him and he cracks.

“She was pretty!” he claims loudly and Regina just laughs.

“I never said she wasn’t,” she clarifies. “I asked what you blushing over her was,” she repeats. Kohana hides his face because, he may have the mind of a twelve year old, but his six year old body won’t let him hide his emotions. He blushes.

“She was pretty momma,” he says again, defeated by the fact that he knew damn well why he blushed. “And I like her. She’s nice,” he continues. He feels a hand settle on the top of his head and ruffle his already shaggy do. His mother brushes his hair back and kisses his forehead.

“Your embarrassmant is cute,” she concludes. He huffs but lets her have that one. He lifts his head and sees that Regina is still smiling at him and he finally smiles at her. His stomach reminds them of his hunger and they both share a laugh before his mother turns around and starts up her car.

As she’s driving, Kohana’s brain clicks on a thought.

“Did Gramma see Talia yet?” he questions, looking out the window because something caught his attention. His mother shakes her head.

“Not yet, honey..why?”

“No reason,” he mutters.

“Are you sure?” she asks him and he nods just slightly.

“You know something.. Don’t you,” he says. He doesn’t ask- he says it as if he knows she will answer him with a yes. She slows the car as she sighs and nods. He can see her eyes shut lightly in the rearview mirror. “Is it bad?” he then asks her and she shakes her head this time.

“It’s not,” she admits and now he nods at her.

“...okay,” is what he says and Regina is confused as to why he asked her in the first place if only to say ..okay.

“Is there something you can’t tell me?” she finds herself questioning him and he looks up at the rearview mirror once more. His mouth twitches slightly before he unbuckles his carseat and she stops the car completely. She parks it and watches him climb in the front seat. Regina kills the ignition again and waits.

“Remember when I told you and mom that I can’t tell you certain things and sometimes I’ll end up telling you half now and half later?” he asks in hopes of jogging her memory. She nods. “Well, with Gramma, it’s kind of a nothing now and nothing later kind of thing. I can’t tell you anything.. And when I say anything.. I mean _anything_ about Gramma. Part of why I can’t tell you is because she’s your momma and if I tell you, it could mess up the progress you two made. It’s mostly because of your reaction and Gramma’s defiance. If I tell you anything, you’ll probably react to it badly and then you’ll take it out on her because it’s about her and then she’ll spiral. But I was asking about Talia cus she’s nice and she likes Gramma. Besides.. The old lady could use some fun,” he now jokes and Regina’s head drops .

“Back in your carseat,” she says and he giggles as he moves.

“I’m Goiiiiing,” he whines lightly and she pats him on the butt and waits for him to get back into his carseat and buckles it. He accidentally forgets the one near his nuts and when he clips that one down he winces and quickly unbuckles that. Regina starts the car back up and looks at her watch for a moment.

“Honey, I know you’re hungry, but we may have to make one more stop before we go home, is that okay?”

“Yep.. where are we goin’?”

“Do you remember the question you asked about Qupid being your uncle?” she reminds and he nods. “How would you like to find out?”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is Doctor Keaton’s office, how may I help?” the young man answered as cheerily as he could manage with the short staff they had. StoryBrooke didn’t have that many people to begin with but for some off reason, it always seemed as though that could be debated when you looked at their hospital.

“Hi, it’s Sheriff Swan,” Emma said as she walked aimlessly through the kitchen.

“Yes, hi. My name’s Cliff. Do you have an appointment with Doctor Keaton?” he queries but Emma shakes her head before answering.

“No, no appointment, I just want to know if she’s in and ask her about some tests she was handling for me,” Emma says only to hear the young man hiss.

“I’m sorry, but because we can’t prove that it’s actually Sheriff Swan calling, vital information can’t be given over the phone, you will need to come in,” he tells her and she rolls her eyes.

“Alright, well can you at least tell me if she’s there?” Emma then asks and the young man seems less irritating.

“She isn’t,” he begins and Emma huffs. “But I can tell you where she currently is,” he offers and at first, Emma is ready to question how that’s anymore professional than getting her information over the phone, but she doesn’t bother.

“Alright, that’ll work,” she says and the young man riddles off the information to her. Emma thanks him and hangs up before she rounds the kitchen island and grabs up her jacket. She shouts over her shoulder at Cora, “I’m heading out! I gotta give something to Keaton!” only to have the old woman tell her not to take longer than Regina will in coming back or she might _actually_ die.

 

Emma pretty much jogs her way to the library and pushes the door open before she breathes in a bit deeply and looks around the place. Belle is nowhere in sight.

“Belle?” she calls but gets no answer. “Belle?!” she calls a bit more urgently and finds that her feet take her to the back part of the library very few knew about. Emma rounds the door corner and sees that Belle is glued to her microscope for the most part and Keaton is practically hovering over her in such a way that Emma assumes a little more than she should. She stumbles to catch her footing as she distractedly walks in and they both jerk their eyes away from the bark long enough to see the blonde turn red and try to steady herself.

“Emma? Are you okay?” Belle questions, standing all- too quickly as she buckles with Keaton and nearly falls. Thankfully, Doc is fast enough in catching her and pulling her back up. She brushes the young woman off and smirks.

“Slow down there. I need you fully functioning,” she teases and Belle scowls.

“I function just _FINE_ , Angela,” she responds defensively but she’s not even remotely upset. Keaton grins at her and shakes her head.

“Yes.. you do,” she compliments and Emma has to clear her throat.

“Sorry to.. Interrupt, but-,” Emma begins before she pulls the bloodied cloth from her pocket. “-this is our son’s blood… Regina and I talked and she said you might be able to use it so.. Use it,” Emma tells Keaton and at first she’s confused. That has Emma rolling her eyes and bobbing her head. “It’s Kohana’s blood,” she clarifies and the woman’s eyes widen. “So.. test it or whatever you need to do to figure it out. Whatever it is you have to figure out,” Emma continues before motioning the bloodied cloth in the woman’s direction. Doctor Keaton hesitantly takes it before she looks at Belle.

“Can we test it now?” Belle asks her and she nods almost dumbly.

“We can test it now,” she says.

“How long is that gonna take?” Emma finds herself asking and Keaton looks at her now.

“We’re testing both samples for abnormalities or mutations and considering we don’t have an actual file on you and your old bloodwork to compare your current one to, we may not find every answer,” she says and Emma immediately snaps her fingers before a file appears on Belle’s desk. Belle reaches out to pick it up. It’s rather thin to say the least, but that’s to be expected with Emma’s lack of stability all her life.

“That’s my information… what they had of me at least. That’s about it. Nothing special about it. Just a normal universal donor,” she muttered only to see Belle’s eyes widen.

“We might have something,” she says. Keaton looks back at Belle again.

“What?”

“If it’s what I think it might be… then we have something.. Granted, the test will take at least a day to conduct, but if it’s what I assume it might be.. We have our answer,”

“Answer to what, Belle?” Doctor Keaton pushes and Belle looks away from the file before shutting it.

“One of your many questions..”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

As the bell clung melodically above the door of the jewelry store, Regina had stuck her hand into her pocket and pulled out the dreamcatcher piece she felt she’d been holding onto for so long now.

“Ahhhh, look who’s here!” Qupid greeted with a soft smile as he exited the back room. Regina smiled immediately.

“Qupid,” she acknowledged and the man grinned.

“Regina,” he says with a nod of his head. He notices Kohana walking around, awestruck by what he sees. Qu juts his chin out at the child and asks,

“Who is your little travelling companion?” and Regina responded with her own question.

“Would you believe me if I said he was my son?” she’d asked and the man almost gasped.

“Regina-,” he began but she waved her hand to put him at ease.

“-it’s okay. I promise everything is fine… he was sent here.. By Neal…..and Daniel,” Regina said almost in a whisper and Qupid’s eyes glossed.

“D-Daniel sent him here?” the man asks her because he wasn’t sure of what he was hearing. Regina nods.

“He did,”

“How?”

“Emma and I don’t know. But he’s here for a reason and he’s our son.. Mine and Emma’s and Daniel’s and Neal’s…” Regina tells Qupid as her voice and words trail away. He swallows thickly but he nods. Regina finds herself sighing and so does Qupid, that is until Kohana walks over to the counter and looks up at the old man.

“Momma, is this Mister Qupid?” he asks and Regina nods at her son.

“Yes honey, that’s him,” she says and then he’s looking back at the man who is now looking at him. Kohana waves.

“Hi Mister Qupid,” he greets and the older man could only give him a soft smile.

“Hello, young man. What might your name be?”

“Kohana.. It means Swift in Hawaiian,” he grins cheekily, effortlessly making Qupid laugh and shake his head.

“Well, Kohana- it’s nice to meet you,” he says before extending his hand and the young boy shakes it.

“Nice to meet you too,” he smirks. “Can I ask him my question now, momma?” he asks his mother and Regina looks at him for a moment as she thinks.

“And what question would that be?” Qupid queries.

“Momma told me you’re my dad’s uncle- is that true?”

“It is,” he nods with a soft smile. “Was that your question?” Qupid queries but Kohana shakes his head.

“Nope… I was gonna ask if since you’re my daddy’s uncle.. If that means you’re my uncle too.. Mine and my momma’s?”

“Hmm.. now that is a bit of a tough one, I suppose,” Qupid said as he attempted to make it seem complicated when it really wasn’t. “Tell you what.. Here’s how I see it, this is my little secret- but I’ll share it with you.. Daniel was my only nephew.. My only anything actually. His mother was my sister and when he came to me and asked me to remake her ring for Regina…. He was no longer my nephew, but my son. I loved Daniel as if he were my own son. I took care of him from a very young age as his mother had entrusted him to me before she passed.. You see… Regina is not a niece to me and you are not a nephew to me… You are more than that. She became like a daughter to me and I loved them both beyond words could express.. So, to answer your question Kohana… I’m your daddy’s uncle, but I felt he was my son and your mother was like a daughter I never had… do you understand that?” he questioned the young boy and at first, with Kohana’s blank expression- he felt he may have confused the child.. However; Kohana began to smile before turning to his mother and his little face looked so relieved.

“Momma?”

“Yes honey?”

“Can I hug ‘grampa’?” he asks her and she lets out a soft chuckle.

“Ask him,” she urges and the young boy doesn’t need to be told yes by Qupid as the man already has his arms open and waiting for the young boy. Kohana does not wait. He hugs Qupid like the man was his lifeline and they stay in that moment of happiness for a while until he pulls away and looks at his mother.

“You can get the thingy done now,” he lets her know and she hides a laugh that has her shaking her head at the little boy.

“What ‘thingy’?” Qupid questions and Regina rests the dreamcatcher piece on the display case. She pulls the ring from her pocket and settles it onto the display as well. Regina holds her breath as Qupid’s eyes well up. He picks the ring up and looks down at it before looking back at her.

“Is this…?”

“...yes,” she nods lightly and he nods back.

“Are you..?” he finds himself questioning like that once again and she nods once more. “The dreamcatcher?” he then queries.

“That’s the design…” she says before trailing off. Her fingers trail over the fabric of it for but a moment more before she slides it towards him and he picks it up. He examines it and turns it over a few times before he looks at her.

“How do you want it?” Qupid inquires and Regina inhales deeply before a smile splits out across her face. A soft, thoughtful smile at that.

“In the shape of an unopened flower bud,” she tells him and Qupid lets out a bit of a happy sigh as he sees the smile to be genuine. He is then smiling at Regina and nodding.

“I can do that,” he assures her and she laughs lightly.

“I know you can… thank you, Qupid,” she sniffles but he shakes his head.

“No.. thank you- for keeping the memory of him alive.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Yeah, I understand.. Okay- I’ll see you there then,” Emma grinned before she hung up.

“Someone’s happy,” Doctor Keaton teased and Emma looked over at her for a moment. She’d forgotten where she was for a while.

“I am..” she answers but she doesn’t say much else. Doc nods and turns back to the file. Belle has her feet up in Keaton’s lap as they both respectively go through parts of Emma’s old medical record. The blonde is extremely close to commenting. To asking- to saying something, but she rears it in. She manages to hold her tongue. For whatever reason, she didn’t want to bring the saying, truth. Assume and you make an ass out of me and you.

“I’ve got nothing,” Keaton then comments before she sets Emma’s ‘half’ of the file down. Truth be told it was only three pages. Those three pages were of her first three years with the family that had adopted her, but there was no ‘bloodwork’ done. Emma had already been given her shots and other things before they adopted her so there was no need to get an infant’s bloodwork done at that time.

“I do,” Belle almost whispered as she pulled her feet off of Keaton’s lap and sat up straight. Angela got out of her chair and rounded Belle’s before leaning over and following where the young woman’s fingers were. “Detected possible abnormality in blood cells. Regeneration surpasses normal levels of all blood types. Universal donor status… unidentifiable,” she ends as her finger slips away from the paper. Belle falls against the backing of the chair and sighs before her eyes shut. Keaton looks over at Emma for a split second before they both hear Belle rise and speak. “That’s the abnormality,” she says a little softly.

“What.. what’s the abnormality?” Angela queries but Belle shakes her head and scrunches up her face, seemingly upset.

“The regeneration of her blood cells..of their blood cells,” she continues before her feet move faster than her thoughts at that point. Belle pulls out the bloodied cloth and slips it under the microscope. She changes the zoom on it once and finds exactly what she’s looking for. Her face jerks away from the microscope before she steps back.

“Did you know that was in your file,” Keaton now asks Emma and the blonde shakes her head.

“No.. they told me everything was fine. Belle motions them over in urgency.

“That’s it…” she says, her words sounding hollow with the realization. Angela and Emma continue to eye her, both unsure of what she’s on about until her head snaps in their direction. “Look at it,” she tells them and Doc is the first to the microscope. She bends and stares for a second until it focuses and she sees it. She too pulls away quickly and allows Emma to look. It’s shocking to say the least.

“The cells are still alive,” Emma comments and Belle nods.

“That’s the abnormality.. That’s the reason it’s active. His cells _don’t_ die. That’s the regeneration. That’s why they’re ‘active’. His cells don’t die… they _can’t_ die.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


Regina put her phone in her pocket before she turned back to her son who seemed to be more interested in Qupid than he was in eating the snack she’d given him. He catches his mother’s eyes in his peripheral and stops short on talking. He turns his head and smiles at her.

“Was that mom?” he asks her and she nods softly.

“I told her you seemed very intrigued by Qupid’s stories about Daniel and asked her to meet here instead… she’s busy right now, but she’ll be here in another hour or so.. Is that fine with you?” she asks, looking between her son and Qupid. Kohana nods eagerly and Qupid just continues to smile at her. The old man then smirks before he rises and holds out a hand for them all to head to the back.

“Good, then I can show you a few photos I’d managed to salvage of your father when he was around your age,”

“Coool… but how did you take pictures?” the young boy asks and Qupid tilts his head.

“Another story for another day,” he tells him before brushing his shaggy do from his eyes.. The child nods before he looks around and questions again.

“Where’s Arrow? Is she in school?”

“No, she’s with her caretaker for right now. Her mother couldn’t find anyone to keep her today. I would have, but Arrow requires a lot of attention and care,” he says before sighing. “And I am in no position to give her what she truly needs as consistently as she needs it… but, other than that- I am stronger than I’ve ever been,” he smiles and proves that by hoisting Kohana up and setting him onto the counter. The boy laughs though the twelve year old side of him wants to groan. His child-like body and mind can’t ignore the joy it brings. Regina smiles gently as she sits and watches the man weave more beautifully crafted stories of Daniel’s childhood. Stories Daniel himself had told her.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

There was a knock at the door, and for a slight moment, Cora couldn’t hear it and genuinely assumed it was the game until the knock came again and her eyes squinted slightly. She paused her game, stood and went to answer it, foregoing asking who it was.

“Hi,” the person had said only to see the old woman tilt her head and remain silent. “I know it’s weird seeing me here, but.. I kind of wanted to ask you for your opinion… for your help,” they’d corrected and yet still- Cora was mute. The person shifted slightly. “Okay.. umm, is it okay- you know….can I come inside?” they’d asked. She’d stepped aside just enough to allow them entry. He rubbed lightly at his legs before he found himself sat in the couch in the living room. Looking around as if he’d never been there before, he spoke. Cora stood a bit off with her arms folded, waiting to hear this big request that seemed to keep the man pissing himself on a regular basis. “How’s Regina and everyone else doing?” he found himself asking, delaying the words that are inevitable. Cora inhaled a bit and it sounded as if she was wheezing slightly.

“They’re fine,” she finally answers, arms still folded.

“That’s good… that’s really good..ummm- listen, I don’t know if she told you, but- I proposed and she didn’t say yes, but she didn’t say now either and-,” he was cut off by a hand that Cora held up.

“Dennison.. First of all, breathe. Secondly… yes, I know about your proposal,” she eases. “However, it’s none of my business nor my concern if she’s said yes or if she’s said no to you,”

“I know- I know!” he agrees quickly. “That’s not why I’m here. I was just wondering if you’d help me plan a different sort of proposal.. I kinda asked May to marry me on a whim when I was feeling… a bit more than loved at that point. I figured since you and she were friends th-,”

“-Let me stop you right there. I have absolutely no idea what Mayim has managed to tell you.. Or _not_ tell you for that matter, however..she and I are no longer friends and anything to do with her- or you is no longer any of my business, concern, or interest. If you need someone to help you plan a proposal to her, find someone she went to school with or a family member,”

“But you know her better than anyone,” he tries but Cora manages a soft laugh that borders on a scoff.

“Once again, I do not know what she’s told you; however I figured you’d have had enough sense to remember that since the day I had you both booked for the felony charges you face, she has quote ‘banished’ me from her life or whichever word suits the title...I cannot help you plan another proposal and I refuse to help you plan a proposal for someone who has treated me the way she has.. If that’s the reason you came here, then I am sorry- but you are on your own,” Cora tells him, not even waiting for him to bring up a reason. She begins to walk towards the door, a clear indication to Denny that the conversation was over. He sighs as he’s about to exit but turns back just to hug her and that shocks the shit out of her.

“I’m sorry.. You know,” he tells her, but she has no idea why, he hasn’t done anything to her. “I’m sorry for everything May said to you and I’m sorry I didn’t think better to prevent this from happening...I don’t know what’s been going on between the two of you because she won’t tell me but.. Thanks for at least being my friend for that short space of time,” he continues and for a moment, Cora thinks of hugging him. So she does. She sags in his hold as she responds.

“Thank you Denny,” is all she tells him before patting his back and releasing him. He lets her go and rubs at his thighs again before he nods a little awkwardly and leaves, only to bump into Talia on his way down the walkway. She turns to get a better look at his face before turning back to Cora- a thumb pointing in his direction.

“What’s-,”

“-don’t ask,” Cora waves off with a slight dip of her eyes. She rubs at the back of her neck before sighing heavily. Talia squints. Her head tilts and she puts a hand to Cora’s shoulder.

“You okay?” she asks and Cora nods.

“I’m fine,”

“Sure?”

“Of course,” she says this time before stepping aside and letting Talia in. The young woman looks around the foyer and that alone has her awestruck.

“Holy...crap this place is beautiful...and huge!” she comments before she’s grinning and sees Cora give her a soft smile.

“It is. Four bedrooms- five if you count my grandson’s physical therapy room. Basement and Attic. Wine cellar and a vault,” she riddles off. “Though, I’m sure I’m missing something, but for the most part, that is it,” she continues but Talia is still awestruck. Cora gently prods her back and pushes her into the direction of the living room before she sits her down. “Would you like something to eat? Drink?” she offers and the young woman nods before standing, her feet carrying her over to the window and allowing her to see the backyard.

“Is that a duck pond?” she questions and Cora smirks.

“It is. My daughter got me a duck and I made the pond.. Ermis should be in there. You can go outside and check if you’d like,” she tells her and Talia turns to regard her.

“Seriously?” she questions and Cora nods.

“Seriously,” she tells her. Talia grins happily before she’s almost skipping to where Cora is, biting her bottom lip.

“How?”

“Follow me,” Cora tells her and she does so. Cora motions to the french door and Talia is gone. She yanks it open and all but jogs over to the duck pond and bends down before she’s instantly got a duck in her hands and bringing him over. Oddly enough, she picks up Ermis and he’s peeping like he’s raging about the man, but he’s just happy for the attention. “Stop yelling at her. You know you like being held,” she tells him and he shakes violently. That was his sign of swearing at her pretty much.”

“You speak duck too?!” Talia asks her with shock written all over her face.

“No, just this one… that’s Ermis. Ermis- say hi,” she tells him and he squeaks on command. Talia giggles.

“Oh my God! Cute!” she compliments and he burrows in her hands more. Cora rolls her eyes.

“Now he blushes. We get it, she’s pretty. Have a backbone,” Cora scolds but he won’t move. She shakes her head at him before heading to the fridge. Cora grabs a bottle of water and a juice pouch from the fridge before she sets them on the counter. She slides the juice pouch over to Talia and smiles when the young woman smirks. “Yes, the juice pouches are mine. They’re easier to handle and I can run with those.. You can’t run with a glass in hand. Besides, Hi-C and CapriSun taste better than everything else...besides Regina’s apple juice..and the cider she makes… and her cooking- okay.. Scratch that. Only my daughter’s cooking is good enough to make me happy. The juice is just a bonus,” Cora rambles and Talia shakes her head as she sets Ermis down and picks up her juice pouch. She raises it as Cora raises her bottle of water and they sip respectively. Cora goes back to the fridge and pulls out a syringe and a small bottle before she fills the syringe and puts the bottle back into the fridge. She taps the needle to make sure it will drain before she sighs. Talia sips and smacks.

“What’s that?” she queries and Cora snaps from her slight daze.

“Ermis is on medication. He’s a duck that won’t grow past this stage and to keep him both healthy and able to suppot his weight on his legs, I’ve been given this and have been instructed to give it to him everyday..for the rest of his life,” she informs and Talia nods before looking at Ermis.

“How many times do you need to give it to him?”

“Twice,” Cora tells her.

“Is it a shot?”

“No..thankfully it is not. I’d requested something that didn’t require me prodding him.. I feel bad enough as it stands, I do not wish to poke him multiple times through his life. He’s already small as it stands and rather petite….Considering the amount of food he eats and what my daughter consistently cooks for him, I’m surprised by his weight, but the Vet said this was a result of his genetics…” Cora says before trailing off. She rounds the counter and Ermis is already waddling away from her. She bends before she whispers, “come here Ermis,” and he peeps weakly. “I know it tastes horrible, but do you want to end up without the use of your legs?” she asks him and he squeaks just as weakly at her. “ Then come here,” she tells him and he listens. The little fella thugs out ingesting the disgusting, chalky tasting medication and shakes again, annoyed that it makes him cold. Cora rubs the top of his head before feeding him something that looked like it was made specifically for him.  She then takes him off the counter and holds onto him before regarding Talia. “How is work? And why are you taking your lunch now?” she asked and the young woman sighed happily.

“Considering your daughter cancelled the rest of my day.. I pretty much can take my lunch at any point right now,” Talia grinned. Cora looked confused.

“Wait..Regina cancelled the rest of the day?” Talia nods. “Why?”

“I don’t know.. I guess she planned it or something,”

“She just happened to plan it the day you are set to see me. That would be prefer-”

“-ential treatment. Same thing I thought, but she told.. Miss McMillan to tell us from that morning..” Talia told Cora before trailing off. As they entered the living room and Cora set Ermis down, she hummed- acknowledging Talia’s words. “She did scare me just a little bit when she said she expected more of me now because you and I are- I guess hanging out, but.. She was only joking… I think,” the young woman recalls before shaking her head and Cora laughs lightly.

“She was.. Regina doesn’t have that kind of mindset when it comes to other people. She doesn’t get involved...something she got from her father,” Cora says almost pained byt he words. Talia tilts her head before putting a hand to Cora’s shoulder and the old woman flinches.

“It’s okay- it’s just me,” Talia quickly soothes and she calms down. “Her father.. He was a king, right?” Talia asks and Cora nods.

“Henry.. Yes, he was a king..and a saint, and a god damn good father,” she says with strength.

“I know.. We learned about him in our classes,” Talia smiles gently and Cora turns to her.

“Then you would also know about my discretions and my downfalls as well as the many traumatic things I’ve inflicted on my child,”

“I do.. But I don’t let that determine who and what you are to me. You made mistakes like everyone else does and you’ve done some vile things, but you are still human… you just needed help and love and someone’s belief in you that not everything would be your demise,”

“Had it come sooner, both my children would have been fine and happy..even if we did end up poor,” Cora then argues but Talia shakes her head.

“Things in life happen for a reason. Good or bad, they _have_ to happen. It’s up to us to let it and bite the bullet. Take it with a grain of salt and go for it…. Promise me something,” Talia finds herself saying and Cora looks over at her before regarding her with very soft eyes.

“Depending on what it is.. I will promise you,” she answers only to have the young woman grin.

“Smartass… when we’re friends, promise to stay honest with me..even if it hurts,”

“That.. I can surely promise you. Would you be able to do the same for me?”

“I will,” Talia nods and Cora nods back.

“Good.. “ she says before trailing off and tossing a controller at Talia. “Let’s see how much you’ve been practicing,” she laughs. Talia catches the controller easily before she rolls her eyes.

“You’re about to get your ass kicked.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Mom!” Kohana grins as he spots his blonde mother with bags in her hands. Emma grins at the young boy before she sets them down and lets him tackle her with a hug. She can’t help but lift him up and he just goes with it because it really is enjoyable to be spoiled as much as he is.

“Hey, Kid junior. How was shopping with your mom?”

“Good.. I got a lot of stuff,” he smirks. Emma looks over at Regina and she blushes.

“I couldn’t tell him no,” she admits before standing and nearing the pair. Emma leans over to kiss her on the lips. “hi,” she whispers as the blonde bites her bottom lip.

“Hey.. I got some news,” Emma says and sees the way Regina’s eyes flit with interest.

“You did?”

“Yeah. I went to Keaton and gave her the thing we were talking about and Belle thinks she’s found an answer,”

“Good or bad?” Regina queries and Emma shrugs lightly. She has to switch Kohana to her other side as she responds.

“She didn’t say. She just said she think she knows what it is,”

“That could be in reference to anything..” Regina recalls before trailing off and Emma sighs.

“I know.. I’m sorry I couldn’t find out more,” she apologises but Regina shakes her head before kissing her again.

“It’s not your fault.. Thank you, for going..and doing this,”

“We both wanted answers. I can’t afford to put my own feelings before something that could help us prevent a lot of trouble in the future. This is going to help all of us. I need to do this for my family. I love you guys, and if it’s within my power to find the answers.. I will,” Emma admits before she and Regina share that moment of silence and understanding. Regina kisses her cheek this time before Emma finally lets Kohana down and allows him to go about his business. He takes one of the bags down because he knows there’s food for him in there somewhere and just walks away with one of the bags. Emma and Regina turn to regard him before she laughs. “Kid.. be careful, one of them is spicy,” she tells him but he shrugs as he attempts to eat. She turns back to Regina before speaking again. “Henry called me just before I got here. His exams are done and he’s not going to make lunch. He has something to deal with for Grace and Ava.” Regina nods

“How is Nicholas?”

“He didn’t say. I don’t think they’re talking right now-”

“-Ahhhhhh! Mom!” Kohana shouts before he shoves the plate away from himself. It falls to the ground with a clump. Emma and Regina both turn to regard him- Emma shaking her head as she walked over to him. She bends down and begins to clean it up as she scolds him.

“I warned you, Hana,”

“Yeah, but you didn’t say it was _this_ one,” he complains as he breathes in and out heavily. His tongue is burning more than he can manage. He waves his hand and a bottle of milk appears. The child chugs it back before groaning in pleasure. Regina nears the pair before she too helps Emma clean up the rest of the mess and then she checks their son over.

“How does your tongue feel?” she queries and he nods.

“Better than before,” he answers. He climbs out of the chair and coughs a little before he reaches up again and grabs a different bag. Emma just shakes her head and lets him.

“Will you listen to me next time?” she asks him and he scowls.

“You didn’t say which one it was, mom,”

“..well, if you weren’t being so greedy and read the label, you’d have known it was that one,” she argues and Regina for her part, she stands off at the side and laughs at their bickering. “Minus the fact that our spoiled son just wasted an entire plate of food.. How was today?”

“Eventful. He and Qupid seem to be one in the same,” Regina commented. Emma smirked.

“Well, when he’s done, we need to get going,” she says and for a split second, Regina looks confused.

“Why?”

“Because.. I feel like going for a drive..and we haven’t checked on that hole in the barrier,” she reminds Regina and the brunette shakes her head.

“I’d forgotten about that,” she says honestly and Emma nods at her.

“Yeah, so..maybe we can drop him off and leave him with someone or take him with us, but we need to take a look at that barrier.. It’s not the curse, right?” Emma asks just to be sure. Regina shakes her head.

“No. You broke that barrier when you came to StoryBrooke. The instant you came to StoryBrooke. This one was a secondary barrier that prevents ..well the undesirables from entering,”

“And those would be?”

“Anyone who did not have magic or anyone who had magic,”

“Anyone period,” Emma clarified and Regina tilted her head before nodding.

“Precisely.. Maybe we should leave now,” Regina suggests but Emma shakes her head.

“Nah, let him eat first. Besides, I could use the break for right now. I just had to watch Belle and Keaton go through my medical file like they were trying to incriminate me,”

“You actually allowed them access to your medical file?”

“Pfft, it was legit six pages all up. I only had information when I was a baby and when I had Henry. I didn’t bother after that and obviously I couldn’t bother _during_ my years as a minor..sooo. Yeah. They needed answers and apparently….” she says before she tugs Regina into the corner. “... our cells are still..alive,” she tells the brunette.

“Emma. You’re confusing me, sweetheart,” Regina admits and Emma sighs gently.

“Belle put the kid’s blood under a microscope and … you know what. I’ll just take you to her after we check on the barrier and she can tell you. I don’t wanna screw up the information,”

“Is it that complicated?”

“No, but this is me we’re talking about.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Post gaming session, Cora and Talia had decided on a movie. It turned into the movie watching them because Cora claimed it was boring and Talia was genuinely sleepy. She’d offered her room as somewhere for the young woman to nap, but Talia had turned that down, claiming it was better to stay downstairs with the old woman and just hang with her. Cora fell asleep shortly after, but it was only for about half an hour because Henry came through the door, arguing with someone on the phone and Cora had concluded it was only Nick. It only could have been Nick. But it wasn’t. It was Grace and Ava who were more upset that they are just finding out about the whole Henry and Nick situation to begin with. He argues all the way into the living room before his grandmother quickly taps her lip and points down at Talia who was sleeping on her shoulder. Henry gives a mute apology and leaves the room quickly.

Cora switches from the movie back to the tv and goes through the channels, finding nothing of interest. Talia shifts against her, taking in a shallow breath as she did so. She stirs awake and stretches lightly before she looks up at Cora.

“How long was I out for?”

“Nearly two hours,” Cora tells her and she blushes.

“And you just let me sleep?”

“You clearly needed it,” Cora argues and the young woman shakes her head before kissing Cora on the cheek.

“You are too sweet.. You know that right?” she asks but Cora is too focused on the display of affection to register anything else.

“Basic human courtesy,” is what she manages to say but Talia grins at her before shifting again. Time feels as if it’s stopped becuase Cora finds herself staring at Talia as if this woman were a foreign beauty. Talia turns red in the face and tries to look away but Cora’s eyes are still on her. The older woman shifts so that she faces her full on and reaches out to bring their eyes in meeting. She holds Talia’s face in her hands and looks at her. She analyzes her. She all but swoons over her beauty as she takes in every single little feature before her. The slight crinkle near her nose, or that one small scar by her eye. “You are..absolutely breathtaking” she compliments and now is when the younger woman bites her bottom lip, pulls away just slightly, if only to shake her head.

“I’m not.. I’m just me,”

“And that’s exactly why you are as breathtaking as you are,”

“..stop,” she weakly begs but Cora shakes her head this time.

“I’m serious. This is the first time I’m getting a good look at you and it makes me wonder why no one’s married you as yet,”

“Guess I just wasn’t the right person for any of them,” she shrugs a bit dejectedly.

“And they are stupid for ever thinking so,” Cora defends. The young woman manages to laugh. Cora finally releases her face and puts her hands before her. “I never got the ooportunity to thank you,”

“Thank me..for what?”

“For taking care of me that evening..and for..not leaving me alone,”

“You were my responsibility. I had to make sure you were safe,” she told her. Cora smiled.

“You are the first person who I’ve met in this world since my husband, who has cared enough to that extent. I never had friends.. And this feels, frightening, but I thank you all the same for everything, Talia… you’ve given me hope,” Cora admits.

“You’re going to make it harder for me to _not_ like you,” Talia jokes. Cora leans against her for a moment.

“Then I’m doing something right,” she says before they fall silent. Talia feels a heavy breath leave her before she’s grinning and getting comfortable against the woman once more. Cora swallows and turns back to the tv before she hears Talia question her.

“What are you watching?”

“I-I don’t know.. I hadn’t found anything interesting enough to watch and since you decided to use me as a pillow.. I couldn’t move to do much else,”

“So, you’re blaming me for your lack of mobility..and your laziness,” Talia comments instead of asks and Cora smirks.

“I am,” she says honestly and is pinched.

“You’re not sweet anymore,” she scowls but Cora laughs.

“Oh no… I die!” Cora dramatically responds before Talia pinches her again and they both end up in a puddle of giggles.

“Hey,” Talia whispers and Cora looks at her. “It’s cool hanging out with you. I must admit..and I can’t believe I found someone more interesting than my already troublesome friends,” she says before she sits up and leans her head on the back of the couch. Cora shrugs slightly at her.

“Does this imply that I _am_ troublesome?” she queries with a smirk and Talia looks over at her before shaking her head.

“Yes and no,” she admits, a smile gracing her already beautiful face. She then sighs as she looks at her wrist. Cora sees this action and looks a bit confused by it.

“Is something the matter?” she queries. Talia jumps slightly, her smile beginning to fade. She shakes her head just a little bit, her eyes slowly shutting as she responds.

“I have to go in a little while… meet someone and do something,” she says, but she neglects all important details.

“That doesn’t sound safe,” Cora begins but Talia shakes her head again.

“It is..I just.. “ she trails off before looking at her watch again. “In a little while, yeah?” she asks and Cora nods. It’s the only thing she can do. Talia smiles gratefully before she rests her head back on Cora’s shoulder with a bit more ease. The older woman sighs and tries not to think too much of it all as they continue to watch tv.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“We’re coming over,” he heard Ava tell him and found himself groaning at her suggestion.

“Ava, seriously, I just saw you guys. We don’t need to keep talking about this.. Or dealing with it for that matter… it happened, it’s over-,”

“-no it’s not! And you know that, Hen. You know as well as anyone else that Nick doesn’t just let things go. He never does, and that’s why he’s always getting in trouble, because he never lets things go…” she tells him. He huffs.

“So, what are you expecting me to do.. I _don’t_ know what the hell it is I feel about him and he won’t just take that as an answer… Do you guys even know what he said to me?” Henry finds himself asking and both girls sigh at him.

“No, and that’s because you won’t tell either of us,” Grace answers.

“How about you ask him and see why I said what I said about this situation. It’s useless. Nick doesn’t listen and won’t listen. He’s persistent about the wrong things,”

“And those things are?” Ava asks and Henry sighs deeply.

“He wants us together and doesn’t believe I’m _not_ dating Ian. Nick’s convinced himself that I’m his and only his.. Ava- your brother has gone off the deep end and he’s trying to pull me down with him. It’s not gonna happen. I’m friends with Ian, nothing more- nothing less. But, just because I kissed him-,”

“-You kissed Ian!” Ava belts loudly and the teen groans. “Why didn’t you say something!” she scolds, but he just shakes his head.

“Ava, relax-,”

“-Relax! Henry, I like Ian! And you couldn’t tell me he was gay!”

“He’s not gay.. He’s bisexual. You still have a chance,” the boy responds flippantly, only to hear his friend growl in response.

“Aves, chill out,” Grace tries but Ava goes off on a tangent that Henry finds himself ignoring.

“Look, guys- I don’t have time for this. Nick gave me an ultimatum and said whatever I told him determines whether or not we’re going to be friends… I either pick him or I don’t. If I don’t- he wants nothing to do with me,” he recalled, only to hear Grace gasp lightly.

“Woah, that’s rough,” she tells him and he shifts where he is.

“I know, and it’s exactly why I begged you to let me veto that talk we had. It was just getting worse at that point and Nick wouldn’t drop it. He wouldn’t leave it alone. All he kept saying is ‘You can’t kiss me and then go and kiss Ian’. He kept comparing me and him to me and Ian. He was rude to him- for no reason and wouldn’t just let it die already… I don’t have time to stress about this thing with Nick….he’s already told me multiple times that it’s him or nothing, and I can’t lie to myself and I won’t lie to him. I don’t know what I feel, and I don’t want to figure it out right now. I’m only fifteen, I’ve got my entire life left to figure it out,”

“Unless you like..die tonight or something,” Grace interjects and it makes them all laugh.

“Seriously, Grace?”

“Hey, just trying to lighten the mood.. It worked right?” she asks and though they all sigh, Henry smiles.

“Yeah..thanks.. Listen, guys I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but I didn’t know what to do.. I still don’t…”

“It’s fine, Hen.. I’m gonna have a talk with Nick and see why his head’s screwed on the way it is. Maybe it’ll help me figure out how to fix what he screwed up,” Ava says with a shake of her head, but Henry groans slightly.

“He didn’t screw anything up-,”

“-uhhh, yeah he did. This wouldn’t have happened if he’d just been honest from the jump.. Or told me something. You’d think with him being my twin, he’d have thought that maybe- just maybe, I wouldn’t be against him,”

“We all know, Nicky doesn’t do logic,” Grace reminds… “Seriously though.. You guys made us think it was something really bad. I mean- this is bad, but..jeez,”

“Sorry we worried you,”

“It’s a good thing you did.. Stop worrying about it so much Hen, we’ll figure out..we always do.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Well, at least we know the barrier’s fine,” Emma commented as she and Regina stepped away from the town line. Surprisingly enough, the hole hadn’t gotten any bigger, but it didn’t get any smaller either. All the markings and spray paint were still there. Regina nodded. Emma then looked over at her after a thought came to mind. “Hey, Regina?”

“Yes?”

“What are the chances that both Daniel _and_ Neal knew exactly where this hole would be and timed it just so the kid could fall through? And that’s also how Greg and Tamara got in?” she’d questioned and that seemed to make the brunette perk up with interest. That was before she squinted.

“It’s rather likely, considering they’d both be able to see exactly where everyone and everything is as of right now. And considering Greg was within the Townline prior to with his father, the barrier had no reservation against him. They travel two over, two back. He was forced to go over without his father and managed to come back in with Tamara. Granted, she cam with Neal, but he found a way around it...” she remembers and Emma then looked up at the sky and spoke.

“You two idiots couldn’t figure out another way to send the kid to us? It had to be through a wormhole in the barrier?” she questioned and Regina excused herself to laugh.

“Sweetheart, I don’t think you want to threaten them from down here,” Regina tells her and she looks over.

“Why?”

“Because-,” Regina manages just before a downpouring of rain hits them both. It ripples through the town, heavy and cold. Emma shrieks and Regina can’t help but to laugh as she reaches for the blonde and kisses her. “That’s why,” she whispers before leaning in to kiss her again. Kohana climbs out of the car and in all of his rather exciting demeanor, he plays in the rain because.. Who doesn’t like to dance in the rain? They look over at him and Emma can’t help but to shake her head as she waves him over and lifts him up, brushing his wet and matted hair from his face.

“This day would’ve been a day you could’ve just worn pants and nothing else and have fun,” is what she tells him and he shrugs.

“I still can!” he exclaims happily, before wiggling free and going back to skipping through the puddles and kicking up water droplets.  His mothers grin at him, tempted to join in on the fun, and they end up doing just that when he pulls them both over and tells them they have to.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Is that rain?” Talia asks as she squints. The sky is overcast and the clouds are saturated grey. Cora gets up and looks through the window before turning back and nodding.

“It is..and it appears to be coming this way,” she manages to say before the telltale ripple of water tears down over the house. “Correction, it’s already here,” she says and Talia sighs heavily before pulling out her phone and dialling out.

“Hey..yeah..yeah I see it too and it’s heavy.. Do you think you can keep him just for a little bit longer until it holds up?” she asks, waiting for the response that puts her at ease. “Thank you so much. I owe you...tell him I love him and I’ll see him later,” she then whispers, but the person just hands the phone over. “Hey, sweetie.. Yeah- I see it...yeah, it’s gonna be down for a while.. I know, I love you too.. Okay, bye,” she says before hanging up. Cora overheard some but not all of it, so she felt no need to question Talia about the call directly, and instead settled for asking,

“Is everything alright,” for which the young woman nodded and responded in kind.

“Yeah.. it’s fine,” she says, but even she knows that’s a weak response. Cora sits by her once more before she touches her shoulder.

“You can tell me, should you choose to,” she says and that makes Talia smirk just slightly.

“You sound proper even when you offer me a shoulder of solace,”

“Is that bad?”

“No.. it’s not..Nothing you do is bad,” she tells her softly but Cora scoffs lightly.

“Many people would beg to differ,”

“And I’m not many people,” Talia argues which causes Cora to deflate.

“I know that.. I’m sorry for comparing,”

“Stop apologising to me. You’ve done nothing wrong.. I’m just reminding you that when you think everyone sees only one side of you that there is at least one who doesn’t.. Well, I know Emma and Miss Mills and your grandsons see differently too, but what I’m trying to say is… _I_ see _you_ , Cora.. only you. Not your past, but your present and your future. I see you. Your now is the only thing that matters to me..and it’s enough,”

“Is it enough for you to tell me what’s got you unnerved and unhappy?” she finds herself questioning. Talia shifts and sighs.

“I can’t..not yet. But I will soon. If we become friends the way I want us to.. I will tell you,”

“Is it bad?” Cora questions and Talia looks a bit saddened, but she still finds reason to smile.

“I hope it won’t be.”

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I’m gonna go see if Ruby’s in there,” Kohana tells his mothers as he runs from the sidewalk and up the steps and into the diner. The rain had held up just a little bit in their area, and Kohana found it of some importance to still splash through the puddles.

“Woah, kid! Slow down,” Emma tells him, but he keeps going. She groans. “I’m forgetting he’s not six anymore and at this stage in his life, listening.. Is not a factor,” she comments. She and Regina have foregone an umbrella, considering they weren’t very preapred to begin with and the light droplets fell upon Emma’s face. Regina hums before she wipes the strays from Emma’s cheek as she locks her and Emma’s arms before resting her head on the blonde’s shoulder. They’d also mamnaged to see Keaton and Belle and Emma let Belle do the explaining which wasn’t surprising that Regina picked up on exactly what she meant fairly easily.

Emma escorts her soon to be up the steps and holds the door open as they head inside. Kohana has somehow managed to get behind the counter, and is clearly enjoying Ruby’s company. Emma hears Ruby blush and laugh and all she can do, is groan yet again.

“Em, he’s a doll,” Ruby compliments.

“I hope that’s all he is tonight. Hana, don’t try to put the moves on her, she’s taken,”

“By who?” he asks, clearly offended to just knowing this bit of information. Ruby leans down and points directly past him and over to the woman who waves at him, smirks and smiles.

“Seriously!” he complains and they laugh. “Is everyone here gay?” he queries only to have Ruby rub the top of his head.

“I’d be inclined to say we stand at half and half with that one.” He huffs but lets it be before he goes in search of Granny, knowing the old woman will let him help her cook. Emma and Regina sit at the bar and Emma orders herself a cup of cocoa and some tea for Regina. At frst Regina is ready to argue, but Emma has her card.

“Coffee isn’t good for the baby. You know this,” she tells her, so the brunette gives in with a soft huff. One that Ruby does not miss.

“You two never cease to get cuter and cuter as the days go on,” Ruby comments. Emma smiles and Regina blushes. “So,” she begins before leaning in. “Any luck with..you know?” she asks them, but Emma shakes her head.

“None yet, but we haven’t really been trying to.. You know. We’re just letting things happen the way they’re meant to and hopefully that’s the choice we were supposed to make,” Emma tells her and she nods before standing up straight. “Besides, you’d know before us whether or not.. You know?” Emma then asks but Ruby shakes her head.

“Not until her womb actually takes seed….but within the first few days, I’ll be able to sense him or her,”

“Can we count on you to tell us when?” Regina finds herself asking and Ruby nods quickly.

“Yeah, sure Regina. I can do that,” she says and they miss the way her voice seems to not be all in on that one. For whatever reason. Regina smiles at her and she smiles back. “At least I won’t have to give you this.. anymore,” she says before showing them the steeped, frog leg tea that immediately made Regina bury her face in Emma’s arm. Emma holds onto her before she asks,

“What _is_ that?”

“Well, I gave this to Regina when she was.. Not feeling herself. It works on pregnant women and non pregnant women, but it just made her sick,”

“You gave my girlfriend a frog leg in some.. Tea that looks like lake water?” Emma questions, not even realizing what she’d just referred to Regina as. Ruby shrugged helplessly.

“Em, she was just trying to help,” Regina defended only to see Emma pretty much scowl at Ruby without any form of venom.

“Fine.. next time, don’t give her anything unless it’s lavender tea,”

“Gotcha.. Are you guys staying to eat or?” she then asks the pair and Emma looks at Regina who looks back at her.

“I don’t know.. What’s the kid doing?” she asks her friend who goes to check and comes right back.

“He’s making bread right now,” she comments. Emma thinks for a moment.

“What do you think? We can leave him with Granny for a while and I’ll come back to pick him up later?” she suggests and Ruby interjects.

“I can bring him back for you. I don’t mind, besides, you guys are kind of on our way home,” Ruby tells them and now Emma is interested.

“On your way home?” she asks with a smirk and the woman blushes.

“Yeah, I moved in a bit over a week ago,” she admits.

“And you didn’t think to tell your best friend- Ruby I am appalled,” Emma playfully scolded. Ruby managed to grin.

“I’m sorry, but you were too focused on your own family. You know what happens when you’re happy. Nothing and no one else matters in those points of time,” she says and Emma nods.

“I can agree with you there..” she trails off before looking down at Regina and leaning in to kiss her. “I love you,” is what she says to her beautiful counterpart and it makes her heart backflip the second Regina returns her words. Ruby rolls her eyes at the pair before her, deadset on not being their audience by saying the clichéd “awww”.  

“Sooo, is that a yes or no? Do you want me to bring him back on the way?”

“Ask momma bear here,” Emma jokes, but Regina shakes her head and rolls her eyes.

“It’s fine by me,” she says and Ruby claps with excitement.

“I’ll go tell him,”

“Yeah, you might wanna do that now, we’re gonna get going,” Emma informs as she attempts to stand, but Regina pulls her back onto her stool and holds onto her tightly.

“Not yet,” Regina says only to hear Emma laugh.

“You sound sleepy already and you’re telling me not to move yet?”

“I’m enjoying this,” Regina defends and Emma caves.

“Alright, well, can we at least sit in the booth, I don’t think I can hold you like this for much longer,” she requests and Regina nods in response. They move to a booth and Regina finds herself drifting off to sleep just shortly after they sit, comfortable against Emma who keeps her wrapped up and encased in kisses.

 

Ruby comes back out shortly after and looks on as Emma smirks and shakes her head.

“She’s out,” she comments and Ruby laughs before she begins wiping the counter down. Emma hadn’t really gotten a good look at the diner when they walked in, but just by the chatter behind her, she knows there’s a good bit of people in there. Some, she’s wholeheartedly sure are still judging her and Regina, her more so for her choices of being with ‘the evil queen’. The blonde shakes her head and drowns everyone out; thankfully they sat in the booth closest to the back office where she and Regina could keep their backs turned. She loses herself in her phone for a while until the bell at the diner clinks against the glass of the door. Very expensive shoes click against the flooring, and it’s that distinctive click that everyone knows all too well. But Emma doesn’t hear it because she’s more focused on her phone and Regina. The peopled behind them get up to leave and that’s what catches Emma’s attention. She turns around and sees that it’s Rumple, finely dressed and clearly not.. well, the Rumple she saw on the beach. He leans over the counter and speaks to Ruby for a moment, clearly he has more control of himself, but something just isn’t sitting with her right. Ruby nods and writes down whatever it is he may have ordered or whatever message he may have left and heads to the back. Rumple twirls his cane slightly before his eyes scan the diner and they land on Emma. He and the blonde share a look for a moment as he decides to carry himself over to their table. Emma watches him the entire way until he holds out his hand.

“May I?” he asks her and she nods, albeit, hesitantly. Rumple makes himself comfortable before he leans his cane up against the booth itself and puts his hands before himself.

“What are you doing out of the hospital?” Emma asks him because she knows, loopy Rumple has somehow managed to disappear and a more sane one has taken his place.

“I suppose I do need to answer that,” he begins before he reaches over for a napkin and pulls it from the holder. Rumple unfolds it and begins to refold it in a completely different design. “The spell?” he questions just a tad bit confused still. “Wore off. I’d come to in the hospital and checked myself out after they passed me for my.. What’s the word..” he trails off.

“Assessment?” she asks and he seems to nod just slightly at that.

“Yes, but the medical terminology for it.. Anyway, I’d went in search of Belle, or anyone really because the clothes they’d given me..looked like something my grandson wouldn’t even wear,” he recalls. “Though, they were rather comfortable, I am not a man known for showing his knees…”

“Cora put those on you when you were on the beach.. You don’t remember that?”

“I remember few things as of right now, Miss Swan, but one thing in particular I never forget.. is signing a contract. One in which I am more than positive you tricked me into signing, did you not?” he questions her and she swallows. Rumple drops the napkin and clicks his fingers against the table as he tilts his head and looks on at her. He smirks before he taps the table with the palm of his hand and speaks again. “You and Regina formulated a rather good plan to get me to sign that contract. I will admit as much, however.. Nevermind…” he trails off, clearly not upset in the slightest, and that worried Emma.

“What?”

“Nothing, Miss Swan,”

“No, it’s something,” she says and he smiles.

“It truly is nothing,” he tries to reassure, but Rumple has never been known to reassure anyone- ever.

“If you knew all of this.. Why go through with it- why sign the contract?” she finds herself asking, just to push this conversation some more and see if Rumple truly was telling her the truth.

“Because dear girl, Cora had actually managed to incapacitate me enough that even if I didn’t want to, I still would have,”

“But you called our child a half cast, why would you entertain all of that if you knew it was me and Regina?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I had told you. We both know that,” is what he says in response and Emma has to be truthful, the man was right. “ Miss Swan, did it ever occur to you that the way in which the contract was constructed, it never indicated either party by name?”

“Well yeah, but I’ve only ever signed one contract with you and that’s this one,” she reminds and Rumple smirks again.

“Yes, well- usually my contracts incdicate the acting parties involved, along with myself and it is also engrained in the seal once you sign- or rather, before you signed in your case…”

“I don’t get what you mean,” she tells him and he snaps his fingers before the contract appears. She hesitates but he speaks.

“I still have access to all contracts, dear girl. This one is not more special than the rest,” he informs her before laughing. “Though, I suppose when it’s the case of two magical beings en route to creating a child of absolute possibilities beyond proportions considered epic, it is special,” he then comments before he rests it down and pulls out a magnifying glass. Rumple slides the piece over the seal that’s in the top left corner or the contract and Emma squints as she sees that wrapped around the emblem is a very fine print line of words that says “to not harm Emma and Regina’s bloodline”. She pulls back and Regina stirs in her hold. Rumple looks at the brunette and a hint of a smile shows up on his face. Emma rubs Regina’s shoulder and she settles.

“Why?” she asks him and he shrugs.

“Miss Swan, as I’ve said before, you would not believe me even if I’d told you,”

“But why?” she questions him again and he merely shrugs.

“Call it a change of heart, I suppose..but I have no intentions of harming you or your child. Even incapacitated I would have no reason to harm your child,” he tells her and she only scoffs slightly.

“See, that’s hard to believe when you put your own grandson in danger,”

“Not willingly,” he’d defended and Emma shook.

“If you say so,” she then responds and Rumple sighs.

“The contract will be upheld, Miss Swan. I always hold up to my end of the bargain, but as requested, I asked that whenever I require something of you that you give it to me,”

“That could be anything, but I know. I remember what I agreed to,” she said and the man nodded.

“Good, because I’ve come to make good on that request,” he says and Emma feels her heart drop rapidly. It thuds and takes the wind right out of her. She swallows thickly and in that moment, Regina stirs awake. The brunette attempts to sit up and rub sleep from her eyes until they focus on Rumple and she can tell based on the way he’s dressed, he’s got his senses. Rumple is quick to put her already defensive thoughts at ease. “Calm down your majesty,” he acknowledges. “I am merely here to make good on the deal we three had signed,” he said. His words lacked the usual evilness to them and Regina, even in a sleep ridden daze- could sense that. She inhales and nods. Rumple turns back to Emma and speaks. “As I was saying. I came to make good on that, and my request is rather simple,” he says and Emma folds her arms. Ruby brings Rumple’s food over and gives them both hopeful looks before departing. Rumple picks up his fork and knife and cuts into the steak he ordered before taking a bite. He eats some potatoes and other veggies before he chews and swallows. He wipes his mouth and look at them both. “I would like to marry Belle,” he finally says. Emma, is beyond confused now.

“I thought you two were already married,”

“We are, however, I’d like to ask her to marry me again,”

“That’s your request?” Emma squints and he takes another bite of his food before nodding.

“Rather simple, is it not?” he queries and she nods.

“And that’s all?” she then asks but he shakes his head.

“No.. I would like your help in the matter. I wish to ask her to remarry me and to convince her to leave this place for another state...amongst other things,” he continues.

“What are other things?” Regina finally asks and Rumple sighs.

“I would like to adopt a child at some stage, and that may take more convincing than remarrying a man of my nature, but my aim is to prove to Belle that I have in fact changed, the issue is I’ve no knowledge on how to prove this to her, considering my methods have been considered ‘cowardice’,” he then says before falling silent. Emma has no idea what makes her say these next few words, but when she speaks, it’s heard.

“Rumple, the things Milah has said to you were born from a place that love did not exist, okay. Your ways weren’t cowardice, they were brave and Milah was a woman who wanted more than she was created to have. Greed and lust is what made her the way she was, it wasn’t you. You didn’t fail your marriage- she did and she proved that when she thought that riding off into the salty sunset with Hook would give her what she wanted. Belle doesn’t think you’re a coward. She thinks you are brave and she believes you can change because she loves you. The Rumple that Milah walked away from is the Rumple that Belle has been trying to walk to. It’s up to you whether you let Belle love the man who was nothing more than cheerful and loved his son beyond words, to listen to the horrible words of a woman who wanted nothing more than riches and a name for herself…” she tries to say strongly enough that he believes it. Rumple actually smiels at her for a moment before he nods.

“Thank you, Miss Swan,”

“We made a deal and I will hold up to that, but what I said is true. No one sees a coward, Rumple- stop letting old words dictate your now… I’ll help you with Belle. I owe her a lot as it stands,” Emma reassures him and he nods at her again.

“I will as well,” Regina then says and Rumple seems more than surprised. “She didn’t just help Emma. She helped me as well, and I owe Belle many moments of apology and rectification…”the brunette admits. Before Rumple can say anymore, Kohana comes running from the back and stops short, his foot catching in the other as he stumbled a bit but kept his eyes on Rumple. He approaches thems lowly before he looks at Rumple with a raised brow. The child then squints as Rumple looks away from them and turns to the young boy.

“Who’s this?” he questions his mothers and Regina responds.

“That, sweetheart is your father’s father,” she tells him and for a moment, he’s lost, rightfully so.

“Neal?” the child questions and she and Emma and Rumple all nod. Kohana then turns to the old man who rests his arms on his legs so that he is at eye level with the child.

“And what is your name, little one?” Rumple asks softly.

“Kohana,” the boy tells him without much hesitance. Rumple nods.

“I am Rumpelstiltskin,” he then says and the child’s head falls back.

“Oh… cool,” he comments before he looks over. “What’s the cane for?” he then asks and Rumple tilts.

“Bad accident a few years back,” he says and it’s not a lie. Not in the slightest. “Son, if you don’t mind me asking, where did you come from?” Rumple then questions as Regina and Emma look on.

“Some hole in the townline,” he says. Rumple pauses before he looks over at the two of them.

“He came through the secondary barrier?” he asks the pair and they nod.

“Same thing with Mulan. We’re not sure, but we think the magic beans created some warp in the barrier because Mulan’s come through that hole three times now,” Emma recalls and Rumple thinks for a moment.

“Has the barrier expanded?” Regina shakes her head.

“No, it is still fully intact. Nothing out of the ordinary seems to be wrong with it. It’s just that one hole,” the brunette comments.

“You will need to take it down,” Rumple says. Emma and Regina both looked beyond shocked.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” she asks and he nods.

“It’s your best option considering what manner of evil could also come through that one hole,”

“But..Mulan. What’s that gonna do when she has to get back from China?” Emma asks.

“Miss Swan, if I told you the barrier was the reason our beloved warrior consistently had to go back, what would your response be?”

“How?” she immediately asks and he smirks.

“Consider it a very long and very important story I do not wish to tell, but do know that this barrier keeps connection between fairytale creatures and their original place of existence and that means, wherever our stories originally took place,”

“That’s literally all over the world,” she comments and he nods.

“Precisely.”

The table falls silent for a moment until Rumple finishes his food and speaks.

“Regina, we must be going. You and I will take the barrier down; Miss Swan, I’d ask that you and your acting officers ensure that for a five mile radius, no one comes within the bounds of that barrier, the blowback could be detrimental,” he tells Emma and she nods.

“Yeah, give me a minute to rally some people up and check in on the woods… Robin’s still..” she trails off and Rumple laughs.

“He’s still scouring the woods?”

“Yeahhhh, I dunno.. I’ll deal with that, you two go.. Hana?”

“Yeah mom?”

“Your mom and I gotta go do hero stuff so Ruby and Dorothy are gonna take you home, are you cool with that?”

“Mhmm, besides- I wasn’t done helping Granny. I was gonna ask if I could stay cus she’s got stories to tell me,” he smiles and his mother smiles back at him. They exchange kisses and love before letting him go and thanking Ruby on their way out. Rumple pays for his food and leaves a tip that has Ruby’s eyes beyond wide with thanks. Emma and Regina walk off to the side and Emma slips something into Regina’s pocket.

“It’s a tracker,” she whispers. “Rumple may not be.. Rumple, but I have to be careful. I don’t want anything bad happening to you out there.. Or with him,” she says and Regina nods before they share a kiss and she pulls away.

“I love you,” she tells the blonde and Emma blushes.

“I know. I love you too… I gotta go, I’ll call and let you know when it’s all cleared,” she tells them both now as her voice raises in octave. Rumple nods and makes his way to Regina’s car as Emma jogs in the other direction. Rumple sits in the passenger seat and buckles up as he waits for Regina to get in. She expects it to awkward… it is, but that’s only because she doesn’t know what to say. Thankfully, Rumple seems to be in a good mood.

“You and Miss Swan seem rather happy together,” he comments and she nods.

“We are.. I’m sorry for how we had to go about signing the contract,” she apologises but he waves a hand.

“On the contrary, It was rather smart. But do know I am serious when I say I have no intentions of harming your child…” he finds himself trying to make her believe and she does. Lord knows she believes him.

“I know, Rumple.. Thank you,”

“There is no need. My years have exceeded me. It’s tiring to be evil for so long… I find myself just wanting to be happy, Regina. Can you understand that?” he queries and Regina has to look over at him because his words seem to be.. Well, from the heart, even if it’s been blackened to the core.

“I can,” Regina admits. “ I can understand every part of it. It’s not only tiring, but you find yourself realizing, your nature to be evil was never natural. It was never something you intended to be,”

“No.. it never is, but few are chosen to carry the torch it seems,” he comments and she nods.

“So it seems, though I’m not surprised by this in the slightest. It’s to be expected when your entire bloodline has a bad experience with life and luck,” she then says and the man finds himself laughing disbelievingly at the words, but they are so true.

“I just wanted to live life with my wife and son.. And now, I’m mourning his death to this day as well as hers, even though she was the cause for my downfall….” Rumple recalls before he falls silent. Regina stops the car completely and parks it. She looks at Rumple for a moment before she shakes her head and speaks to him.

“Neal.. is doing fine. He’s beyond fine. He’s safe, Rumple. He made it,” Regina clarifies. In that moment of time, Rumple doesn’t know what she’s referring to, so she clarifies even more. “He came to me in a dream.. He’s safe from Hades,” she reassures and Rumple has that disbelieving laugh once again. He nods before he turns to look at Regina now.

“And what of Daniel?”

“Daniel made it too,” she smiles softly, her knuckles turning a tad bit white from her grip on the steering wheel. Rumple has no idea what comes over him, but he’s then resting a hand on Regina’s now white one and he rubs it gently before patting it.

“Then he’s safe, Regina,” Rumple reassures her and she nods distractedly.

“I suppose he is,” she finally agrees. Rumple removes his hand and Regina puts the car back into motion, driving them the rest of the distance to the town line in about seven minutes worth of time. They both get out of the car and immediately, Regina texts Emma which stops the blonde from running to wherever she was initially going.

Emma manages to get through the doors of the station before stopping short and pulling her phone out. She reads the text and nods, determined to continue on. Her father, Mulan and some other people were coming to help block off the area and the woods like Rumple had suggested, but Emma had left both her gun and holster at the station because she didn’t want anyone in the house to get a hold of it and hurt themselves.. Specifically Hobbit Brown. She prepped her gun and strapped everything she thought she would need, onto her body and waited. She waited for about another ten minutes before the first sign of someone..or rather, people showed up. Mulan had managed to wrangle a few friends to help her with the endeavour. Granted, they were the ‘students’ she’d been training for some time now and felt it was time to put them on the frontline. Her father showed up some time later as the group was still strapping themselves up with whatever it was Emma allowed them access to. He got himself prepared and Emma dialed out.

“Hello,”

“Hey, sweetie- we’re about to leave. I’ll let you know when we’ve cleared the woods,okay?”

“Okay.. Emma.. _please_ , be safe,” Regina tells her and she has to nod a little tearily before she speaks.

“I will,”

“Come back to me, Emma.. don’t leave me here alone,” Regina then urges and Emma immediately speaks to her.

“ _You_ come back to _me_.. Don’t leave me here by myself.. I don’t know what I’d tell our boys if you did,” she tells the brunette.

“I love you, Emma…”

“I know.. I love you too, Regina.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Regina hung up her phone and slipped it into the pocket of her jacket before turning around and sniffling wetly. Rumple looks away from the now illuminated barrier and at the yougn woman before him.

“Trouble?” he questions her with some worry but she shakes her head.

“No.. everything’s fine,” she somewhat lies, but he leaves it be for a moment.

“There’s no need to worry about the barrier,” he says to her but even he knows that the reassurance is weak. Regina says nothing for but a moment until a sigh leaves her body and she has to talk.

“What’s possible?” she asks him and he can’t very well answer her clearly.

“I’m not entirely sure, dear girl,” he answers her honestly and she can respect that much of him. Rumple himself sighs gently before he walks closer to the barrier and slides his hand across it. The barrier rattles against his palm and he turns to look back at Regina who is looking at both him and the barrier with a look of shock that has him asking. “Has this happened before?” and she immediately shakes her head.

“Never,”

“Then I suppose we have a slight problem,” he informs her.

“How slight?”

“Considering the reaction from this barrier… a large slight,” Rumple tells her, attempting to lighten the mood and Regina groans.

“Where did you and my mother acquire your humour,” she comments. Rumple shrugs slightly.

“People of my time weren’t very funny,”

“You still aren’t. Rumple this is serious,” she tells him and he waves at her.

“I know, I know,” he waves her off. “The poppies and pixie dust are starting to kick in again-,” he manages to comment before he hears Regina belt.

“-NOW!” He shrugs uneasily at her this time and she slaps her forehead. She knows that if Rumple is ladened with pixie dust and poppies, that her mother and Emma aren’t far behind. She doesn’t have time to think about that as far as she’d like when her phone goes off and it’s David calling her.

“Hello?”

“Regina.. We have a small problem,” he says and she groans once again.

“Please tell me it’s not Emma,”

“It is, and she’s acting weird, but the area’s clear” he informs.

“She’s high, David,” the brunette tells him and he chokes on a response. She makes no reference to the woods because that’s no longer important.

“How?”

“It doesn’t matter, the problem is, so is Rumple and so is my mother. I’m the only one left with magic who could possibly take this barrier down,”

“You can’t do that,” he tells her. “Don’t try to do that. We’ll do it another day when they’re not high, but Regina, you _cannot_ attempt to take that down..” David tells her and he’s met with silence.

“I have to. It’s the only way-,”

“-It’s not. You know that,”

“David, I can’t risk anyone else getting hurt.. The barrier is starting to react.. It’s either disintegrating or it’s been tampered with. I _have_ to take it down...Please watch over Emma,” she nearly begs of him and at first he sighs, but then he caves because he can’t not do what she’s asked of him.

“I will.. Be safe, Regina,”

“I will.. thank you, David. Get her somewhere safe.”

 

They hang up and Regina turns to look at Rumple. She makes her way towards the old man and puts a hand to his back before guiding him away form the barrier and settling him into the car. She checks him over before shutting the car door. Regina inhales deeply before she makes her way back over to the barrier. She’s hesitant to touch, but finds that she may as well, considering she intends to take it down to begin with. So, finally- she reaches the barrier and she touches it.. Barely. But she touches it nonetheless. Nothing happens. Absolutely nothing and her sigh this time is of relief. Her phone rings again and this time, it’s her son.

“Hi, sweetheart,” she answers and the boy smiles a little.

“Hey mom, where are you guys?” he queries and she looks around her surroundings before answering.

“At the second barrier for the town..is something the matter?”

“No.. just wanted to tell you I love you,” he says and Regina smiles.

“...I love you too, Henry. Stay inside, okay,” she then finds herself telling him.

“Why? Is something wrong with the barrier?”

“Yes and no, sweetheart. I have to take it down and I’m not quite sure what could happen, so stay inside,”

“..oh, okay.. Is ma there?”

“No, honey- she’s with your grandfather. Rumple needed them to block off a five mile radius to prevent any harm,” she informs and the boy makes that sound. She knows that sound anywhere. “I will explain everything when I get the chance to, but right now, I need to deal with this and I can’t afford to have anything happen to you…” she tells him before trailing off. She knows he wants to argue that something could happen to her and his blonde mother, but.. That’s not a focus for Regina. Her children are her focus more than anything. Seeing as she already told David to take Emma somewhere safe, she knew she didn’t have to worry about that part.

“...okay,” he finally agrees after a moment’s silence and she happily sighs. “Just, please be careful mom,”

“I will.. I love you sweetheart,” she says once more and he sighs but he responds in kind.

“Love you too, mom.. Bye,” he says and they hang up.

Regina doesn’t wait another second as she steps closer to the barrier. She swallows thickly and prepares herself for whatever may happen. Regina raises her hands unsteadily against the barrier and presses her palms flat against it. Her eyes dip shut with fear and it’s as if she’s accepted a deadly fate. She breathes in and her magic begins emanating from her palms and against the barrier. Lilac magic begins to blanket the now visible, white barrier and at first, when she opens her eyes- she thinks it’ll be okay, but then her magic starts to fade and it’s obvious the barrier is eating through it. It’s feeding off of her magic and in the process, draining her painfully. Regina tries pulling her hands away but it doesn’t work-  The barrier sucks her back and the tendrils of sharp pain run their way down her arms and straight for her stomach. They twirl and wrap themselves around her womb and squeeze, forcing a cry that sounded beyond unbearable to escape her. Her eyes begin to water as she tries to pull away, but it goes in vain. The barrier is too strong and continues to feed off of her and attempt to damage her womb.

She’s not sure what happens to her or it next because all Regina remembers is slowly blacking out, the barrier seeming to be engulfed by magic once again. She falls to her knees and passes out in that moment, but magic is still consuming the barrier. It’s forcing the barrier to eat away at itself.  It’s forcing the barrier to cave in on itself, forcing more and more holes to form in it.

It works.

The barrier still fights to feed from Regina, raising her almost lifeless body from the ground, forcing her stomach upward as it attempts to disrupt her womb. The magic persists, and as it and the barrier push against one another, the magic wins out. Something crackles and then it snaps, causing a ripple effect of damage to collide with the barrier. It sounds like a sonic boom drops as white washed magic blankets the entire town and forces a blowback that does more than encase the five miles Emma and her crew had covered. For a short period of two seconds, everyone disappears from view and that white blast of magic disappears. Regina’s body falls to the ground once more, thudding with a sickening sound as it did so.

 

There’s silence where they are. Utterly silent. It’s deafening how silent it is. It’s unnerving and it’s unwelcomed. David blinks and looks around him to see that everyone else is also still standing, but they look just as stunned and afraid and he clearly was. He spins, looking around and around, taking in that nothing was out of place. Nothing seemed damaged, but that was the woods.. He didn’t know of town. After that blinding flash of white light had evaporated from their vision, no one could speak. He orders that everyone follow him immediately because they needed to check. Jogging up to his cruiser he tries to radio out but he’s met with crackling sounds that tell him the lines are dead. He picks up his cell phone and attempts to dial out, but the lines are dead there too.

He doesn’t think, he just does and by doing, he was in his cruiser and heading for his wife and son and his daughter. He didn’t know about Regina.. He had no clue of Regina, and sadly- she wasn’t even a thought of his at that point in time.

  


Regina lay there, completely..dead to the world. She was pale, her face seemed, well… not good looking. Magic had completely been drained of her and her womb… well, that was something you couldn’t judge just by looking at her.

“Momma.. _momma_ ,” Kohana whispers urgently to her. He shakes her but there is no response from her. Even in his weakened state, he tries to wake his mother. Even with his body about to give out on him, he’s trying to wake her.

It was his magic that had helped. It was his magic that encased and protected her as best it could as he fought the barrier. It was both their magic that made the barrier disintegrate to begin with. But now, he wasn’t so sure if he had enough left in him to bring her back.. He wasn’t sure if he had enough magic in him to make her at least open her eyes. He wasn’t sure of anything. All he knew was that he’d sensed trouble and had to help. He had to figure out how to help.. He tried, God knows he tried. He put himself in more danger than he was engineered to handle, but he had to help. He just had to.

“ _Please!”_ he begs, letting out a guttural cry. His tears trail and drip, falling against her cheek as he shakes his head aggressively and shakes her as well. “ _PLEASE!_ ” he cries out again. “Momma! Please! Please-please-please...come back! _COME BACK!_ ” he yells before his head drops on her chest. “please…” he whispers. “just..just come back,” he tells her. “You gotta come back!” he tries to remind her, but because he gets no response, he knows it’s fallen on deaf ears. The child then falls silent as he lets his head rest against her chest. His little arms falls over her, encasing her as best he could, in his love. It feels like an eternity to him, but in some shock of good favour, he hears it.. He hears a sound that lets him know, she’s alive.

He hearts her heartbeat.

It comes softly, deathly slow, but it’s a thud that lets him know that life is in her body. The thud becomes heavier, faster, more prominent and that alerts him. He lifts his head away from her chest, looks up at her face and sees the colour slowly come back to her. Quickly, the young boy wipes his tears and sits up, praying nothing goes wrong…

His prayers are answered. Regina’s eyes flutter painfully and she coughs violently, but she’s alive. She alive and this little boy couldn’t be more happy to see it. He doesn’t let her become acclimated to her surroundings because he’s too busy attacking her with a hug and holding onto her like she was gone for years of his life. They fall back, but Regina holds onto him, registering this little body in her arms as she did so. Her eyes shut and she sighs into the hug before raising her had to her son’s head and holding him close.

“..momma,” he whispers and she nods.

“ I’m alive, sweetie.. I’m alive,” she reassures and they hold themselves together with this hug for as long as it allows them.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Shit!” Talia swears and Cora looks over at her, just as disgruntled by what just happened. The magic was enough to blow out electricity and cut phone lines.  Talia had tried dialing out immediately after that had happened and realized the liens were dead. “I gotta go. Cora, I’m sorry, but I can’t stay-this is important,” she says quickly but Cora shakes her head and stands with the frantic young woman.

“No, I understand completely. Go, and let me know that you’ve reached safely,” she tells her and Talia nods, forgetting that she’d have no way of contacting the woman. Cora walks her to the door and walks her out, but before Talia leaves, she spins around and hugs Cora tightly. Cora has no idea why, but she supposes the hug is just one of relief. She hugs her back, better than she’d hugged Denny earlier, but that was because she actually liked Talia for who she was and not for who she tried to be. They release one another and Cora pats her shoulder. “Go.” she says and Talia nods before she quickly makes her exit. Cora shuts the door and turns away from it before pressing her back against it and sighing deeply. “Henry!” she calls a little loudly, but she receives no response. “Henry! HEN-RY!” she now shouts. “HEN-” ***sneeze*** “-wy!” comes a child like wail that has the young teen making his way down the stairs with his heavy feet, groaning at his grandmother.

“Nana, _what_ is it?” he asks as he comes down the stairs and when he receives no response to his question he sucks his teeth and goes to look for her. “Nana? Nana, where are you?” he asks only to hear some child like sound. His eyebrow quirks as he follows the sound and sees, just laying sprawled out in a diaper and clearly confused, his grandmother in ‘infant’ form. “Ho-ly... _shit_!” the boy hisses before making his way over, hesitantly and bending down. Baby Cora looks up at him and squints before waving at him frantically and he can’t help but laugh. “This cannot be happening,” he says to himself, clearly in disbelief of it all. Baby Cora wails immediately and he panics. “Ahhhhhhh!” Henry copies the child because he’s freaking out. “I’ve never dealt with a baby before! Don’t do this! Stop the crying! Stop being a baby!” he commands in vain and she just keeps wailing and flailing and Henry makes one of those faces that indicate he’s more afraid of the infant than she is of him. He reaches out and pokes her in the stomach and she somewhat stops crying. So, he does it again and for some odd reason it works. Henry being Henry, decides to do it as much as possible until he can manage to think. Baby Cora begins to laugh because her stomach is more ticklish..clearly.  Henry finally grins at her and sits her up against his legs after he’s crossed them Indian style. He bounces her and comments, “You know, you’re one fat baby, nana,” and it seems that Baby Cora understood exactly what that meant because he’s positive she stops bouncing immediately and turns just to scowl at him. Henry swallows and looks away from her. Even in her ‘infant’ state, you never call a woman fat. When he thinks it’s safe to look, he looks at her, but she’s not looking at him. She’s looking at this yellow ball of fluff approaching her. Baby Cora’s excitement wins out and she starts bouncing frantically, attempting to free herself from Henry’s hold, and she manages to do just that. However she does it, it has him confused, but she’s making use of her legs and she’s taking uneasy steps towards the ball of yellow fluff. When she’s close enough, she falls back on her butt and tries to grab the poor little thing. Of course it’s Ermis. He usually always followed Cora when she went somewhere, but now- he was looking at Cora in this child-like form and couldn’t squeak if it was to save his life. Cora manages to get a hold of Ermis, but she’s not aggressive, considering her little chubby hands cushion more than they suffocate. She holds Ermis up to Henry and giggles.

“Ucky!” which in turn has him smiling at her. He then scoots closer to her and nods.

“That’s Ermis,” he tells her. “Do you remember Ermis?” he asks and for a moment, she looks beyond lost. She looks at her hand and back at Henry before holding Ermis up to his face again.

“Ucky!” she tells him again and he supposes she expects him to take him, so he does. Henry gently holds onto Ermis and rubs the top of his head and Baby Cora just grins. She doesn’t drool, thankfully, but Henry also remembers his grandmother in her adult state does. Her little tummy growls and she pouts, but she looks more constipated than anything else. She then looks up at Henry and continues to pout. “Hunwy,” she tells him and he freaks for a split second because, they don’t have baby food. He’s not even sure he can feed her anything they have in the house. But, he’s all by himself and his mother told him to stay in the house. Besides, he was unaware that the phone liens were cut and the power was out. He picks her up and holds onto Ermis as he walks into the kitchen and attempts to flick the light on. When it doesn’t come on, he’s confused.

Henry has no memory of seeing that split flash of white light considering he was laying on his bed with his eyes closed. He then goes to the fridge and notices that the light bulb in there also won’t come on and he can conclude the power is out.

“Crap,” he says before turning around and heading for a bowl. He can manage to both hold his grandmother and reach the bowl and set it down before he finds a banana and peels it. He has to sit her on the counter and keep his arms around her as he does so, but he notices that she bounces and wiggles where she is, almost as if she heard music. Henry shakes his head and continues to peel the banana before he breaks it off into smaller pieces. He’s too afraid to use a knife around her, besides, he’s not so sure he can manage to keep her still should he need to cut anything. Baby Cora turns around and sees the food and cheers happily.

“Nanas!” she shouts as Henry lifts her up and puts her between a crap ton of pillows in the couch. He hopes to hell that if he leaves her for two minutes she won’t somehow manage to crack her skull open. He makes his way back into the kitchen after leaving her to greedily inhale the banana and makes her some peanut butter and jelly. He cuts those down into smaller sizes and puts that on the kiddy plate that Kohana had been groaning about for days. Thankfully she’s still eating when he gets back and she’s not attempted to slip off the chair, so Henry puts the sandwich before her and watches her eat quietly and rather well-mannered. Baby Cora is a quiet child and Henry hadn’t noticed it until that moment. She doesn’t cry unnecessarily, and she clearly loves food. But other than that, she didn’t seem to be the kind of baby that would wonder or do something she wasn’t supposed to and he had to wonder if that’s how she was as a child, what caused her to change.. What made her become the woman she was?

He huffs out a breath before leaning back against the chair and nearly drifting off to sleep until he felt little hands grab hold of his shirt and little feet attempt to step up onto his thighs. He opens his eyes and she’s staring at him, big wide eyes of innocence are just looking at him. Baby Cora lays on Henry and immediately she falls asleep. He laughs lightly before he looks over at the food and sees she’s eaten most of it and pretty much mashed the rest. Henry puts a hand to her back and lifts her up before he cleans up the mess and checks her hands to make sure they’re clean. He wipes her mouth and lays her down on the floor on top of some blankets and between pillows. He then heads upstairs and goes into the attic because he’d remembered his mother mentioning clothes that she’d kept for him. He searched through and through and looked on, thankfully his grandmother hadn’t take all the boxes because he found one that would fit Cora at that stage, after all..she looked to be about two. Henry pulls some clothes out and looks for sock for the little baby before he just kicks the box into the hallway. He goes back into the attic and looks around some more and finds a stroller that his mother still kept the box for, neatly packed away. He nearly trips over something in the process of noticing that there was a baby carrier in the back there as well and the young teen questioned whether or not the thought of his mother having another child had something to do with why she still had everything she could have possibly kept. He rubs his head gently and carries what he’s gotten back down with him. He pauses at the steps, turns around and heads back into his room before he packs his bag once more and grabs his shoes. He ensures he has everything he needs before he dresses the sleeping infant because he couldn’t just take her out with him in a diaper and nothing else. Henry makes sure that Cora is in warm clothing and that her head is covered as he puts on his own shoes and backpack. He also has a sippy cup just in case she woke in need of something. Granted, he didn’t have anything else for babies and figured he might as well go out and get them. He manages to hold onto everything and takes the sleeping baby with out the door and into the world.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ruby swears she’s broken every single law as she sped her way towards the townline. She didn’t care because Kohana sounded frightened and Regina could barely manage to sit up. Even after she’d come to and managed to speak to her son, the energy drain took her out once more. Kohana had quickly ran for a phone or something to contact Ruby, he’d found his motehr’s cell a good twenty feet away from them and managed to dial out and call for help. He doesn’t know how if the power was supposed to be out, but luckily, the backup generator had kicked in about twenty minutes later. And the phone lines were supposed to be dead, but apparently there’s some surge protector keeping everything from frying should a magical mishap such as that, occur.

So when Ruby gets there and sees him just holding onto Regina, the strength within her allows her to easily lift the woman and get her into the car. As they pass Regina’s, they notice that Rumple is out cold, but he’s not dead, he’s just asleep. Ruby sniffs and her face scrunches up.

“Poppies and Pixie dust,” she whispers.

“What’s that?” Kohana had asked and she looked away from Rumple distractedly to answer him.

“It’s like a drug, it doesn’t really wear off after you’ve had it the first time. It can affect you pretty much in any way it pleases.. It must have kicked in today..and if I’m correct, Rumple wasn’t the only one who had some of that,” Ruby tell him and he looks back at the old man before asking,

“Is he gonna be okay?”

“Yeah, he’ll be fine, him sleeping it off is probably his best bet… we need to get your mom to the hospital-,”

“-Ruby wait! We can’t just leave him here,” the child tells her and she sighs.

“I know.. Okay, I’ll put your mom in the car and come back to get him, alright,” she offers and he nods. Ruby does as she promised and breaks all the rules as she heads back into town. She rushes through the doors with Regina in her arms and both Whale and Keaton reach her at the same time. They don’t have time to argue with one another, instead- Doctor Mode hits and they both work together to stabilize her. Kohana collapses against the wall with relief as he watches them tend to her and soon finds that he himself passes out.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

With an arm slung over his shoulder, David got his daughter into the apartment and set her down. He went around calling for his wife who came out immediately and well.. They had their moment of kissing and whatever else. He checked her over and checked Neal over and was thankful nothing had happened to them.

“David, what was that? What happened?” she asked and at first he doesn’t answer her. He doesn’t know how to answer her. “David?” she prods and he shakes his head.

“It was Regina.. She was taking the barrier down,”

“W-what? I-is she alright? Did she survive? David-,”

“- I don’t know!” he says a little angrily before calming. “I don’t know.. I had to get Emma back here and check in on you and Neal. I don’t know if Regina’s alive or not, but I have to go. No one’s sure what’s happened,” he tells her and she swallows before nodding.

“Find her,” he hears his wife weakly tell him and he inhales before rubbing the back of his ehad, heading out of the door.

“I’ll try,” he promises.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time Henry had gotten to the pharmacy, two things had happened. People assumed he was a father already by the way he was handling Baby Cora and the power kicked back in. Walking with a baby makes you slower, he’s realized this much, so he isn’t surprised that by the time he’s inside the pharmacy, the A/C is on, the lights look like they’ve never seen darkness and the cashier still looks like he could give no craps. He pulls a trolley out and sets Baby Cora in it before he begins to push it through the aisle. She’d managed to wake up just slightly, but she was still out cold  if he was being honest. He had to balance her in sitting position as he reached for all the things _he_ remembers you’re supposed to have for children. That was formula and sippy cups and medication and bibs and all that extra crap. Crap in which he found himself stocking up on. As if he already didn’t look like a father, Henry found himself reading the back of every label and making decisions as he compared baby food amongst other things. By the time he did manage to get all of that done, he’d been in there for a half an hour and Cora was now actually awake. The guy who was cashing him out eyed him and then eyed Cora before he shook his head. Baby Cora eyed him before her eyes fell on something that looked pretty, and edible. She began bouncing as Henry tried to keep her still in his arms and noticed she was pointing urgently at something. He turned around and looked at it, but turned back.

“You can’t have that,” he tells her and she continues to bounce. He puts a hand to her back in hopes that she stops but she doesn’t.

“Mmmmf,” she mumbles and Henry shakes his head. He makes her look at him and he repeats.

“You cannot have that,” and she scowls at him, more so because she’s about three seconds from crying and he can see it. He prepares himself for the lip quiver that comes, for the watering eyes that follow and for the wailing that rattles his eardrums. And boy does it come. Cora hollers loudly and Henry can’t do it. The cashier is glaring at him as he pays and sets her down with a sigh. “Alright, go. Show me what you want,” he tells her and she toddles over uneasily before she tries reaching up to get what she wants. He’d automatically assumed it was candy but it turns out it’s a pacifier. One with ducks on it. That’s all she wanted was a paci and he didn’t realize she probably wasn’t even aware of what candy was at that stage in life. He bends down and reaches for it before ripping it from the pack and giving it to her. She sticks it in her mouth and quiets down, something Henry realizes he could’ve avoided. He tosses the ripped packaging on top of the  belt and the guys scans it before muttering off the amount. Henry is more confused as to why there’s a set of pacifiers that close to the register when it clicks that parents usually forgot to get the small things like that because they were more focused on getting what was ‘important’ instead of what the child considered instant safety. He looks up and gets the clip for the pacifier and rips that form the pack as well, following suit and then he pays for both of them. Henry then fixes Cora’s paci to the clip and lets her go from there. He gets the bags and holds out his hand for her to take and walks with her down the block, bumping into Nick along the way.

“Sorry,” Nick mutters before looking up and Henry shakes his head.

“It’s fine, it was my fault,” he tells him but then Nick is looking away from him and down at the baby and he’s confused.

“Who’s that?”

“I’m babysitting,” is what Henry tells him and Nick looks surprised.

“You’re afriad of babies,” Nick comments nearly flat in tone but Henry shrugs.

“Guess I’m not as scared as I thought I was,” he answers and Nick looks at the little ‘ginger’ haired toddler with the pacifier in her mouth before shrugging.

“...okay then..Hey, listen,” he then says and Henry gives him enough attention to continue on. Baby Cora is looking around her and trying to grab hold of the butterfly that decides it wants to fly around her face. She grins happily, losing her paci in the moment and really trying to get that butterfly.

“Yeah?” Henry answers.

“I’m sorry about..just… is it okay if I come over later to- you know..talk?” he asks and Henry is hesitant. Rightfully so.

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Nick,” Henry says to him and he swallows.

“I kind of need to, there’s something I need to tell you,”

“Can’t you just tell me now?”

“No.. I can’t, besides-you’ve got your hands full with the baby. She looks like she’s ready to go anyway…” he says int railing off and Henry looks down at Cora before looking back at Nick. Henry nods.

“Yea.. alright..later tonight,” he says to him but the magnitude of the words seemed to have not hit him as yet. Nick nods as well before turning to leave and Henry begins to walk with Cora again. He heads back home and by the time he has put everything away, set her up to watch tv and showered, his phone rings and it’s Ruby. “Hello?” he answers and Ruby sighs.

“Thank God I could reach you.. Hen, how are you?”

“I’m good, why? Where’s my moms? Is something wrong?” he immediately asks and Ruby sighs again.

“Do you think you can come to the hospital? It’s best to show you rather than tell you,” Ruby says and he nods before realizing she can’t see him.

“Y-yeah.. Umm, is Kohana alright?”

“He’s ..fine,” is what she says.

“Okay,” Henry answers.” I’ll be there.”

 

He hangs up and looks at Cora before sighing and picking her up. She flails slightly but he speaks.

“We gotta go see about mom, Ruby just called. You wanna go to the hospital with me?” he asks her and she scrunches up her face. He just sticks her paci back in her mouth and revels in the fact that she immediately lays on his shoulder, fighting the sleep it brings. Henry had researched how to make infant bottles and things of that nature and had packed a ‘baby’ bag for his grandmother. He picked that up and walked with her to the hospital which took him nearly half and hour. He gets in and there’s no shortage of eyes on him as he walks through and asks about his mothers. The nurse eyes him for a moment, confused that Cora might actually be his child but she remembers he needs information and so, she tells him where to go and he follows. He nears the hospital room and Ruby rushes to him, stopping short when she spots the baby in his arms. Her eyes go wide, question on her tongue but he shakes his head and says, “long story,” for which she leaves alone. He sets Baby Cora down and she reaches for Ruby who has to pick her up because you can’t deny that cute little kid if you tried. Henry makes his way over to the bed, the tears already threatening to fall as he sees his mother and brother hooked up to the machines. Their breathing is fine, their heart rates are fine.. They’re fine, but they’re on machines and for the life of him he can’t understand that contradiction. He turns to Ruby and asks what’s happened, and she explains about as much as she knows and tells him how Kohana pretty much drained himself to help take that barrier down. She tells him about Rumple and how he and Emma were unable to help because of the poppies and pixie dust she’s nearly certain she remembers hearing about. He looks at Baby Cora and figures that maybe that’s why she turned into a baby to begin with. He had also remembered hearing about his grandmother being high off of that at some point.

He then asks where Emma is and she tells him she heard gossip that Emma was at his grandparent’s apartment. He knew and she knew that had anything happen to her, she’d have been in the hospital long ago. He can breathe deeply knowing she’s unharmed but doesn’t understand why his brunette mother got hurt form a barrier that she put up and Ruby explains that the secondary barrier was put up by both her and Rumple. She couldn’t control Rumple’s magic that was present in it and it took Kohana helping because he was a True Love child, to help destroy it. He nods and doesn’t have time to ask anymore questions when Doctor Keaton and Whale both come in to check on them and Doctor Keaton looks over and the baby in Ruby’s arms but refrains form commenting as she nears the group. Henry didn’t realize it until he heard a soft groan that Rumple was asleep in the chair in the corner, probably breaking his neck up in the process. At least he was alive..and clearly not in need of medical assistance.

“Henry, good- you’re here,” Doctor Keaton commented and he nodded. “There’s no need to be concerned, your mother and brother and both fine.. Thankfully we were able to get Kohana’s body to take the needles,” she continues before looking at Whale who nods.

“Yes, there’s nothing to be concerned about. We’re merely trying to ‘recharge’ them per say. Magical drain usually requires physical rest as well as fluids. You do not recover magic with magic,” he tells the young man who nods again.

“Ruby told us that Regina had attempted to take the barrier down, is this true?” Whale questioned and he nodded again. The man nodded back.

“Has anyone checked to see if the barrier is gone?” he then asked but Henry looks at Ruby who shrugged.

“I’m not sure,” she tells him and she twists his lips before commenting.

“Alright,” he says. “Not to worry,” he continues before exiting. Ruby wants to ask but Keaton says.

“He just wants to know in case we need to airlift them to another district… that’s if they get any worse,” Keaton says and Henry eyes her frantically. “I apologise,” she says to him. “We’re not expecting them to get any worse, it’s just protocol,” she tells him and he calms down. Baby Cora is too busy playing with Ruby’s hair and kissing her face to care and Ruby, well- she’s enjoying it to be honest. She must be in line for that baby fever. _Oh boy_. “ Henry, if it’s alright with you.. I’d like to take a sample of your mother’s blood as well as yours,” she tells him and he swallows.

“What for?”

“I’m not sure if your mothers have told you or not but I believe there may be a way to figure certain abnormalities out as it relates to their blood. There’s a certain gene present in your blood that has never been seen before.. Or recorded. I’d like to further study it and see if there is anything it contains that either hinders or helps you all,” she explains and for a moment, Henry has to think. He thinks and thinks before he nods. Emma can’t very well do it because she’s apparently incapacitated, Kohana can’t and Regina can’t cus they’re both out cold. He’s next of kin considering his grandmother just sneezed and turned herself into a baby.. So, he nods. He signs whatever thing he needed to sign and lets her take his blood. He then watches her take his mother’s blood and sits back. Ruby sets Baby Cora down and she walks back over to Henry. He lifts her onto his lap and lets her play with the buttons on his shirt until she falls asleep.

“So, are you gonna tell me whose baby she is now?” Ruby asks and he opens his eyes before looking at her.

“Great grandma’s baby,” he says and Ruby is confused.

“Whose?”

“This baby.. Is my grandma,” he clarifies and Ruby swallows before sighing.

“How’d she manage that?”

“She sneezed,” he told her and Ruby looked like she wanted to laugh for a second.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously,” he nods. Ruby remains silent as Rumple wakes slowly and bats his eyes before looking around the room, groaning that he was once again in the hospital.

“What’s happened now?” he asks them and they look over at him. He holds his head and feels the pressure leaving it as he stands and makes his way over to the pair. He doesn’t need to be told to know who that baby is.

“She sneezed, didn’t she,” he commented instead of asked and they nodded.

“How did you know that?” Henry asked and Rumple smirks.

“Cora has always been allergic to pixie dust and poppies. She never listens to me...and then to make matters worse, she sneezes at least twice. Though, she’s only ever turned into a child with the time I’ve watched her… this is a new feat, even for her,” he continues before grinning slightly and in that moment, Henry can’t help it. He laughs and so does Ruby. hey laugh and laugh and laugh until Rumple shakes his head and catches wind of Regina and Kohana hooked up to the machines. He pauses and walks away from them and over to the other two and looks down at them. His face goes solemn because he’s come to think of Regina as his own, regardless of the monster he turned her into.

“She tried taking the barrier down by herself ..” Ruby tells him softly before she nears him and he nods and "..almost died. Kohana went to help and nearly died too."

“Keaton and Whale said they’ll be fine though..they just need to rest,”

“And what of Miss Swan and everyone else?”

“From the gossip I heard...they’re fine. It was just Regina and Kohana,” Ruby said and Rumple nearly growled at that.

“Where is the shepherd?” he then questions and Ruby shrugs.

“I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him or tried to call him,” she tells Rumple and the man shakes his head.

“I take it he’s not gone to look for Regina otherwise you wouldn’t be here,”

“I guess not,” she answers. Rumple shakes his head again. “Rumple, do you need me to call Belle or something?” Ruby asks but he shakes his head.

“No, I can manage from here.. Thank you,” he tells her and she smiles softly at him. He then turns to Henry and Baby Cora and speaks.

“I do hope your mother becomes well, Henry,” he says to his grandson and Henry nods at him.

“Yeah..me too,” the young man agrees and Ruby dips out of the room. Neither have the slightest clue why Rumple had asked of David’s whereabouts, but it was somewhat obvious it wouldn’t be pretty if he saw him. Still, they could do nothing about that right that second, besides, Whale and Keaton came back to clear them and let Ruby help him take them home.

As Whale had always suggested, being home was the best bet for anyone to ever possibly get better.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

“REGINA!” he shouted as she jarred awake. It felt like a nightmare that wouldn’t end, She kept reaching but she couldn’t grasp. She kept reaching for Regina and couldn’t get a hold of her. But she was awake now, sweating and frightened to the tenth power over it. But she was awake. The nightmare was over. Emma sat up and rubbed at head as her mother walked into the room with a cup of tea and sat beside her. She heard her say,

“Drink,” and just did what the woman told her to. She opened her eyes and looked over to see her mother eyeing her with both worry and relief. “How do you feel?” she asks and Emma shakes her head weakly.

“Like a freight truck went through me,” she commented and her mother nodded. Emma sniffed and looked around.

“What’s the matter?”

“Hmm?”

“You look..annoyed?”

“No..no, it’s just, do you have poppies around or pixie dust or something like that?” she’d asked but her mother shook her head.

“No, why?”

“Nothing.. I just.. Nothing,” she said before looking around. “Where’s Regina?” she then asked but by the way her mother wouldn’t answer her and clearly looked embarrassed to respond, Emma knew something was off. “Mom..where is she?” she asked again but Snow shrugged helplessly.

“I don’t know.. I asked your father but he was so concerned about us and you that he hadn’t checked,” she said and Emma could feel the blood in her body begin to boil. Sure Regina may not be pregnant but just the thought that they would neglect a pregnant woman- her soon to be pregnant wife to save her, fucked her over to no end. “Your father said he was going to look for her,” she then added… but we don’t know. She had tried taking the barrier down by herself and something happened-,”

“-and you just let her do it!” Emma began. She had enough energy to yell and that’s about it, but she would use that til time was up. “You two just let her go. By herself. To take down some god damn barrier knowing fully well she’s carrying my child!” Emma nearly seethes and her mother looked sheepish. Granted, she shouldn’t be mad at the woman considering she’s sure her mother didn’t know, but her father wasn’t there so she couldn’t cuss him to hell right then and there.

“Emma-,”

“-Just.. Stop,” Emma told her before standing  She looked around and grabbed her jacket. “I can’t believe the two of you! I cannot believe you just let her put herself in danger, knowing how those things react. She could be in PAIN! SHE COULD BE INJURED SOMEWHERE DEEP IN THE WOODS! SHE COULD BE...SHE-,” Emma had to stop. She had to be positive that someone found Regina or that Regina left unscathed. She had to believe that Regina was okay because that was all she had left.

Belief

 

She doesn’t say anything else. She just leaves and her first thought is to use her cell phone to check in on her kids as she runs around trying to get to something that could get her to the line.

“Emma?” Ruby questions and Emma breathes in relief.

“Ruby- hey.. Listen I may need you to keep Hana a little longer… I gotta go look for Regina,” she says quickly but Ruby cuts her off.

“Em, no.. She’s at the hospital..”

“The hospital?” Emma asks, stopping short and Ruby nods before answering.

“Yeah.. I had to check them in,” Ruby continues.

“ _Them_?”

“Her and Kohana… They’re alright, just weak,” she says and Emma swallows. She hangs up and doesn’t remember how her feet do it, but they take her there and she sprints for the room after the nurse knowingly points in the direction she has to travel in. Her eyes quickly scan as she touches the door post of every room until she sees a familiar head of hair. She halts at the door way and then rushes in before she swallows and looks down at both of them. Her phones rings and it has rung at least four times before she answers it distractedly. All she remembers hearing is Mulan telling her the barrier was down and Emma breaks immediately. She breaks down so badly she falls to her knees and she is laughing as she’s crying. Ruby holds onto her and rocks, shushing and cooing as she tells her she’s alright and Emma just brokenly rejoices in the news.

“She took it down… she took it down, Ruby,” Emma says in disbelief. “they took it down,” she whispers that last part and Ruby nods, agreeing.

“They took it down.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina and Kohana are still sleeping as Emma makes something for dinner for her and Henry..and now Baby Cora. Henry hasn’t explained that she is in fact his grandmother just yet. All he said was he was babysitting. Besides, his blonde mother could use a moment of normalcy and he figured that would help. After Emma managed to get a hold of herself, she was given the rundown on what happened and talked with Doctor Keaton and Whale before they cleared Regina and Kohana and took them home. Regina no longer looked like she was dead and Kohana looked as if he’d wake at any moment which Emma was hoping for. Still, she didn’t hold her breath on anything, she ended up functioning on autopilot as she made dinner and tried to clean up the house. She went into Town Hall and made a formal announcement about the outage and what exactly happened. Most of the questions for her were relating to Regina and how she was doing and if she was going to die and for the first time, Emma actually believed the people cared to know. For whatever reason, she believed they cared about Regina enough to ask about her. Still, she told them little to nothing and then went down in the boiler room to fix the switch that had turned itself off due to the outage. The generator kicked out and it kicked back in, giving life to the Town once again. Emma had asked Clara if she would be able to manage with Town Hall for a couple of days until she was sure Regina could go to work and not pass out and Clara had promised her she’d try damn hard… it was all Emma could ask for.

She’d then gone back home and found that Her plate of food was waiting on her and Emma had little Baby Cora laying on his chest as he watched tv. Emma had commented that it scares her how could of a father he’s been to the baby and he shrugs. He thought that’s how it was supposed to be and Emma snorted before commenting that with men..“Taking care of babies is never natural.” She ate her dinner and asked about Kohana and Regina for which Henry had told her they were fine. He’d changed Kohana into something less constricting but had told her she had to change Regina’s clothes because he couldn't’ do that. He would if he didn’t feel like he was physically invading her space and womanly privacy. Emma nodded and continued to eat until she felt she had to get something else done to keep her mind off of things. She did ask about Cora but Henry had shook his head and stated his may be with Talia. Emma didn’t expect her to know about the barrier Regina was taking down because no one told Cora about it in the first place. But she’d figured that by the whole sonic boom thing Cora would be the first one looking for her child and then Emma remembers. Cora is used to those things happening in the Enchanted Forest. Things got blown up all the time and what didn’t get blown up was set on fire.. It was either that or Cora was concerned about Talia and figured Emma would protect Regina, but Emma was reaching. She knew she was reaching. Still, she takes a shower and changes Regina into something more comfortable and can’t hold it any longer. She succumbs to sleep all too easily.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

There was a knock to the house door and usually, Henry would hear it from the living room, but he was so exhausted from the day’s endeavours that he couldn’t hear anything. Besides, he was asleep. He and Baby Cora were out cold, but someone heard it. As the knock came again and again and again, Kohana finally reached the door and pulled it open. He looked up as Nick looked down at him and said.

“Henry and I were supposed to meet,” for which the little boy shakes his head.

“You can’t,” he tells Nick, nearly closing the door, but Nick holds it open.

“No, we agreed to meet at this time. I need to see him. I have to tell him something,” Nick explains but the young boy sighs and shakes his head.

“You can’t see him,” Kohana then settles for saying and Nick eyes the child for a moment.

“Is that what he said?”

“No.. it’s what I said. You can't see him. Go home, Nick,” he tells the teen and Nick flares.

“Listen, little guy. Your brother and I need to talk. Now let me in,” he commands and Kohana ignores his words before attempting to shut the door again. Nick pushes it back open and it hits the door stopper. That jars Henry awake because it shakes through the framing of the house. It was something about that door stopper that Regina had gotten done that pretty much alerted her if someone who shouldn’t be in the house, was in the house. Nick attempts to walk past the young boy and Kohana sighs before he waves his hand and Nick passes out.

“I told you, you can’t see him,” he repeats to Nick’s passed out frame.

“What are you doing?” Henry asks Kohana as the little boy stands there eyeing Nick. It looks scary to be honest. Kohana turns to Henry and tells him,

“He was trying to get in. I couldn’t let him,” and Henry’s already closing the distance to check on Nick. He bends down and Nick is still breathing. He looks back up at his little brother who isn’t the least bit affected.

“He came to see me. Why would you do that to him?”

“Because he tried to get in and I told him no,” Kohana explained and the deadness in his voice chills Henry.

“Wake him up,” Henry says and the child shakes his head.

“No.. I can’t,”

“What do you mean you can’t. You put him out. Wake him up,”

“He’s not supposed to be here,” Kohana argues and Henry bristles.

“Kohana. Wake. Him. Up,”

“No-,”

“-why?”

“Because, you’re not supposed to talk to Nick,”

“I can talk to whoever I wanna talk to-,”

“-not him,” Kohana cuts off and he eyes the boy for a moment before he says it again.

“Wake him up,”

“No.. he’s not supposed to even be here,”

“I told him to come over-,”

“-and you shouldn’t have!” Kohana then says loudly and Henry has to wonder why.

“I can do what I want,”

“Yeah, at the expense that it causes you your life.. I don’t think so,” Kohana spits and Henry huffs.

“What are you on about?”

“You can’t talk to Nick,” Kohana avoids and Henry has had enough.

“Seriously twerp. Wake him up of I’m getting ma,” he commands but the boy shrugs.

“Do what you want. You’re not supposed to talk to Nick-,”

“- _Listen_.. I can talk to Nick if I want to! Okay! Now wake him up,” he says before lifting the boy up off the ground. Kohana rolls his eyes as he waits for what Henry is about to do next.

“Nick’s not good for you, Henry,” Kohana says calmly because Henry isn’t thinking right then and there and he can see that.

“How would you know that?

“Just trust me,”

“I would if you woke him up,”

“I can’t,” he says and Henry drops him on the ground. He scrambles to stand once more as Henry sighs and rubs his temples. “If I wake him up, it won’t end well,”

“Listen.. I get it, you wanna protect me and you saw what happened between the two of us, but seriously, I can handle this on my own… wake him up,” he repeats but Kohana pulls his shirt down and speaks.

“That’s not why I’m doing this… Nick doesn’t matter to me. You do, and I’m not about to wake him up just because you’re still feeling something for him,” Kohana reprimands and that’s it.. He and Henry start to argue back and forth and that arguing wakes the whole house… literally.

 

Regina jars from sleep. She’s still weak but her children going at it has woken her and Emma’s not far behind. Baby Cora is also waking but it’s due in fact that she’s closer to the noise than they are. Regina sits up and rubs at her face before holding her head and squinting. She feels the bed shift beside her and sees Emma stirring awake. In that moment her heart is heavy because Emma is okay and she’s safe. They both are. Emma’s eyes open and when she looks up, she sees Regina staring right back at her and it’s as if the energy she was in need of comes back to immediately as she pitches up and brings the woman in for a searing kiss that has them both crying.Neither of them have time to exchange I love yous and talk about how afraid they were for the other because they hear someone yell something about Grace and that’s where Henry is supposed to be and that Nick will ruin his life and Henry was yelling back that he doesn’t care about it anymore, he has to decide that but the person is telling him not if they have any say it in and then something happens that sounds unnatural as hell. Emma and Regina know that thudding crackle as if someone had a head on impact with a wall. It’s usually a sickening crunch that lets them know it was a body, but this was just as bad. Neglecting the pain she felt, Regina raced from the bed with Emma following quickly behind and they saw Henry with his arms stretched out and smoke billowing around his palms.. They continued on down the steps and Regina couldn’t react, but Emma did. She rushed to Kohana who seemed to be buried in the debris of it all and then finally, when Regina heard Emma shout he’s alive, she rushed for him and they pulled him out. Kohana coughed lightly and laughed a little as he said.

“Guys, I’m fine-,”

“-Fine? You call that fine? How in the hell did you end up in the wall to begin with?!” Emma frantically asked as they dusted his head. He shook himself before lifting his head and jutting his chin out towards Henry who was now staring at his own hands. The smoke was still encasing Henry’s hands and as he and his mothers looked on, he swallowed and so did they. Kohana coughed lightly again, and felt Regina pat his back.

“Kid.. did you?” Emma can only manage to question as Henry dropped to his knees and shook his head.

“I-I don’t know.. I don’t thin-,”

“-You did,” Kohana interrupts. He manages to stand and looks at Regina who seems to be gathering it all in. “Mom’s okay now,” he’d then randomly commented and they all looked at Regina who looked at her youngest.

“Kid..you have-,”

“-no.. No, it can’t be,” Henry says with a shakes of his head and Kohana rolls his eyes before clapping loudly. Everyone jars from their dazes as the young boy speaks.

“Yes, he has magic.. Look,” he tells them and eyes fall on him. Henry’s residual magic was sparkling against his chest, causing the bruising on his chest from the surgery to completely vanish from him.

“How?” Henry asked and Kohana is just about to answer, when Regina does so, with more information than the young boy has.

“Your genes.. Your..recessive H levels.. Kohana must’ve activated it in such a way that it manifested…” Emma looked at her.

“Are you sure that’s what Belle was meaning?” she asks and Regina nods..

“Henry.. you have magic,” Regina tells him.. We all do, but what we have is different,” she explains and Emma thinks she knows what Regina means.

“What.. what is this?” the teen asks. He’s referring to the white smoke that’s still on him

“Just wave your hand and it’ll go away,” Kohana tells him and he follows the instruction. It vanishes and Henry flinches and backs away, still confused and completely afraid. Kohana then waves his own hand and Nick disappears. “He’s fine. He’s home sleeping,” he tells the young man who is eyeing him weirdly. “I had to do it.. Your magic’s important too,” he says and Henry can only shake his head.

“I don’t get it, why?”

“I just had too. That’s part of my job and if I let you talk to Nick.. you wouldn’t be here,” he manages before they hear baby Cora make her entrance. Henry immediately goes for her and picks her up, putting her pacifier in her mouth and making sure she was okay.

“Holy crud.. Is that Nana?” Kohana squints as he asks and Henry nods. Emma swallows.

“Seriously kid.. You told me you were babysitting,” she says but she doesn’t sound remotely upset, just confused.

“I am.. Just babysitting my grandma,” he clarified and Regina had to ask.

“How did this happen?”

“She sneezed and poof,” he said shortly.

“I do hope you’re joking.”

“I’m really not. She was yelling _Henry- henry_.. Sneezed and bam, turned into a baby.. I had to babysit her since Talia left, went out and bought what I thought she needed and she started crying for a pacifier. I thought it was candy and told her she couldn’t have it until I realized it was a duck pacifier. She’s really sweet though. She doesn’t eat a lot. She just sleeps and she likes sleeping on people. Just don’t call her a fat baby and you’re fine,” he riddles off, bouncing the little girl in his arms. Emma’s eyes flutter with disbelief and Kohana smirks at him but Regina has to stand and walk over to the pair before reaching for her mother. Cora at first doesn’t want to go to her. She stays glued to Henry, but Henry tells her it’s okay and she goes to Regina. She’s surprised to feel that Regina is extra soft and starts to play in her hair. Regina asks the baby if she’s hungry and she nods before smiling. Regina takes her into the kitchen and goes to feed her, completely one offing the situation that just unfolded. Everyone follows behind her and they watch her, confused that she’s pretty much okay and not asking a million questions. Though, Emma supposes the mask has slipped back into place. Kohana gets himself something to drink as he comments.

“Henry, you have magic.. Mom’s gonna have to teach you how to control it and the teen looks at his little brother before he apologises but Kohana tells him he’s fine.

“I put you through a wall, none of that is fine,” he tells him but Kohana just laughs.

“Seriously, chill out, big bro. I’m fine.. I just couldn’t let you make that mistake of leaving when you’re not supposed to go,” he said and Henry shakes his head.

“I still don’t get what you mean,” he tells him and Kohana sighs.

“Nick was coming over to tell you that he was leaving. He talked with his parents about it and he wanted to go back to the Enchanted Forest, or leave Maine. They bargained on where he could go.. I don’t know exactly where, but they agreed. He was coming to tell you he was leaving and because of how the whole situation with you guys ended, you’d have followed him. I couldn’t let you do that… I don’t think you’d have been alive if you followed him. You’d have been doing it because you felt guilty.. You know that the whole reason you did everything you did for Nick was to help _him_ figure out who he was and because he made you question yourself.. You lost your way. You stopped being Henry and tried to be Nick’s Henry. You tried everything to make sure Nick’s feelings didn’t get hurt, but you thought that meant the same thing for you and it didn’t.. You’re not supposed to be with Nick.. it’s nothing against him, but if I let you make a decision to ‘run away’ with him… it wouldn’t have ended well. You wanted to go to college and see the world and live, Henry.. You won’t be able to do that with him. You wouldn’t have lasted with him. He’d have broken up with you and left.. So, yeah I put him out, but I know even if you didn’t follow behind him, Nick would have written you out of his life and that would have been just as worse.. So, I made him forget and when he wakes up tomorrow.. He won’t remember anything..neither will his parents.”

  


There is a good bit of silence before Regina comments in question,

“Henry.. Is that true..is that how you felt?” she asked and he found himself nodding.

“Yeah.. actually I did..still do,” he whispers and Emma hugs him. She holds onto him and he holds onto her. Baby Cora puts her little chubby hand to Regina cheek and smushes it. Regina smirks.

“Yes, mother?” she answers and Baby Cora makes a little grinning sound before she buries her face in Regina’s neck. She pulls the paci out and says,

“ucky!” and only Henry knows what that means. Regina turns to him for information and he speaks.

“She means Ermis. She’s trying to say Ducky,” he tells her, pulling out of Emma’s embrace. Kohana climbs up onto the chair and sits in Henry’s lap, hugging his brother who hugs him back. “Why didn’t you just tell me I had magic?”

“Because you wouldn’t have believed me and I had to ‘activate’ it for you to see it was real,” Kohana tells him and Henry hums.

“Sooo, what kind of magic _do_ I have?” Henry then asks and Kohana sits up before he says,

“Mom.. you wanna tell them of should I?” and he’s referring to Regina because he knows she knows what it is now. Regina stops what she’s doing and walks over to everyone before she nods. She looks at Emma and then at Henry and Kohana before she says.

“We all have magic….. _Healing_ magic...that’s what our recessive H levels are. Recessive Healing levels. That’s why our cells don’t die… they can’t.”


	27. Holy Crap

“Hey.. you okay?” Emma had finally managed to question Regina after cornering the woman somewhere out of the kitchen. Regina looked up at her and nodded, her raised eyebrow giving away to slight confusion.

“I’m fine, why do you ask?” she queries and Emma shrugs before speaking.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you almost  _ died _ ? Like, less than a few hours ago,” the blonde says nearly hitting sarcasm and Regina sighs deeply.

“Em-Emma, I’m fine,” Regina says again, but Emma’s not quite believing that.

“You don’t look fine, Regina,” she tells her.

“But I am,” the brunette tries to argue, but it’s not a very strong one.

“And I’m still inclined  _ not _ to believe that, sweetie,” she says a little bit less upset. She knows Regina will give her that smile. That saddened smile that knows her like nothing else does. Emma just knows that she is about to feel what Regina feels because this woman gives into her when she worries...all the time. Regina’s head tilts again before she reaches out to take hold of Emma’s hand and guides her upstairs and into their bedroom. She shuts the door, turns around and stalks towards the blonde before laying a kiss on her that stuns Emma.

It’s short-lived as well, but hey- affection never ceases to make her feel good.

“You’re right.. I’m not okay. My entire body aches, my head is spinning and I feel I could pass out any moment, but that’s because of how much I love you and I will take that pain with me to the grave if it meant you and our children were safe,” Regina admits and then somehow manages to turn that into a sad love story. Emma groans quietly as she looks away from the woman and sits on their bed with a soft thump. Regina sits beside her and puts a hand to Emma’s thigh.

“Why is it something new, every day of the week? Why is it always something bad?” Emma finds herself asking and in the most honest way Regina can respond. She shrugs. She shrugs- seemingly a bit defeated by the question because there’s no answer for that. And it honestly isn’t as if Emma is looking for one to begin with. She hangs her head and fiddles with her fingers as a sigh escapes. “We get one minute- one single, solitary minute of happiness and then reality decides to be an idiot. I get it, not everything is going to be easy sailing, but we have a kid who’s gonna die eventually. Your mom’s a baby right now. Our other son still feels pretty much useless-  _ and  _ to top that off, he has magic! Magic we don’t even know how to control. I feel like if I blink, the world’s gonna end or something,” Emma then continues and Regina now finds herself huffing because she’s right there with Emma on that. Everything does in fact continuously happen out of frame and out of time when it comes to them, and it’s always something magical. Always something bad, or always something to worry about. “I worry that I won’t be able to protect any of you because of everything that keeps happening, and that sucks-,”

“- I know, sweetheart. I feel the same way,” Regina agrees but Emma shakes her head.

“It’s just… I almost lost you and the magnitude of that seems to be gone from you,” Emma tells her but now Regina’s the one shaking her head. She looks at  Emma’s still fiddling fingers before speaking.

“Emma...this may sound as if I don’t care or as if nothing matters, but it does… however, I’ve almost died countless times. Some at the hands of my mother, some at the hands of Rumple- when I was the Evil Queen and even just being here. There were many times in my life I almost died- could have died and quite possibly  _ should _ have died, but I didn’t. Whoever my guardian angel was, had a lot of work to do as I aged through the years,” she says before laughing gently. Emma managed to smile, just a tad bit as Regina continued. “Some things made me question why I was in those situations and others made me remember what a horrible person I was to many... When Hook pawned me off on Greg and Tamara-”

“-wait!  _ What? _ ” Regina heard Emma snarl and she had to look up at the woman. Regina seemed surprised by Emma’s anger.

“I suppose I shouldn’t tell you the rest of that story,” she then says and now Emma’s standing. She’s standing and pacing and those two things don’t mix very well...at all.

“He  _ pawned _ you off to them?” Emma asks, her teeth grinding sharply and Regina didn’t know whether to nod at that or not, but she managed to half ass a slight head shake.

“He did,” she said and watched as Emma’s shoulders went drastically low. The blonde’s eyes shut and Regina didn’t need any spell to feel the aura oozing off of Emma. It was dangerous- beyond dangerous. Emma’s eyes flash as she breathes out like a dragon hellbent on burning the absolute hell out of someone. “Emma?” Regina calls in question. “Emma, I’m fine.. I promise I’m fine. Your parents found me and took care of me…. I’m okay,” she finds herself trying to tell the woman, but even that is pissing Emma off more- more so because now, she knows her parents didn’t tell her any of this. She spins around swiftly, frightening Regina, which in turn also makes the woman flinch.

“Why didn’t someone tell me this?- Why didn’t  _ you _ tell me this?” she asks the woman, somewhat accusingly. Regina hangs her head and shrugs slightly.

“You just seemed enamoured with Hook and we were just coming off of that whole Archie thing still.. I suppose I just didn’t want you to hate me anymore than you already could at that stage-,”

“-But Regina , you didn’t kill Archie and we knew that,”

“You knew that after the fact...and then you lost your belief in me and that hurt more than anything else ever will, Emma.. I thought you believed me and it was as if five minutes passed and you somehow changed your mind…. I thought I was innocent enough that you would believe me. I didn’t expect it of your parents, but I believed in that ‘gift’ of yours. That internal lie detector you claimed to have. I figured I had proved to you by that stage that I was in fact telling you the truth, but I suppose that usually has to be how it is for me..” she trails off and Emma sighs before she gets on her knees before Regina. She sits on the back of her calves and puts her hands on top of the woman’s own. Emma pulls Regina off of the bed so that she’s on her lap and she says nothing. Her actions speak for her with the kiss she gives her and the hug she encases her in. Regina accepts it quickly and quietly because Emma always managed to make her forget the pain somehow. It didn’t matter what hurt her, Emma would help her forget, even if the blonde was the cause for it to begin with. She knows she’s not innocent in hurting Emma either, but there’s some things, Regina’s held onto and now, Emma’s just realizing why.

“I don’t know how someone like you hasn’t been swept off of her feet all these years,” Emma comments and Regina smirks tearily.

“The curse pretty much held me to that,” she responds and Emma smiles gently at her before she sighs against Regina. “I’m okay,” she finds herself repeating, not so much for Emma as it was for herself.

“Are you sure this time?” she asks and Regina nods against her chest.

“With you...always.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Enwy- enwy!” Baby Cora sang as she toddles around and grins cheekily. Henry had taken to watching her once again after his mothers had disappeared. Kohana was sat in one of the chairs just watching tv and then he looks over at the pair before he asks, just to be sure.

“She seriously sneezed and turned into a baby?” for which Henry nodded and answered.

“Yeah, it’s weird but I guess Nana’s magic always acts like that,” he answered him, now slightly distracted as he kept a close eye on Cora.

“Nahh, Ruby said something about Pixie dust and poppies when she was around Rumple,” he reminded and Henry made a noise of acknowledgment.

“Right, I forgot about that, but no, seriously- she blows things up when she’s scared and all of that weird stuff,” Henry tells him and the child before him smirks. Cora falls back on her butt and immediately she’s upset about it, but Henry is quick to soothe her and she’s fine in seconds. He sighs as he leans back and sits her next time before he feels a hand pat his shoulder.

“This is good training for you,” Kohana says and he laughs tiredly.

“This is babysitting. Nana’s too good of a baby at this age,” he claims but Kohana’s eyebrows go up.

“You want it to be worse?”

“Noooooo, the sweeter the baby, the better. But you gotta admit, at this age- they’re all angels-”

“- Trust me kid, the homes I was in would beg to differ,” Emma interrupted with a smirk as she and Regina walked into the living room. Henry craned his neck but felt little Cora reach up to grab hold of his shirt and stand up properly before she put her mouth to his cheek. Kohana snickered and Emma was just a split second shy of teasing him. “Awwww,” she began and he rolled his eyes. “She’s giving you kisses. She loves you!”Emma tells him.

“She better, she’s my grandma,” the teen combats and now Emma’s rolling her eyes. Regina has taken a seat in the three seater and put her feet up in the chair. Kohana abandons conversation with brother and mother to see how his other mother is doing. Regina makes space for him as he climbs into the chair and lays in front of her. He rolls over and hugs her before he manages to muffle out,

“How are we gonna teach Henry to control his magic?” and if that didn’t catch her just a tad bit off guard, she’d be lying. Yes, Henry had magic, but he was also very..well, not uncoordinated, but stubborn like Emma. If anything- 

“Emma would probably have to help him curb his craft,” she said and Kohana moved his face from her chest long enough to ask,

“Mom, are you okay?” which made her laugh but nod.

“I’m fine, sweetheart, but your brother is a different breed. It would do him better if he learned from Emma. I’m more inclined to teaching him Elvish and spells,” she says and Kohana shrugs slightly.

“I mean, I guess,” he almost agrees and she seems interested.

“What is your suggestion?”

“Both of you should teach him. That way he can see what style is which and maybe find something in the middle..that and he’ll be able to figure out how to manage between..” Kohana trailed off and Regina’s eyes slid shut before she spoke.

“It’s okay to say it. Light and Dark magic. I know.”

He is silent for a moment before he speaks again.

“You know I don’t see you as evil, right mom?” he felt he needed to ask and he saw the conflict in her eyes, but she nodded anyway.

“I know,” she says, but much like Emma and Henry, Kohana always knew.

“I don’t think you do,” he told her honestly and she’s sighing before she’s laughing tiredly at him.

“You are your mother’s son,” she accuses and he manages a soft smile.

“I’m serious. I don’t think you realize that at all.  _ We _ don’t see it, so forget about whoever else does,” he tells her.

“It’s not that simple, honey,” his mother reminds but he’s determined.

“I know, but seriously- screw it-,”

“-language,” she finds herself crutch responding to his vocal outburst. He goes quiet and leaves it alone, but knowing his brunette mother, she genuinely would try. If for no one else, for Emma and her kids. Regina wraps her arms around the little boy and hugs him tightly. There’s no need to say anything more on all of that. They just had to try now. That was it.

  
  


The family had settled into a movie to watch a good while after, hoping to make everything a little bit less stressful, and that just didn’t turn into anything productive considering they all passed out before it was over. Henry was technically still supposed to be studying because he had more exams. Thankfully though, they were supposed to be his last two or something to that extent. Regina’s weakness had come back and her body felt it was time to shut down again; the same thing happening to Kohana almost immediately after, and what happens with Kohana, also happens with Emma and vice versa. Cora was still doing toddler things and that was scribbling in a blank notebook Emma had conjured out of thin air and then gave her magic markers that wouldn’t fuck up the carpet or the walls. No one was really keeping track of anything anymore, considering everyday they had a new jacked up adventure to deal with. They were starting to fall out of that scripted lifestyle and into one that was a bit more comfortable and suiting their needs. That meant Regina said fuck it to her 5:59 internal alarm clock consistently and repeatedly as of late. Emma got up early more. Henry pretty much did what his ma told him to do and act his age and be mature. Cora..well, she was Cora, but she was learning her worth as well through Talia’s care and love for her. They rotated between eating out, eating in, ordering out, ordering in; lazy days and family outings. It was becoming more and more relaxed and much less mundane as the time had passed and no one was bothered by it.. In all honesty, they were grateful for it. Regina didn’t have to spend her entire day in the office just stressing over papers. She had interns for that now, even if the load of them were simple. Clara could rest more and check in on her daughter more often and Regina could actually just take a random walk whenever the hell she pleased now. She could do so much more and wouldn’t have to worry about Clara telling her she had a meeting here and a meeting there and filing and expense balancing and Town Hall announcements and blah blah. And then Emma’s job was just beginning to have some excitement before her almost wife nearly cropped the fuck out and died on her.

 

At some stage, when the selection menu kept replaying itself, Emma had woken up and managed to get the boys into their rooms. She’d then come back down, shut the tv off, picked up baby Cora and woke Regina before they retired to their own room. Emma performed her nightly ritual of talking with Egg before she made sure they were all comfortably beneath the blanket and falling asleep once more. 

Day 110 June 29th.

By the time they woke in the morning, Henry was already up, sitting at the island and munching on cereal as he double timed his last minute studying. He sacrificed his Sunday just to finish his exams today and actually have at least two months because the day after would be the end of the current month and he wasn’t about to lose more days. Kohana had been the second to wake and pretty much copied his movements, finding that he may as well eat cereal as well. It wasn’t time for Regina to be awake yet which was also weird to them. Both her boys had been up before five and pretty much had that early morning time to themselves until Emma’s phone went off and that woke her up. The blonde swears she hears something that reminds her of Charlie Brown. “Mwa mwa mwa mwa,” consistently and repeatedly that sound comes through her phone as she tries but fails miserably to both stand up straight and at least open her eyes in the dark room. After she hangs up, she throws the phone weakly, but it was mostly knee jerk as her arm flinched and she groaned before collapsing back in the bed. She’d later felt little hands settle on her head and that got her attention. 

Looking up, Emma saw a wide awake toddler staring right back at her and then her little tummy began to growl.. 

“Hunwy,” Cora said to her and she sighed gently. Emma brushed her hair from her face and sat up. She reached out to get a hold of the little girl who scooted as much as she could before falling into Emma’s arms clumsily. Emma makes sure Cora is on her hip and holds her with the not broken arm as she makes her way downstairs. She rifles through the cupboard and finds all of the things Henry had bought for the child the day before. There’s juice and apple sauce and all of that stuff, but she was thinking a little bit more solid food, would do her good. So, Emma sets her on the counter and looks at her as she peels the top off the apple sauce and hands it to her. She conjures up a smaller, plastic spoon and hands that to her as well.

“Be careful,” she tells her and though Cora can’t understand her, she nods strongly. Emma smirks as she turns away and pulls some food out of the fridge. She finds yogurt, more fruit and some sausages. She shrugs before placing that on the counter and then notices that there’s pre-made biscuits in the freezer. She’s shocked because Regina would never buy that crap.. So, she’s convinced maybe her son, or his grandmother had and was more than likely right about that. Emma tosses that on the counter as well and does a small check in with Cora. The little girl is eating her food rather cleanly, much to Emma’s surprise. “Good?” she asks her with a soft smile and Cora grins. Emma takes notice that her teeth are also very well taken cared of and she’d expect them to be messed up considering the era Cora grew up in… but then she remembers that Cora had a mother who more than likely loved her beyond bounds because that’s the vibe she tends to get from these fairytale characters. They’d die for their children.

She’s jarred from her thoughts by her phone once more and as it rings off, Emma’s quick to answer it as she keeps Cora on top of the counter, running her fingers through the child’s hair absently.

“Now?” Emma finds herself asking and whoever is on the other end of the line is telling her yes and rambling on about something to do with a second check to ensure the barrier really didn’t mess anything up. She doesn’t really give that much of a damn about this secondary barrier. It was down and they should be expecting the undesirables any minute now. She has no idea, if they just did a check yesterday, why another one had to be conducted. But they go on and on and on, which in turn irks the living hell out of her. Emma has to cut it off. “-Okay- okay.. I’ll come, just give me like half an hour,” she says and the person seems to be rushing her. “Listen. I have children and a fiancé. I will be there in half an hour or I’m not coming at all..alright then.. Yeah,” she said before hanging it up and sighing. She shut her eyes and rubbed at them tiredly until she opened them to find Cora holding out her applesauce towards her. Emma smiles sadly at the child and takes a little bit of it before pinching her nose and making her giggle. She slings Cora on her hip and throws the biscuits into the oven quickly before she takes the child upstairs and gives her a quick bath. She sets the little girl in the middle of the bed with the tv on and heads back into the bathroom before taking her own shower. Emma spends ten minutes in total getting herself dressed and putting her hair in a messy bun. She then heats up some sausages and pulls out two biscuits before she’s cutting the sausages into bite sizes. She sets a couple grapes on it and takes up Cora’s sippy cup with her. Emma looks at the child who seems so intrigued by the tv that she hasn’t moved since the woman put her there. Emma puts Cora’s food before her, kisses the top of her head and tells her she has to leave. Cora’s attention immediately turns to her and she pouts which the blonde feels bad about, but she explains that Regina will play with her and Cora seems to be fine with that.  She manages to get a hug from the child before she picks up her jacket and everything else. She bends to speak softly to Regina, waking the woman who barely can register the morning. Regina stretches uncomfortably as she tries balancing on her wobbly arms.

“Y-you’re leaving already?” she asks through bleary eyes and hears Emma sigh before nodding.

“Yeah, I gotta go. I got called in,” she manages before kissing her quickly, unable to enjoy it the way she wishes she could. But Regina returns the kiss nonetheless. Still very confused by it all. “ I already gave her a bath and she’s eating now.. I love you, I gotta go,” Emma riddles off before turning for the door, only able to hear the slightly defeated,

“love you too,” come from Regina. She takes the stairs threes and twos before she hears the tv and checks in. Kohana is up watching it, but Henry’s gone.

“Hey Kid.. I gotta go to work. Love you, there’s biscuits in the oven and sausages in the microwave,” she says quickly and Kohana responds.

“Alright, love you too, mom. Be safe.”

“Yeah, I’ll try.” she manages before heading out the door, starting up her bug and driving towards the station.

  
  


Regina’s eyes slide shut as she holds back the ache of pain in her chest. She opens them once more and looks over to see her mother eating her breakfast like Emma had said. Cora looks over at her and smiles before offering her one of the sausage pieces, but Regina shakes her head and speaks.

“Good morning, mother,” she tells her instead and then looks over at the tv. Regina squints. “Mickey Mouse?” she queries and hears Cora’s excited response.

“Mickmey!” the child says happily which makes Regina smile. She hasn’t had time to notice until this moment, but Cora is absolutely happy. She’s sweet. She’s quiet.. And goodness is she adorable. It’s a wonder how she turned out the way she did. The little girl wobbles and tries to sing along with Mickey, happily munching on her biscuit and putting her little arms up as she danced. Regina bites back a snicker and instead looks at the moment for what it truly is… joy. She’s usually robbed of moments like that, but she always, almost gets them abundantly when Emma’s in the picture and she supposes, that fairy dust really was absolute crap in telling her that happiness would be with Robin…  _ No _ , she’s sure of it.. She’s sure it was crap just when the thought of Emma alone crosses her mind and makes her heart jump.

She decides to make use of her hour left in bed and gets comfortable with the child to relax for a bit, opting to wait until Cora was completely done with breakfast before attempting to move and do anything.

That was a good twenty minutes later.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Alright- I’m here.. What’s the big issue,” Emma had said as she neared the section that was out in the woods. It was more than likely the same spot they stood in when Regina took down the barrier, but that was still fuzzy. Her father turned to her, hands on his hips before he walked over and held her by the arm.

“We’re doing another walk through of the woods and the barrier area today,” her father commented, not noticing when she slipped her arm from his hold.. That actually made her feel uncomfortable. She’s been handled like that before and it always did something unnerving to her. Emma righted herself and rolled her shoulders as she spoke.

“Why? They just did one yesterday,”

“They checked general areas. It’s mandatory for us to do a walkthrough,” he claimed and she held back an eye roll.

“It’s not necessary. We have other issues to deal with that are more important than forest sweeping. If it’s that important- let Robin and his squatting buddies do it. It’s not as if he doesn’t do it everyday, anyway,” she commented and her father eyed her weirdly.

“What’s gotten into you-,” he only manages before she cut him off.

“-let’s not go there, because if I start, I’ll be tempted to lay your ass out,” she almost threatens and David’s nose flares, more so by what she said and not how she said it.

“ _ Emma _ ,” he begins to reprimand but the looks she gives him makes him stop.

“Don’t  _ Emma _ me.. How could you just leave her like that!” the blonde bristles angrily before she begins pacing… “I mean seriously, she’s going to be my wife and you just let her go and martyr herself?!” Emma then asks, incredulously enough.

“You’re my daughter- I had to get you somewhere safe. Regina told me to get you somewhere safe. I tried stopping her,” he combats but that’s not enough for her. Granted he did try, but it was a bit half assed as well. He figured Regina would be okay because Regina would always be okay.. Hell, he remembers when he lifted her up off that table after Greg left her there to nearly fry to death.. She was so pale, so limp.. So...lifeless. But then she’d woken up and she was okay.

“Clearly not hard enough! She almost  _ died _ yesterday, dad…what the hell, who am I kidding- she did die! The woman I’m in love with! The mother of my children -literally died yesterday and our son almost died too and you’re more concerned about me than someone who is literally carrying a child in her?” Emma finds herself riddling, rambling and asking. He stays silent because he can’t answer her when she’s like this. “And to make matters worse, you didn’t even bother to look for her-”

“-I did-”

“-Yeah, after the fact.” she spits and he falters. “After you check in on your wife and son because you weren’t even thinking of her to begin with… She’s carrying your grandchild and you couldn’t think far enough to look for her first. To check? If you knew that I couldn’t help, and Rumple couldn’t help- you should’ve looked for her right after… she was by herself- and that fucking barrier tried to kill her!” Emma grits out, her octave rising. David’s face falls drastically as her apologises.

“I’m sorry,” he says to his daughter and it’s scary how her anger dissipates all too quickly and she just seems..exhausted and over it.

“Yeah.. let’s just get this thing over with.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

Regina takes a shower and gets dressed. Emma had put Cora in a new diaper and a singlet, which was pretty normal for kids her age. They hated pants and shoes. They loved running around in just diapers or underwear and little singlets. They weren’t very sure whether or not she was potty trained, and no one bothered to check.. It didn’t really matter anyway. So, Regina finds her a shirt to go on over that, a little jacket and some long pants.. She thinks for a moment that she may as well buy her mother some new clothes because she’s not sure how long it will last, but then Regina thinks that Cora could sneeze again at any moment and age back to her less than sane self. She shakes her head and just conjures up an outfit based on what she would dress her mother in. Sparkly black leggings and a little tutu that was hot pink along with some black sneakers and a black and white horizontal striped shirt. Regina nodded at herself as she set it on the bed. She snapped her fingers and pink and black hair accessories were before her. She then ushered the little girl over, sat her at the vanity and brushed through her rather curly but puffy hair.. It looked like a little cotton-tail by the time Regina pulled it in one and put the pink and black ribbons in. She slid on a few thin headbands that were white before she dressed the little girl and hoisted her up on her hip. She let Cora look at herself in the mirror and clap when she approved of her little outfit.

“Cute,” she commented before kissing her mother’s cheek. Cora squirmed with a giggle and Regina had to wipe her lipstick from the child’s face. She took Cora downstairs and headed into the living room where she saw Kohana, still watching tv.

“Morning mom,” he had said but Regina wondered something.

“Good morning sweetheart, where’s your brother?”

“He left from like 7:10 this morning or something. He was still studying.. Guess he wanted to be ready for his last couple of exams,” Kohana had answered and watched the way his mother slowly accepted the information. She sets Cora down who attempts to climb up into the couch and gets comfortable. “Why does nana look like a ballerina who skates?” he’d then questioned and his mother shrugged slightly.

“She’s a little girl and I wanted her to feel like a little girl today. She’s already worn your brother’s things and she seems rather happy with this choice,”

“She’s two. She’s happy about everything,” he combats with a laugh somewhere in there and is the recipient of his mother throwing a pillow at him.

“Have you eaten?” she asks him and he nods.

“Yeah, I had some cereal this morning. Mom said there’s biscuits and sausages in the kitchen… she was in a rush this morning,” he recalls and his brunette mother sighs and nods.

“Yes, she was. Seems she was called in,”

“That’s what she said,” Kohana had agreed. “Go eat something mom, I’ll watch nana,” he tells her only to hear the small laugh.

“Sweetheart, she’s about the same size and height as you-,”

“-heyyyyy, I can do it.. I’m not incapable of watching a two year old,”

“You watching her isn’t my concern, it’s the mere height and size of comparison that is,” she says and he pouts.

“She’s just a baby!”

“As are you,” Regina tells him before bending to kiss his head. “However, I will take your offer to watch her,” she then says and he brightens. Regina then bends before Cora and smiles gently at her. “Mother, behave for your grandson, please,” she tells the child and Cora nods. Regina stands up straight and leaves the room. Kohana gets comfortable in the chair where his grandmother is to make it easier to deal with her and she’s alright for little bit, but it doesn’t last long. Cora looks away from the tv and over at Kohana before she says.

“Enwy.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina swears she’s only been in the kitchen for at least a minute until she hears something akin to soft whimpers and then it’s a full on wail of what sounds like pain. She’s about to rush to the sound, but it’s coming towards her. It’s Cora crying her little eyes out and trying to wipe at the tears as she nears Regina and is picked up immediately. Regina tries cooing her but she’s crying so loud and so hard, she probably can’t hear her.

“Shh- shhh. It’s alright,” Regina tells her as she bounces the little girl, but good lord her face is turning red. Regina rests the crying child’s head on her shoulder and keeps bouncing her, singing to her softly as she makes her way around the kitchen and is immediately preparing her something warm to drink to calm her down. Kohana comes in just a bit later and he sighs heavily.

“I’m sorry-,” he says defeated. “I tried, but she wouldn’t stop crying,” he tells his mother and now she’s concerned about him too.

“Sweetheart, it’s okay.. What’s the matter, mama? What’s wrong?” she finds herself questioning as Cora lifts her little head away from her shoulder. Through a hiccupped breath, the little girl sputters out.

“E-E-Enwy!” before she’s in a fit of tears again and Regina coos her once more. She rubs her back and can’t wait much longer. She waves her hand and a warm bottle of milk with some honey in it appears in her hand. Regina shakes the bottle to make sure the honey’s mixed through it and that it isn’t too hot. She puts it in Cora’s mouth and at first the little girl doesn’t respond to it but it’s got the same texture as her paci and she takes to it directly after she realizes that. She sucks on it almost greedily before her head collapses back on Regina’s shoulder and the brunette sighs in relief. She continues to bounce the two year old as she starts to prep some snacks to pack away in Cora’s diaper bag. Kohana just says,

“I’ll go put on my shoes,” before he leaves the kitchen. Granted, he had to get ready entirely, but she understood what he meant by it. He knows what his mother is thinking and it’s probably a little nuts, but it might be the only thing to keep Cora from shattering something should she begin crying again...besides that, it hurt her a hell of a lot to see her mother cry even in this state. She makes a few trips between the kitchen and her room, mostly to pack the bag and grab her own coat amongst other things. Cora’s bottle is almost done by then, and as she comes to the finish line of drinking the entire thing, she slowly falls asleep. Regina clips her pacifier to her shirt and once Kohana is ready and the dishwasher is set, Regina leaves with the children in tow. She puts Cora in the car seat and makes sure she’s safely buckled in. Kohana sits in the backseat, but he’s not in the car seat anymore and he’s kind of upset about it because he really likes it.. Though he won’t admit that vocally. Regina makes sure that he’s buckled in safely as well and puts the child safety lock on the door before she shuts it. She calls the office and tells Clara she has to take a bit of a detour before coming in which the woman understands completely. Regina asks about the interns and Clara says she’s surprised that they all seem to be..well, less stupid today. Regina’s grateful for it but as she looks in her rearview mirror at Cora sleeping peacefully, she’s more concerned about why this little girl is crying so much for Henry. Regina starts up her car and drives towards Henry’s school, the only thought on her mind… soothe Cora’s little sad self.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It’s been however long of them scouring this damn place and Emma’s not surprised they find nothing but a bunch of asinine booby traps that almost nearly kill her and her team multiple times. She grumbles through as Mulan comes up beside her.

“Remind me never to go hiking please. I almost got a bear trap to the foot, and an arrow in the eye,” Mulan comments and Emma shakes her head. The warrior notices the visible etch in Emma’s forehead before she asks, “You okay?” and Emma’s honest when she says,

“No.”

“What’s the issue?”

“Doesn’t matter anymore,” Emma claims but Mulan squints. She puts a hand to Emma’s shoulder, stopping her immediately. Mulan looks around before she makes Emma sit and bends before her in her usual squatting position.

“Swan, we both know that’s bull shit.. Now what’s the issue?” Mulan asks and Emma sighs before leaning her head back.

“You should know by now. Hasn’t the town gossipped about it enough?” she hears herself ask that question and Mulan shrugs.

“Depends on what we’re referencing,”

“Yesterday,” she clarifies and Mulan’s head tips back.

“Ahhh.. okay. Yeah. No, I haven’t really heard much. Everyone was just really concerned about you more than anything else. They knew the barrier came down because someone from our squad said it and it spread like wildfire, but other than that.. Nothing… speaking of. You like passed the hell out on us yesterday. What gives?”

“Poppies and pixie dust,” Emma answers almost flatly and Mulan looked surprised.

“Not gonna ask. Still, that doesn’t explain why you’re upset,” she says and Emma shrugs.

“Like I said. Doesn’t matter,”

“And I told you it does,”

“Actually you told me it was bull shit,” Emma clarified and Mulan gave her that one with a laugh before she nudged her and Emma breathed out. “Regina almost died yesterday.. Actually, from what they told me- she actually  _ did _ die yesterday. Just to take it down.. She took it down and almost died-  _ did _ die,”

“But I thought Rumple was supposed to help her,” Mulan said and Emma shook her head.

“Like me, he was laced with poppies and pixie dust too.. So she was by herself…” the blonde trailed off and Mulan swallowed.

“But how did she- who…” the warrior tried asking but was lost for words.

“Ruby.. found her and the kid just laying there,” she expressed and at first, Mulan was confused.

“Wait..Henry-,”

“-no..no,” Emma cut off, shaking her head rapidly.. “Our other son. He was trying to protect her.” Mulan made no comment about the new news of another child, instead she had just nodded as Emma continued to explain.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina pulled the car to a stop and parked it before she got out and opened the back passenger door for Kohana first. He hopped out with the baby bag and watched as his mother took his grandmother from the car seat. Regina gently held her against her chest as she walked both of them into the school and towards the counter where obviously no one was. She had then made her way to the principal’s office, but no one was there either and instead just went to look for the class Henry would be in to take his exams.. She supposes he should be in his homeroom if that’s the case and quietly but determinedly walks with her mother in her arms and Kohana with the baby bag on his shoulder.

Henry’s exam had just started less than three minutes ago and for some reason he’d felt some weird uneasiness in his body a good while before.. It was like pain that made his heart hurt. And he’s never felt that before. He doesn’t know what it could be and hadn’t bothered to call any of his mothers to ask if it was residual magic pain or something. The blue fairy was invigilating the exam and he didn’t mind that because once she zoned out, he could focus on his exam, knowing she wouldn’t be giving him the eye. Sometimes it felt like she expected him to turn into the person Regina was.. As if she were criminalizing him already for absolutely no reason. And that both irked him and made him sad because he really is understanding as of late how, horrid people can be when in all honesty, they shouldn’t be. Henry’s been learning a good bit of things lately and he’s grateful for that because he has realized he is naive about a lot of things. He’s been protected from a lot of things for valid reason and what his mothers have tried to instill in him and teach him. He’d ignored it until now.. When he really needed it most.

Almost as if his hearing has heightened, he hears a sound nearing the door and then there’s a soft knock that comes after the sound stops. The fairy looked up and over at the door before giving Henry a once over and pretty much floating towards the door. She opened it hesitantly and stepped out.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Madame Mayor.. I didn’t expect to see you here,” Blue had commented at first before she noticed the sleeping child in Regina’s arms. “And with another child no less,” she continues before she spots another body and sees Kohana. Her eye twitches slightly as she eyes the child who is practically scowling at her. He already didn’t like her, and based on the way she talked to his mother, he definitely didn’t like her. “And..another,” she’d somewhat whispered albeit, rather surprised. Regina didn’t suppress the need to roll her eyes before she spoke.

“Yes well, I never expect to see you at all,  _ Blue _ . But once again, I am not here for you.. I’m here about my son,” she manages and little Cora stirs in her arms before waking. She rubs at her eyes and when she sees Blue staring at her she gets scared and buries her face in Regina’s neck. Regina rubs her back and coos her.

“shh- shh, she won’t hurt you,” Regina hears herself trying to convince her mother and never in her life would she have thought she’d be saying the blue fairy wouldn’t hurt someone… the world must be ending. But Cora whimpers anyway and she mumbles “scawy,” into Regina’s neck as she does so. The fairy seemed, well..hurt by the words but Regina didn’t know what she was expecting; Blue really was one mean fucking fairy. For all the wrong reasons at that. Her face jerked softly as she attempted to look away from both of the children and at Regina.

“What is it you need, Regina,” she says to her. And it sounds as if she’s trying to knock her down a peg, but she may have just forgotten the term of position for the woman.

“I need to see my son. We have a small...situation,” Regina settles for saying and Blue sighs

“I’m sorry but his exam has just started. You will have to wait until it-”

“-mmmmfff,” little Cora mumbled angrily against Regina which meant she was about to start crying in a minute.

“Is she alright?” the woman had asked and surprisingly, Regina answered.

“No, she’s not,”

“Enwy-enwy!” she groans against Regina and before they know it, Cora starts crying.

“Come on, sweetie.. No tears shhh-shh. Henry’s right inside the room,” Regina tells her but knowing baby Cora, the child can’t hear past her own vocal pleas.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Henry knows his ears aren’t deceiving him. He can hear talking and then a long period of silence and then more talking, but he swears he can hear crying and that pain in his heart starts up again. It hurts so bad that he’s rubbing his chest to get some relief. But the relief doesn’t come and then he’s standing and making his way over to the door before he’s pulling it open and the crying meets him at the mark.

“Mom?” he queries and sees his grandmother in tears before she notices him and reaches for him greedily. He doesn’t register what he’s doing because he just grabs hold of her and she stops crying immediately. Cora’s paci ends up in her mouth, due to Henry and her head rests on his shoulder. Blue eyes them weirdly because she’s really hoping Henry’s not a father, not that it’s any of her business anyway. He looks down at his grandmother and wipes her tears away as she sucks on the pacifier and her erratic breathing calms itself. “What’s the matter?” he asks and his mother speaks.

“She started crying for you and I had no idea what else to do,”

“Did you try giving her warm milk like you did with me?” he asked and she nodded.

“That’s what managed to help her sleep on the way over, but she wasn’t happy that you seemed to be missing,” his mother said before she smiled fondly. Cora’s little hand went to the back of Henry’s neck and began rubbing the nape. She continued to suck on her paci and fixed her head a little bit better on his shoulder. Henry looks down at Kohana and motions for the bag for which his brother hands over. He puts it on his shoulder and then is when Blue speaks.

“I’m sorry Henry, but I cannot allow you to have her in the exam with you,” the woman said and he spoke.

“She’s going to cry otherwise. Could you please just let her stay with me. These are my last few exams. She’s actually really well behaved,” he defends and the woman sighs and shakes her head.

“I don’t deny that she might be, but… It’s against the school rules,”

“There’s no rule that says I can’t watch a baby during my exam,”

“She’s considered a distraction,”

“Breathing’s a distraction,” he combatted and she huffed. She eyed the child once more.

“I’m sorry, but your daughter is not allowed in with you,” the woman said and the teen rolled his eyes, hard.

“Fine.. mom, can you take her?” he asks and Regina nods. As Henry attempts to hand his grandmother back over, she shakes her head violently and starts to thrash and cry. Her paci falls out her mouth and the wail she lets out breaks everyone’s heart. Cora cries loudly as Regina holds her, her little hand coming up to her eye as a knee jerk reaction. It’s not that she didn’t like Regina, quite the opposite. It was just that Henry made the little girl feel very very safe. Her arms wrapped around Regina as she cried harder and harder, nearly coughing and throwing up her breakfast as she did so. That was enough for Blue. She cracked.

“Okay.. okay, you may watch her during your exams, but she must remain quiet during it.. Are we clear?” Blue had asked and Henry hadn’t responded yet because he was quickly taking his grandmother back and patting her back. It was like hot potatoe with this little baby. Cora doesn’t calm immediately and it takes some time before Henry gets her to. She’s winded to the degree that she almost cries herself to sleep, but she manages to stay awake.

“Thank you,” he finally tells the woman and she nods. Blue turns to go back into the classroom before she says.

“You have another three minutes to talk and prepare yourself,” and he nodded. Blue went into the classroom and Kohana finally said,

“I don’t like her,” which made his older brother and mother laugh. His mother reached out and wiped Cora’s tears away before he and she spoke for a bit and Regina let him know that bottles, snacks, a meal, a change of clothes and diapers were in the bag along with a little tablet and some headphones to keep her distracted. He smiled and nodded, thanking her and asking his grandmother if she was okay. She’d nodded mutely until Henry told her how pretty she looked in her outfit and then she’d managed to smile a little. Blue could see the exchange as Regina kissed the child goodbye who returned her kiss and then left with her youngest. Henry went into the classroom with Cora, sat her in his lap and set her up with the tablet. He’d already told her she had to behave, though the little girl really was very quiet once she was in a certain setting. He knew he didn’t have to worry about it. He pulled his desk forward and began working, only stopping once or twice to give her a snack and continue on. She never made a peep, she giggled mostly as she watched mickey mouse and all those other cartoons. She had tried offering Henry some of her snack and he entertained her by eating a few but he continued to work. This was one of the longer papers and at some stage Cora drifted off for a nap that lasted the better half of the exam.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Mom, can I hang with you today?” Kohana had asked as he and Regina drove in the car.

“Of course you can sweetheart. Besides, I couldn’t leave you home by yourself,” she’d said.

“I know, but I thought you’d have left me with Granny or something,” he said and she nodded slightly.

“No, honey… not unless you wanted to,”

“I mean, I like the free food I get, but I haven’t been with you to your office yet,” he says and Regina realizes this is true but not true. He’s been to her office, but that’s when he was six, googly eyed over Arrow and completely oblivious to the things around him. She smirks before she responds.

“You are your mother’s son,”

“I feel like that’s an insult,” he says before he laughs and she laughs along with him. “Sooooo, can I?”

“Honey, I told you yes already. There’s no need to ask again,” his mother reassures and he nods.

“Cool,” he smiles and as they drive towards the Town Hall, Kohana’s got nothing to worry about and neither does his mother.

 

They get in and Regina is greeted by Talia who hands her the files she’ll be working on today and it said something about an electric contractor which makes her raise a brow. They’ve never had an electricity problem and she knows every single last file as it relates to that town.. This one quite literally appeared out of thin air. Talia greets Kohana and he greets her back before he follows his mother into her office and gets comfortable. There’s a few questions here and there that he asks her as it relates to what she does and how hard her work is and Regina answers him both skillfully and easily. She breaks it down for him and allows him to watch her do her thing. He even got to sit in on the short staff meeting she held with the interns. After that, he’d affectionately stated,

“You’re really a queen, mom,” with such a bright smile it was hard not to smile back at him. Kohana had later found himself something to eat in the employee kitchen and went into Henry’s little secret room after kissing his mom’s cheek and telling her he was exhausted just from watching her. She’s kissed his head, hugged him and let him go, checking in on him every ten minutes to make sure he was okay.

Regina had met with Clara for a short while after that and Clara divulged her assessment of the interns and realized that something seemed off about them. Regina had asked her what it was and Clara said that they would usually go very silent once she was in the room. Either like they’d-

“-been planning something bad.. Or have done something they don’t want anyone else knowing about,”

“Based on your assessment, who did you notice that being?”

“Most of them.. There’s a certain section of them who communicate and they are always speaking, but in hushed whispers or jaded tones….. That, and neither of those departments coincide with work related material.. It’s like if finance was dealing with reception.. That’s how that is in the back there,” Clara told her and Regina leaned back in her chair, a tad bit confused by it all. “They shouldn’t be communicating and even if they are.. Why is it in secret?” she’d queried and Regina rolled her shoulders before she sat up straight and spoke.

“Leave it be for now. If it’s anything important, we’ll know before the end of the week,” she’d said and Clara nodded.

“You look tired.. You sure it was good for you to come back today? Emma already asked me if I’d cover for you,” Clara told her and Regina smiled softly.

“I’m fine.. I’m just slightly weak from it all still,”

“I don’t know what happened, all I heard was that the barrier got taken down.. You did that, didn’t you?” she’d asked to make sure. She was telling the truth. No one had told her anything, she’d just heard some things and couldn’t really put it all together. Regina nodded almost imperceptibly.

“With help,” she admitted as her eyes fell on the door where Kohana was. Clara followed her vision and her eyes widened.

“He?” she asked because it’s the only word she could manage and Regina nodded.

“He was the reason I didn’t completely go under,” Regina said and Clara swallowed.

“But, wait.. I thought Emma was going to help or- you know, your mom or something?” she queries.

“My mother was with Talia and we had made the decision at the last minute because Rumple explained it had to be taken down-,”

“-Rumple?”

“Yes. He’s fine.. He’s...sane,” Regina recalled and usually Clara would disagree but by the solemn acknowledgment of the man’s change of heart, she leaves it be.. “Poppies and pixie dust had kicked in, which in turn made the three of them useless in that moment… So, in an attempt to keep the decision we agreed on, I fought to take it down and…” Regina had divulged before she trailed off and fell silent. She looked down at her lap, shook her head and that was an obvious give away she was no longer about to talk about it. Clara smiled sadly at her and nodded. It was an easier motion to understand than anything else if she was being honest. Clara then looks at her watch because she hears some weird sound and comments,

“I need to get back to the department call to check in on Casey, are you gonna be okay?”

“I’ll be fine.. What’s the matter with Casey?”

“She’s with a new babysitter today.. Talia suggested her. It’s one of her friends and Talia told me they do half an hour check ins and she’ll let me talk with Casey and see how she’s doing,”

“That’s rather nice,”

“It is, and she’s cheap and she’s nice. I’m just more concerned that Casey won’t take to her because she doesn’t really like new people,”

“Well, if Talia’s friend is anything like her, Casey will be fine,”

“That’s what I’m hoping for.. Don’t forget to eat. You don’t have any more meetings left for the day.. I’m serious-eat something,” Clara tells her and then repeats it to make sure Regina listens and when Regina laughs, she knows the woman will. And as if on cue- Regina grins and Clara nods before bowing out of the room.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


It also just happened to be the day he took math and english… his paper two, paper three and paper three again. So yeah, it was his last ‘two’ exams. Well, it was his last two subjects with three papers. Little Cora’s head had lolled a few times and Henry had to switch her position at least twice to make sure she was both safe and comfortable. By the time he finished that paper, she was awake again and he’d taken her outside to the playground on the school grounds to let her run off some steam and give her another snack. She was going to be with him for a good while and he wanted to make sure she was okay. Before they went back for him to take his next exam, he’d visited the kindergarten section and got one of the mats for her to sleep on in case she fell asleep again, which was likely. It was also so she could lie down and watch her cartoons. The plan was both logical and well thought out as the little girl did in fact enjoy laying on the mat. Henry could concentrate a little better knowing she had something else to  keep her distracted and zoned out as he went through his work.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Emma wasn’t faring very well because after she’d finished talking with Mulan, it was back to scouring the woods and avoiding boobie traps.

“Remind me to ban this numbnut from doing this,” Emma said as she and the warrior walked through some overhanging branches and vines.

“Duly noted.. You probably should have taken the day off though,” Mulan told her and she sighed.

“Yeah, probably. But I’m fine,”

“Yeah, but by the sounds of it, Regina’s still not,” Mulan reminded and Emma shrugged slightly.

“I don’t think there is a way to be fine when you face death, Mulan,”

“True, but still,” she tried and Emma nodded before shrugging again.

“Doesn’t make a difference.. I’m nearly positive she went into work too. She doesn’t like to keep still. She doesn’t really listen well in that department. She keeps this town afloat with just her and Clara in the office… the interns they have this summer.. Are a little questionable,” Emma added and Mulan laughed.

“I take that as you meaning they got hit with the stupid stick,”

“That’s a good way of putting it,” the blonde agrees and Mulan continued to laugh. “How’s everything going with you?” Emma asks because she realizes she hasn’t asked the woman this question in a very long time. Mulan is taken by surprise, more so because she didn’t expect to be asked right in that moment.

“Me? I’m...good, I guess. I’m still getting used to the likely-hood that I won’t be able to go back and see my mom before she passed, but I really was tired of fighting that war,” she jokes lightly and Emma nudges her with a small smile.

“You sure?” she asks just to clarify and Mulan nods.

“Yeah, I’m sure. I’m surprised I’m as sure as I am,” she answers and they both go silent.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It’s nearing the end of his exams and the young man couldn’t be any happier about it. His grandmother had surprisingly not fallen asleep, but rather started to scribble in her book she had from the night before, and by the time Henry was done with his exam- she was done with her art work. He handed the paper in and packed up their things before he picked her up and began to carrying the mat back to the kindergarten area. Henry placed the folded mat back in its spot and left with Cora in tow. She held her picture in the front of him and had a proud smile on her face that he wasn’t about to destroy. He had no clue what she drew but she was too happy about it and he couldn’t wreck that for her. He kissed her cheek and talked with her about the picture as he walked towards Town Hall and right up to the receptionists desk. Henry hoisted Cora up on the counter that met at the top part of his chest and Talia looked up before immediately tilting her head with a confused look and an interested look morphed into one.

“Hey Talia,” he greeted as he took the baby bag off of his shoulder.

“H-hi Henry.. Am I missing something?” she asked before motioning to the back of the child’s head. She hasn’t gotten a good look at the little girl just yet and Henry looks at his grandmother before looking back at her and bobbing his head.

“Oh- no! She’s not my baby,” he clarified and Talia nodded. Now she wondered why the hell he had the child. “I’m just watching her,” he further said before he wiped something that looked like marker, from her face. Cora scrunched up her face and Henry smirked. “Keep still, it’s on your cheek,” he tells her and she pouts but she lets him clean her face up. Once he’s done he lifts his hand for a high five and she high fives him before giggling. Talia smiled at the two of them, completing neglecting her work for the moment.

“So, who put you on baby duty?” Talia asks and Henry tilts his head before he responds. He knows this might throw Talia for a loop but it’s funny when he says it.

“My great grandma,” is his response and she looks so off, but she’s smiling so now it looks sadistic almost as she rubs the child’s back.

“She’s still alive?” the woman asks through an unsure laugh and Henry shakes his head.

“Nope,” he tells her and she retracts her hand before stopping to think. “Don’t think about it too much.. Do you wanna meet her?” he asks and she nods. Henry talks with Cora for a moment and points past the child. Cora seems shy and scared until Henry tells her it’s okay to look. The little girl turned her head and looked at Talia and that was it. Talia was gone.

“Oh- my goodness! She’s so cute!” the woman just about squealed and Henry laughed.

“I know right?” he asked and she nodded eagerly.

“She’s gorgeous!” Talia said this time and Henry was still grinning at her. “What’s her name?” she found herself asking the young man as she tickled under Cora’s chin. The little girl clearly reacted fine because she began smiling and Henry’s nearly positive the child blushed a little. Cora looks at Henry and he smiles at her before he speaks.

“Go on, say hi nana,” he told her and Talia’s smile turned into comically shocked eyebrows.

“Wait… wait-wait-wait!” she began and Henry just nodded. “This is Cora?” she queried and he nodded. “Your grandmother- this little girl- this cute little baby- is your  _ grandmother _ ?” she questioned once more and Henry nodded his reassurance.

“Yeah,” he said, just to seal it and Talia nearly choked- just nearly. She fell back into her chair and looked on, stunned beyond questions. Granted, she did manage to ask him the major question everyone else has been asking.

“ _ How _ ?”

“She sneezed and poof,” he said and it took a moment before Talia burst into a fit of laughter.

“Is-is,” she tried but she had to stop to laugh again. “Is her magic really that temperamental?” the woman had queried and Henry shrugged.

“Sometimes, but she had pixie dust and poppies in her system and grandpa Rumple said this happened to her before, but she wasn’t a baby so this one’s a little bit weirder,” the teen informs and Talia’s head nods on its own accord.

“But, she’s so cute. I can’t get over that,” the woman comments and Henry laughs.

“None of us can,”

“And her little outfit is so pretty-,” she complimented and Henry’s not hallucinating, that was definitely a blush from the baby. 

“Thank my mom for that. Nana, Talia thinks your outfit’s pretty,” he says and Cora grins. “You wanna tell her thank you?” he asks and Cora nods before she turns around completely, back to Henry- but fully facing Talia. Cora attempts to scoot off the counter and Talia grabs hold of her so she doesn’t hurt herself. Cora being the affectionate little baby she is, hugs the woman and Talia all but melts. She hugs the baby back and when she lets her go she speaks.

“Hey, do you wanna help me make a cake?” she asked and Cora seemed confused. “Birthday cake,” she then said and Cora’s eyes lit up. She began to shake with excitement and rock before she turned to Henry and looked for permission. He nods and tells her,

“Go on,” and she turns back to Talia, her adorable and cheeky grin set in place. Talia sets her on the ground and stretches out a hand for her to take and Cora takes it. “Bye nana,” he says and the little girl lets go of Talia’s hand for a second to run to Henry and hug him. He bends to hug her properly and makes sure her pacifier is clipped to her shirt before handing her a sippy cup and passing Talia a bottle for her. “If she gets hungry, you can come get her lunch. I dunno what mom packed but she eats pretty much anything,” he tells the woman who nods. Cora runs back to Talia and takes her hand before she’s dragging her away. The young man sighs gently before picking the baby bag back up and heading for his mother’s office.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I see, thank you, Little John. Would you mind telling her I called?” Regina had asked of the man and he assured her he would. She thanked him once more and hung up her cell phone. Regina sighed deeply as she leaned against her desk. She pushed her cell against her chin and kept her arm steady on the other one as she thought on. She’d tried getting a hold of Emma all this time and couldn’t reach her, so she tried calling the station only to find out the woman wasn’t there either. She actually never made it to the station, she was called to the woods instead. Emma never missed lunch with her, and even if she did, she would have called. Regina wasn’t worried about her safety, she was just missing the woman a lot. She was enjoying the moments when she and Emma had lunch and they could lay with each other and just talk or make jokes and think about their future, but today was one of those days where that wouldn’t happen and it was pretty obvio-

“Hey mom,” Henry greeted and that pulled her from her thought for a moment. Regina spun around and face her son.

“Hi sweetheart, how was your exam?” she asks him all too quickly for his liking and he gives her a roundabout shrug.

“Pretty good. What’s wrong with you.. You look like you just got some weird news,” he tells her and now she’s roundabout shrugging at him.

“I suppose you can call it weird.. It’s your mother,” she says and now her son looks rightfully lost. His eyebrow arches as he asks.

“What’s the issue?” for which his mother speaks to.

“I’m not quite sure.. She had to leave rather early this morning and I just called the station to confirm that she had gotten in but Little Johan has just told me she never reached. She was called away to scour the woods once again,”

“Didn’t they just do that yesterday?” he asks and she nods.

“They did and that’s what’s confusing, though- knowing Emma, she’s probably more upset about this than anyone else,”

“That’s likely,” Henry agrees. “But what’s like.. The real issue?”

“I couldn’t reach her cell to ask her about lunch. I’m convinced she might miss that as well as dinner tonight,”

“How do you think it’s that?”

“I just do, sweetheart,” she says before falling silent. Her son nods at her before looking around the room.

“Where’s your mini me?” he asked her and she smirked slightly.

“He’s in there,” she motions. “Where’s yours?”

“Nana’s not my mini me,”

“If you say so,” his mother teased and he groaned.

“She’s not, but she’s with Talia making a cake,”

“A cake?”

“Yeah, I dunno, guess it’s someone’s birthday.. She did say birthday cake,” he recalled and his mother hums. Henry looks at his watch before speaking. “I’m gonna check in on him and then we can go to lunch if you want?” he offers and she smiles before she nods.

“That would be nice,” she tells him and he grins.

“Good,” her son tells her and it is good. He checks in on Kohana who’s actually reading when he goes in and they talk for a bit, Henry tells him they’re leaving for lunch in a bit and Kohana pretty much throws the book before hopping up and rushing out the door. Regina takes that as cue and follows behind her sons, only to be stopped by a wild baby Cora sprinting through the main hall way with a wooden spoon of chocolate batter on it. Talia comes out after her and you’d think she’d be able to catch her, but hell no! That little girl is fast. Cora’s puffy little ponytail bounces as she giggles and runs around shouting,

“Ick da poon! Ick da poon!” Henry watches them, Kohana watches them, and Regina watches before she has to put a stop to it because Talia hasn’t managed to catch up to her yet. Regina steps in the way of the little girl and hoists her up, burying her face in the little girl’s cheek and kissing her. Cora squirms in joy and that child-like giggle radiates through the room as she shouts.

“Ick da poooooon!” to Regina. Regina eases up and looks at the little girl before she asks,

“Lick the spoon?” and Cora nods eagerly. “Why don’t you lick the spoon?” she asks and Cora shakes her head before she shoves it into Regina’s face, accidentally slapping it against her cheek. She freezes and makes that uh-oh face because she thinks she just might be in a bit of trouble for that, but Regina laughs it off and takes the spoon from her. She dabs some on Cora’s cheek and revels in the laughter of the small child before shaking her head and handing it back to Talia. Henry hands his mother a wipe and she cleans both their faces before she switches her mother in her hold and talks to the intern.

“Talia, why was my mother running through my office screaming- Ick da poon?”

“Because we were making a birthday cake for one of the Finance guys and she wanted me to lick the spoon but I didn’t?” Talia answers Regina with a question and her boss lets out a laugh that sounds so tired.

“And then she began running through my hallway I suppose, in search of someone who would actually lick said spoon?”

“Pretty much,” the woman agreed quickly and Regina laughed again before she looked at her mother.

“You mother, are a handful,” she tells the child and Cora takes that as a compliment because Regina’s grinning at her, so she grins back and nods again. She then sets the child down and pats her on the butt. “Go finish help Talia make the cake,” she tells her and Cora walks back over to the woman, Talia handing her the spoon and finally Cora licks it. God damn it!

“Oh- wait!” Henry said before pulling her lunch out. “That’s her lunch for when she starts up.. Hey nana,” he says and she looks at him. “I gotta go out for a bit with mom and Hana, Talia’s gonna watch you okay?” he asks and he sees that she’s really sad at first, and that she just might cry but he keeps talking. “It’s okay, you get to help Talia make the cake and eat some.. We’ll be right back, I promise,” he tells her and she doesn’t acknowledge it for a moment, but then she nods. “Can I get my hug now?” he asks her with his arms open and she hugs him tightly before letting go. She pouts but when she looks up at Talia’s smile she smiles. The three people leave shortly after to pick up lunch and Henry orders a small smoothie for his grandmother as a treat. His mother looks at him with the knowing stare.

“What?”

“You’re spoiling her,” she comments and he shrugs.

“She could use it. She’s a sweet baby,” he claims and Regina lets that go because it’s true.

“She is.. Let’s go before Talia has a crying toddler on her hands,  _ dad _ ,” Regina teases and he takes that one in stride. He’s getting used to taking care of her and to him, it’s actually a really good feeling to know he makes someone happy just because it’s him.  _ Shit _ , he learned that lesson fast enough.

As they leave, Ruby stops them with,

“Granny’s still waiting to see her, you know,” and Regina has to ask,

“Why?”

“She wants to see how cute your mom was as a baby so she has ‘valid reason’ to use the term, ‘what happened to you’,” Ruby laughed and Regina sputtered a snicker before answering.

“If she’s in luck, she may see her tomorrow,” the brunette says and Ruby smiles.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Christ, my legs hurt,” Emma groans as she and Mulan finally step back inside the station. Little John turns around and asks,

“You guys got it all covered?” for which Mulan shakes her head and answers for them both. 

“Not even close. For some place so small- the woods are really huge,” the warrior says before she huffs. She flops down in her chair as Emma eases into her own and sees Little John rip a piece of paper from its pad and rest it on her desk.

“You’ve got mail,” he mimicked because for the first time in his life- he knows what tv is and found himself subject to Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, which he didn’t mind in the slightest. Emma eyes it for a second before picking it up and skimming it, when really it was just two lines that said,

‘Your wife called. She’s worried about you’

Emma understands why. She woke up and only managed to see Regina’s beautiful eyes for thirty seconds before she was rushing out the door and heading into the damn woods with a target on her head because of those fucking traps Robin set. She pulls out her phone and dials out, waiting patiently as the line just rings.. And rings…..and rings before the voicemail comes up and Emma’s confused because that’s just odd for Regina not to pick up her phone so, Emma calls the office itself and thankfully Clara picks up because Talia was out of commission with the baby.

“Clara- hey, is Regina there?”

“No, she actually went out for lunch about five minutes ago, have you tried her cell?”

“Yeah, it’s just busy and goes to voicemail,”

“Hmm, that’s not like her, unless she left it in her office by accident,” Clara says and Emma thinks that to be a plausibility, but Regina’s not forgetful… all the time. “Let me check and I‘ll let you know,” the woman tells her and Emma hums before Clara checks and she’s shaking her head. “No, no sign of it here, maybe it’s on silent or something. She did have a few meetings,” Clara then said and Emma huffed.

“Yeah.. anyway, thanks Clara and could you tell her I called when she gets back in-,” Emma manages to say before there’s interruption that Clara can here. “I’ve gotta go.. Tell Regina I called,” she says and Clara answers quickly.

“I will.”

Emma hangs up and shoves her phone into her pocket before she sees someone walk in behind her father and he introduces himself as the electrical contractor. Emma doesn’t know what the hell that means, but she’s nearly positive she’s about to find out.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

By the time Regina gets back with her sons, Clara immediately speaks.

“Emma just called for you a while ago. She said she couldn’t reach you,” for which Regina’s face looked beyond confused as she answered back.

“What? That’s impossible- she should be able to reach me on my-,” Regina began as she rifled through her bag, digging her phone out and looking at the missed calls. Her shoulders sag. “It was on silent,” she’d then remarked before dropping it back into her bag after raising the volume.

“That’s what I told her. But she had to go again, sounded pretty busy,” the woman tells her and Regina nods before she ushers the boys and Clara into the office. She’d bought Clara lunch because she used to do that before she started spending all her lunch time with Emma, and Regina misses conversation with her too. As they eat, Regina asks,

“Have you figured out what it is they’re doing?” and Clara shakes her head. In that moment a knock from the door comes and Talia is allowed in with Cora. Regina brightens as she sees the little girl with cake on a plate come in with rosy cheeks of happiness. She scrambles over to the group and pushes the cake onto the table before going to sit in Regina’s lap and at her desk. Regina lets her have that as Talia walks towards the table to set Cora’s bottle down as well as the container that held her lunch. Henry puts the smoothie before her and laughs when she makes a gasping sound which clearly indicated she was happy for that.

“What’s with the cake?” Clara questions the young woman and Talia turns around to answer.

“Oh, they were throwing a small party for one of the guy’s in Jason’s department,” Talia told her. “They’ve apparently been planning it for a good while now,” she shrugs after and Clara lets her head fall back before humming.

“Hmm, I guess that’s what all the secret conversation was about,” she’d then said as Talia was exiting the room. The young woman paused and turned around, standing there albeit, a bit awkwardly. Regina looked over at her, worried about the woman’s welfare.

“Talia, is everything alright?” she asked and the young woman, with a look of contemplation that seemed more annoyed than anything else, shook her head. Clara looked over at her and so did Henry and Kohana.

“Is something wrong?” Clara asked and Talia nods.

“that’s not what their conversations were about,” she almost whispers too softly for them to hear.

“I’m sorry?” Regina questioned because she couldn’t really hear and she was confused.

“The conversations.. That’s not what they were about,” Talia clarified and now everyone was interested, except baby Cora cus her smoothie was just too good.

“Am I hearing you correctly- am I hearing her correctly?” Clara asked and dumb nods all around assured her she was hearing it correctly.

“Talia?” Regina called and the woman looked at her.

“Yes ma’am?”

“Is there something I should know?” she’d then asked and Talia nodded slowly. “What is it?” Regina had then questioned and the young woman looked back down.

“One of my friends from the back told the rest of our group that she found out a lot of them aren’t in the exact department that they got interviewed for.. it..well, it was a bet they came up with just to do something stupid I guess… but she said there’s a lot of them who keep talking about how they’re pulling one over on you and you don’t even realize it...I think they’re intentionally trying to mess up Town Hall, but I could be wrong. She just said they get real quiet when Miss McMillan comes in because they’re always talking about it. Accounts switched with filing who switched with finance and they switched with the guys in the copy room who deal with sending out all the important letters you send through the guys who proofread and deal with the minutes in the meetings... and all the other departments are kinda up in the air,” she’d told them and there was silence in the room for a moment as Regina rerouted what she was about to say.

“Are any of  _ your  _ friends involved in this? Are  _ you  _ involved in this charade?”

“No- no ma’am.. None of them, neither am I.. Not everyone’s involved. There’s a couple of them who didn’t wanna do it because of how much this score was worth for finals,” she said and Regina acknowledged that bit of information.

“I’m well aware and it is a rather significant amount.. And for them to take this as a joke is not something I tolerate. This is an opportunity, not a playground and not a party. These documents are real and these files are important. These are the things that have allowed them to have an opportunity at colleges they wish to attend and to take it as a joke is more of an insult than anything else…”  Regina commented before she reached for her phone and dialled out. “Hi- yes, yes Regina Mills, I need to speak with the Dean, headmaster and headmistress as well as the directors for the Business and Law departments… yes.. Yes, lecturers inclusive,” she’d said before leaning back and Clara knew what that meant.. She was about to go prep that board room for a meeting. After Regina told them she needed to have an impromptu meeting with them, they’d agreed because usually impromptu meeting meant they were having a problem. She’d then hung up the phone and looked at Talia. “Not to worry Talia. If you and your friends and whoever else are innocent in this mess, nothing will affect you. Thank you for telling me,” Regina had said almost too clipped.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything sooner, I didn’t wanna seem like a tattletale or anything-” she told the woman but Regina shook her head,

“-On the contrary, you’ve just saved me much paper that I’d have wasted on your classmates… it’s okay. You can go back to your work and act as if nothing happened. I will deal with this accordingly,” Regina says and the young woman nods before leaving the room. Clara looks over at her with that look Regina knows all too well. The brunette says nothing and neither does Clara. Makes no sense to say anything anyway. Clara finishes her lunch with the group and finally Kohana speaks.

“Someone’s in big trouble.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The impromptu meeting occurs and it’s one in which Regina simply asks a ‘hypothetical’ to the Dean and everyone else. They all answer what she knows to be true and seals what she’s about to do next. She asks each lecturer for a list of their students and what exactly each student is majoring in and asks for the heads of those departments to confirm these to be true. Once Regina had gotten those papers, she passes out copies she’d made prior to as it related to who was in what department and asked each lecturer to circle or highlight which students were in the wrong department as it related to the course they were covering. It takes a while but when she gets the papers back… there’s a lot of markings on them..a  whole lot of markings on them. And that puts truth to what Talia had told her. She thanks them for their time and informs them that within the day they will receive an envelope from each student as it relates to the situation. She thanks them for their time and they leave.

 

After all of that, it’s time for them to go home and Regina’s more grateful for it than anyone else because she’s sleepy, but she has to make dinner. Thankfully, her sons help her make quick work of it and as she feeds her mother, she’s finding that she’s definitely done for the night. She takes a shower and hears the urgency that Cora says to Henry.

“POOTTTYYYY!”  and he takes her to the bathroom before she’s back out and skipping like she didn’t just announce she needed to relieve her bowels. She gives her mother a bath and throughout it hears Cora’s song of Enwy Enwy, continue on with joy. She pulls the plug and puts her in some warm pjs that are definitely the footie kind before letting the child run through the room and clamber up onto the bed. She may love Henry, but she loves Regina’s bed and watching tv with her more. And he can respect that because Regina’s just the type of person to let you watch whatever it is as long as her brain cells don’t suffer.

She and the little baby cuddle up in the bed and Regina has to admit, but watching kids cartoons is rather enjoyable. She really wants to stay awake for Emma and she hopes the blonde will be home soon, but she hasn’t gotten a call or a text even though she’d sent out an ‘I love you’ to the woman. By the time her mother falls asleep it’s almost eleven and Regina can’t keep her eyes open for very much longer so she decides to sit up and read, but about seven minutes in and she’s out cold, glasses threatening to fall from her face and her head resting on her shoulder because no one can sleep comfortably sitting up straight.

 

Henry was in his room gaming and Kohana had taken over his grandmother’s gaming system in the other room. Mother and daughter were asleep and Emma was still not home yet as one of the boys stared at the clock.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Time rolled around and rolled around and rolled around until it was nearly twelve in the morning and Emma was coming through the door, exhausted beyond measure. She takes her shoes and jacket off and puts them away with as good of an interest as she could manage before she tosses her keys, her wallet and her phone on the table in the foyer. Emma walks through the lower level of the house and notices no one is down there, so she heads into the kitchen where there’s a plate with a note on top of it.. She’s positive it’s Regina’s handwriting and it just says I love you on it. She reheats her food happily and carries it upstairs with a bottle of water before she checks in on the boys. She has to literally tap Henry’s shoulder to get his attention because he has a headset on. She talks to him for a little bit and he can see how exhausted she is but she’s smiling through it. She asks him about his exams and he tells her how he had a little visiotr before he even got into it that well but he’s just glad it’s all over. Emma nods and they talk for a while longer before she checks on Kohana who is sleeping. She kisses his head, shuts the game off and shuts the room door before she heads to her own bedroom with a gentle sigh. Emma pushes the door open and sees Regina’s sleeping form still sat up against the headboard and her glasses now actually off of her face. She rounds the bed and sets her food down before she heads to Regina’s side and removes the book from her hold. She sets that away and puts Regina’s glasses up as well before she gently touches her arms and that makes her jolt awake.

“heyyy,” Emma whispers and Regina squints before she hoarsely replies.

“E-Emma?”

“Hi sweetie.. I just got in,” she tells her and Regina swallows before craning her neck. She rubs at the sore spot and asks,

“What time is it?” For which Emma says,

“Just a little after twelve.. You tried staying up?” she then asks and Regina nods. “You could have slept, I wouldn’t have minded,” she said but the brunette shakes her head.

“I was worried about you.. And I didn’t hear from you all day,”

“I tried calling you. Little John gave me your message,”

“I’m sorry.. My phone was on silent for some reason,” she apologised but Emma spoke up.

“No, it’s okay.. I was really busy today though,”

“How was work?”

“Draining and I have to go in early again tomorrow. The electrical contractor has to do pole assessments and check our power grids and all of that. And when I say pole- I mean every single last one of ‘em-,”

“-There’s well over two thousand poles in StoryBrooke,” Regina commented.

“Exactly.. And that’s my issue. Only four of them could make it and we each have to take one of the guys out and they’ll try to evenly split checking them, down the line. This guy’s from out of town too. He said it’s mandatory in Maine to check because.. And I don’t know if this had anything to do with us, but they had an outage yesterday.. Theirs was out for about three hours though,” Emma told her and Regina let her eyes shut.

“Residual magic has a tendency to do odd things,” she tells her and Emma nods. “Have you eaten?”

“Not yet, I was about to, but you looked so uncomfortable,”

“Well, I’m fine now...eat,” she commands of the woman and Emma leans in to kiss her first before she sighs into it.

“I will.. But I really missed you today,”

“I missed you too..and it sounds like for the rest of this week I’ll be stuck missing you,” Regina tells her. Emma huffs.

“Sounds like it, but you know what?”

“What?”

“At least I know I still have you to come home to,” she says and Regina blushes before she interlocks their fingers. 

“I truly do love you Emma,” Regina admits.

“And I truly do love you, too-but that’s because you actually make life worth it,” she grins and Regina smiles at her. She reluctantly lets go and Emma sat on her side of the bed before she ate her dinner, showered and dealt with kissing Regina’s stomach with love. The brunette watched the way Emma gently talked to Egg and made promises to the baby and that made her heart melt. By the time she was done, Regina had pulled her in for a searing kiss that really would have morphed into something a little more sexual, but it didn’t for two reasons. Baby sleeping in the bed and they were both beyond tired. Emma had just settled into the bed and they shut the lights out. The night sky encased them and as they slept, it felt normal again.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Day 111. June 30th. End of the month.

Morning comes and like Emma had said, she had to be up earlier and out of the door. Which meant she was awake by five, cooked breakfast by 5:20, got herself dressed and ready by 5:37 and was out the door before 5:50. She’s only been able to kiss Regina’s head, leave her a note and kiss the heads of everyone else in the house. By the time Regina woke, which was 5:59.. Minutes shy of Emma’s departure into no cell phone frequency territory, she hadn’t felt any less tired, but she got up anyway. She was pleasantly surprised to see the note that Emma had left which told her breakfast was made and that she was so beautiful when she slept. She’d blushed deeply before she rose with a bit more happiness in her heart and a more level headed mind for the day ahead. Regina eats breakfast after she wakes her mother and feeds her as well. She figures she’d leave the boys alone because Henry’s exams were done and Kohana really didn’t bother much. Somewhere in all that thinking Cora had tugged at her shirt and said “potty” and so, Regina took her to the potty, holding back giggles as the little girl almost nodded off completely. She bathed her mother, and decided she’d be dressed in blue today. Aqua leggings and a graphic white tee with black and white hair accessories. 

Cora sported some different sneakers today. They were dark blue with sparkles on them.. And she looked pretty damn cute. Regina fixed the child’s hair into a bun this time and felt she’d done a pretty good job before she left a note for her boys and walked out the room with the little girl in tow after letting Cora give Henry kisses. It pretty much woke him but it was fine. He didn’t mind them at all. 

They’d left the house soon after and went straight to the diner. She still had time to kill and figured letting Granny see Cora would help.

“Hey, morning and welcome t-,” Ruby had started and stopped immediately as her eyes settled on that precious little girl who clearly was too shy to look at the people before her. “GRANNY!” Ruby yelled almost too quickly for someone to react to it and the old woman rushed out with a rolling pin in her hand. Ready to whoop someone’s ass as usual.

“What is it? Who needs a little correcting?”

“Look,” Ruby said, ignoring the questions and Granny waddled over before squinting and looking closer. Regina walked over to the counter and sat Cora on top of it. She tried to get the little girl to show her face but it was obvious her mother was just too afraid.

“It’s okay, mama.. She won’t hurt you,” Regina told her as she rubbed her back and the child had believed her because Regina hadn’t hurt her.. Quite frankly- no one had. So, she looked over and Granny almost lost her damn mind cooing at the little girl.

“My Goodness she’s a cutie!” the old woman said before she turned around and grabbed a few things. She held a cookie before Cora and the little girl took it politely before she mumbled a  

‘fank you,” very quietly. Granny was gone. She couldn’t do it- Cora was too cute.

“Just look at her,” she said as they watched Cora eat her cookie in silence. She held onto it with two hands and munched quietly.

“Holy crap your kid’s really gonna be cute,” Ruby commented and Regina shook her head.

“If anything, that’s because of Emma-,”

“- I’m pretty positive you both would have something to do with that… your mom’s an absolute cutie pie,” Ruby said before rubbing the child’s cheek.

“She already went through this yesterday with my receptionist.. Now I think I have a secret weapon,” the woman comments and Ruby laughs.

“And I thought your son was cute.. This takes the cake. She’s absolutely precious,” Granny commented and they all hummed.  Regina looked over at the clock and remembered work. She picked Cora up and put the rest of the cookies into her bag before she spoke.

“Though I’d like to stay and chat, I have to get to work,”

“Understood.. Goodbye, cutie,” Ruby said to the little girl and she blushed. “Awww, she’s so sweet!”

“Say goodbye, mother,” she told her and Cora waved before they left. Regina buckled her into her carseat and drove on to the office, letting Cora hug Talia as she was going along. She set the little girl up in the cubby room of Henry’s and left her to her devices. Nothing was dangerous in there so she couldn’t poke her eye out and there was a gate to the upper level that would prevent her from being able to yank a book down or something. Regina also left the door ajar in case Cora had to potty or she did somehow manage to hurt herself, but the accident didn’t come, however- frequent potty breaks did. Cora had also been properly introduced to Clara, because unlike yesterday- Clara wasn’t too distracted to actually notice the child this time around and when she found out it was Regina’s mother and looked at the child and then back at Regina..she shook her head and commented.

“That kid’s gonna be cute,” before leaving the office. Regina laughed to herself, taking in all the comments thus far about how much adorability her child will inherit and it surprises her each time. She’s not focusing on it for too long as one of the interns comes in. He’s one of Talia’s friends and he’s a rather good employee. 

“Madame Mayor?”

“Yes, Stanley?”

“The papers are done,” he told her and she nodded. He carried the stack over to her and rested them on her desk. Just as she’d given the paper to Clara faced down, Clara was told to watch him make copies of that in the exact same position. She did not need for him to know exactly what was happening. So, after copying about sixty of those Clara had stuck them in an envelope and told him to deliver those. That was his only job and after that, he could get back to his department.

“Thank you, you may leave,” she tells him but she’s not rude about it. He gets to the door before he pauses and turns back to her and speaks.

“Umm.. Miss Mills.. I just wanted to say, thanks for the opportunity you gave me.. I couldn’t afford college and this internship is really helping me pay the school back..”

“Have you applied for scholarships? I’ve seen your grades, they are rather impeccable,” she tells him and he nods.

“Yes ma’am but they wouldn’t give me a full scholarship and with the way things are going, college will always be expensive, but I’m just glad I at least get to go to one that’s really close to home,” he admits before smiling softly and Regina smiles back at him.

“You’re welcome, Stanley.. Enjoy the rest of your day,” she says and he nods before leaving. Regina looks over at the envelope and opens it before she pulls out her stationery pen and begins writing individual names on each of the sheets of paper. She folds them all and places them in envelopes that are sealed and has the Town Hall’s seal of approval on it, should they open it.. They’d be in trouble. She thinks on a way to hand it to them.. Maybe as they leave or have maildrop kid drop it off for her… but she thinks better of it and it’s nearing lunch so she calls a short staff meeting and hands them out personally, claiming that these were to go straight to the lecturers. She explained that some of them did not get letters for specific reasons and they will find out in a few days as to why. 

Being the ones who think they were in the clear, this group thought they were invincible and that Regina was just giving progress reports to their lecturers or something. Little did they know, the Queen- and the Mayor did not take kindly to being tricked.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“So, what’s the estimation on how long we’ll be dealing with this for?” Emma asked the man whose name she still genuinely hadn’t bothered to learn. He shrugged honestly before he spoke.

“If it’s stuck to just the four of us.. It could take days.. Weeks,”

“Weeks?”

“Yeah. I have to go up every pole and check every bit of wiring. I don’t understand why if we have surge protecting power grids- they still want me to, but beats me. It’s my job, and I gotta do it,”

“Is there anything we can do to help speed that along?” Emma asked and he sensed the urgency in her voice but let out a soft breath.

“The most you can do is just drive. Unless you’re trained to do what I do, you’re not allowed within the distance you are from the tip of that pole to the ground- anywhere near anything remotely electrical or otherwise,”

“Weeks it is then,” Emma muttered and the man laughed gently. As they drove and he looked at her face, he noticed that look. Hell, he’s had that look himself.

“What’s the issue?” he blurts in question, but Emma just answers because she may as well. Especially if it’s made that obvious.

“Nothing, I’ve just got a fiancé and two boys that I’d like to see instead of these poles.. Got in pretty late last night and completely missed dinner, and they were asleep by then,”

“Yeah, that ain’t fun.. Me and my wife are still tryna figure out how to do it ourselves.. But there’s times you just can’t..I gotta give up a lot of days too,”

“You got kids?”

“Three of em, all girls. Love em with all my heart. Listen, I know it don’t feel good to give up time with your family for work days, but when you got a job like yours and mines.. That’s bound to happen. Ain’t you on call 24/7?”

“Yeah, but crime barely happens here. We’ve locked up...maybe twelve people in the past five years.. Before that, nothing,”

“Damn.. Mayor must be really good,” he commented and Emma smirked.

“Ohhhh, she is,” Emma said proudly and the man looked impressed.

“Your soon to be is the Mayor?”

“She is,”

“Well, hot damn,” the man commented before Emma laughed. “Congrats to ya,” the man says and Emma nods her head.

“Thanks.. I’m pretty proud of it myself,” she admits and the man chortles.

“That’s real good though, seriously. I’m happy for ya… How old are your kids?”

“Fifteen and twelve,” she tells him and he’s smiling and nodding. “What about you, how old are your girls?”

“Eleven, nine and five...as you can see, I was trying to get her pregnant every two years but Isabelle decided she wasn’t prepared for that,”

“Isabelle’s your wife?”

“Nah, that’s my youngest. Maria, Julie and Isabelle. Wife’s name is Karin,”

“Ahh. Henry and Kohana, soon to be’s name is Regina,”

“So she’s a queen,” he jokes and Emma laughs.

“That’s what I call her,” Emma tells him as she smiles and she thinks she may like working with this guy.. If only she knew his damn name.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Regina had mostly been relaxing in the room with her mother considering she had nothing much to do that day. Granted, she knew she’d have a hell of a lot of files to go through over the course of the weeks considering the news of how these students intended to pull one over on her. She and Emma had managed to send some texts back and forth but Emma’s took longer to come through because she was busy with those damn poles..and the cell service was crap where she was.

Lunch had rolled around and she wasn’t very aware of it until Cora had mentioned she was hungry. She had given the little girl snacks to hold her over until she was ready to take her to get something to eat, but that wasn’t necessary because she was met with a surprise.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Henry is still not awake and it’s literally after two in the afternoon, but he’s revelling in the laziness he can have now because his summer break has finally kicked in. Kohana had long since been awake at eleven and eaten after he saw the note his blonde mother had left for his brunette mother that she’d left on the counter. He had then went into the backyard and played with Ermis for a while because he’s almost positive the duck felt neglected but Ermis had friends over and he didn’t seem to give too much of a damn. They were feeding him and he could waddle wherever he pleased. Granted, he missed Cora, but that was about it and it’s not as if they missed giving him his medication, so he was fine. He was absolutely fine. Besides, it really only has been what? Two days, if that. Kohana had then found himself playing video games and talking with his brunette mother before lunch rolled around and he’d told her his brother was still sleeping. She tells him she’ll have a pizza delivered for them for lunch and he thanks her gratefully.

 

By the time Henry does in fact wake, it’s due to the bell that rings off in the house and that weird thing with the doorstopper happens. He drags himself through his room and manages to human as he showers and brushes his teeth. The pizza is beyond acceptable as he grabs three slices, props up in the couch and watches the horror movie his brother somehow found. Kohana asks if they can go out and do something and Henry’s all for it, but they don't really know where to go, so they aimlessly walk the town and head to the Y to do some summer activities. One of the girls there suggests that Henry apply because the second group is being asked for in the next week or so and for some weird reason, he gathers that she likes him, but he takes her up on her offer anyway and he signs up. He grabs an activity sheet and lets Kohana look at it and lets him decide what it is he wants to do for the summer, that way he can be out the house for as long as he wants. He picks swimming, baseball and volleyball. He was genuinely afraid of kickball and everything else just seemed boring. Henry fills out the application and signs his name before handing it back to the girl and she tucks that away with all the others.

“They should call you in the next couple of days and let you know.. Are you guys interested in doing anything today?” she’d then asked and Henry looked at his brother who shrugged.

“You up for some soccer?” Kohana queried and the older boy nodded.

“I could do some soccer,” he responded, mimicking his brother who laughed.

“Then I guess we plays the soccer!”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I’m sorry.. A delivery?” Regina asked and the man nodded as he set down the large box on her desk and Regina eyes it weirdly.

“Yes ma’am.. Sign please,” he tells her and she signs for it before blindly handing the clipboard back.

“Who is it from?”

“Dunno, I just deliver em, ma’am,” he tells her and she nods. He tips his hat and tells her to enjoy her day before leaving. Regina says the same back to him before she watches him leave. Cora tugs at her pant leg and Regina lifts her up. The child eyes the box and then looks at Regina.

“Should we open it?” she asks her mother and Cora nods. “It could be dangerous,” she said and then Cora shook her head. “You don’t think it’s dangerous?” she asks and the little girl shakes her head again. Regina sighs gently before nodding. “If you say so...Clara?! Talia?!” Regina called and both women had somehow heard her and came into the office, granted, she didn’t realize the man had left the door open to begin with.

“Yes Miss Mills?” Talia asked as she came near the woman.

“Do I have something to open this box with.. It was just delivered to me and I have no idea what it could be,” she said and Talia nodded before she looked around for that sharp bit of stationery that almost always needed to be used. She passed it over to Regina before she moves out of the way and Regina lets Clara hold Cora. Cora squirms just a little but it’s because she can’t see. Regina stabs into the tape and swipes through it, cleanly breaking the seal and flipping the lid of the box open. Regina looks down into the box and she’s teary eyed already.

Laid out on a white pillow are twelve red roses, all freshly cut and tied together with a white cotton ribbon. There’s a little teddy bear in there as well and it says push me on the heart he’s holding. When Regina pushes the button, it’s a recording of Emma’s voice.

_ “Hi, baby. I love you. I miss you. You are everything to me.” _

And that just does her right in. She turns towards Clara and Talia, gaping at the two of them who are smiling back at her before she turns back to the box and there’s a card there that says ‘I’m sorry’. Regina flips that open and it reads,

_ I’m sorry I missed lunch yesterday and might miss it again today, but I love you so much and it’s tough on me not being able to see you, but I hope this makes you smile and keeps you happy until I’m home. _

 

_ All my love.. Emma. _

 

Well, that sealed it for her, but she’s got no time to react much more as someone else knocks at the door and says,

“Delivery for Regina Mills,” with a smile.

This person walks over to her desk and sets down what she can smell is food. Food Emma would have had to have gone out of her way to get and she got it for Regina. The man tips his hat at the ladies and leaves, all of them gaping now because Emma is doing the most.

“Is it Valentine’s Day already?” Talia asked leaning into the older woman and Clara shook her head before she spoke, a little dried at the mouth.

“No..Emma just really loves her and it shows,” she says before they both look at Regina. The woman wants to call her. She wants to say thank you and that she loves her. She just wants to tell her everything, but she more than likely has to wait until she sees Emma later on in the night to do so. Her phone pings off and it’s a question.

Did I do okay _? _ And Regina responds immediately.

_ You did more than okay.. This is absolutely amazing, Emma..thank you. _

I love you, that’s why I do it. I just want you to remember that, okay?

_ I will.. The bear was a nice touch. _

I’m glad you liked him.. I thought it might’ve been creepy at first, but I’m glad it made you smile.

_ You make me smile.. I still miss you, though. _

I miss you too, but I just found out some more stuff. So this might go on for a good while considering we’re short on help and I have no idea why.. But I love you and I’ll talk to you later, I gotta get going.

_ I love you too... _

She put the phone to her chest and sighed gently before she looked at the women before her and reached for her mother. Clara handed the baby back over to her and waited for Regina to say something, but she said nothing. Clara patted Talia’s shoulder and motioned for them to leave and they left. Regina put the flowers in the vase, the teddy bear on her desk and the card in her drawer before she sat her mother in her lap, rotating between feeding her solid food and her bottle.

They finished lunch and Regina put her mother down for a nap before she had gone back to work.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The boys enjoyed themselves and the events that had occurred during their activities. Henry had laughed at Kohana because little girls who were actually six were crushing over him and that did not stop his brother from teasing him senseless. He decided he may as well take it in stride because that meant he must’ve been something to look at if the girls were ogling him. They were there for at least three hours and Henry had called to let his mother know why and that there’s still pizza in the kitchen if she wanted any. It was a long shot but he had to offer even if she did just end up feeding a slice to his grandmother.

 

The interns at Town Hall had gotten an announcement from the Dean who just happened to make a ‘random’ trip to Town Hall that same day. They were all expected to see their assigned lecturers after they had finished work and were to bring the letters he’d asked of the Mayor. He was literally covering for her because his students had done her a grave injustice and he wanted the situation rectified. If they were going to be mad at anyone, it would be themselves at the end of the day.

They went like they were instructed and each lecturer stood at the door, hand out and waiting on these letters that the students were to give to them. As one lecturer finished collecting, she’d given them a once over before she opened the envelope, read through it and read what it said. It had entailed that the students had falsified their requests in the positions they were interviewed for and that they were intentionally messing up serious Town documents. Examples of that were rather obvious in the way Regina was consistently and repeatedly correcting work she shouldn’t have had to. Regina also stated the direct term of them pulling one over on her and noted it would not be tolerated as the opportunity was given so that they had experience before applying for their desired jobs. She informed the lecturers who noticed certain students missing that these were the ones not involved as she’d concluded it based off of the papers she’d requested for them to correct. The list of names corresponding with each class was listed on the letter as well. She’d also stated directly at the bottom that each letter said the exact same thing, however each student had been individually noted per letter, therefore… that was her way of firing each of them. In turn.. This meant whoever was involved...had just failed the term for their stupidity.

 

“The mayor no longer requests your services,” a lecturer had told her students and they’d all wondered why, all of them claiming they’d just started and that it was unfair.  She tsked. “What is unfair is the news we’ve been given.. You were given an opportunity to have work experience and you all decided to mess around.. At the Town Hall of all places?” she asked and they’d looked mortified and shocked.

“Miss-,”

“-I don’t want to hear it.. The Dean is very disappointed to hear this as is Miss Mills.This was a chance to showcase your knowledge and to have to Dean tell us you all falsified your interview requests in beyond me! Your one job was to complete the summer course working in the allotted department at the Town Hall, and yet I find that all of you had decided to do this to that poor woman… DO you understand how much work goes into keeping this city thriving… and yet, you do something as asinine as this! Did you think of your grades? What this would do to it? Did you-  _ Do _ you realize that every one of you before me has just failed this semester because of your ‘practical joke’?”

“Miss Adams!”

“I said I don’t want to hear it! You’re grown adults and you still act like children without a bit of guidance to you. I’m disappointed in the lot of you.. And as a result, your entire working department, save for the actual few who did not get involved in this stupidity, has just failed your semester…. Go home, your parents will be notified. You’ll get the opportunity to try again  _ next _ summer,” she says to them and she hears everything from groans to vocal pleas and crying, but she shakes her head at them and slowly, one by one- they leave. A lot of them are more terrified of what their parents will do to them than anything else. She stacked the envelopes and tossed them into her desk with a sigh before she locked up her class and left. It soon trickled down to the other classes and it was obvious those students were just wrecked. They couldn’t even be mad because it literally pushed them an entire year back and as most of them thought on.. No one’s thoughts were on Regina being the cause of it.. Hell, it wasn’t even on the Dean. They knew they could get caught and get into serious trouble with all of it, but they did it anyway and this was the result of that. They went home and some of them, to salvage the possibility of their parents yelling later, told them exactly what happened and the majority of their parents barely responded. Most were disappointed shakes of the head and then there were the words that hurt more than anything.

“We expected better from you.. We thought you could be trusted.” and the list went on and on.

 

Talia had gotten a text in her group chat and one of her friends said,

_ They got fired and flunked the semester! Holy shit! _

_ What?-  _ Talia had asked.

_ Our idiot classmates got themselves fired and they flunked the semester.. I just found out from Keefer. He said he overheard three of the guys who flunked that the letters they got were because they got fired and that flunked them.. I wonder how she found out.. They said they know Miss McMillan wouldn’t have known but apparently the Dean found out about it and then told Miss Mills to fire ‘em. _

_ Clyde.. I told her, I had to. _ Talia told him and at first, Clyde didn’t respond but Ravi did.

_ Why?  _

_ She was stressed out about the crap that they were doing and worried that she was doing something wrong.. They were intentionally trying to sabotage Town Hall and make the work harder for her.. She’s been through too much, and I couldn’t just sit back and let her think it was her fault. _

_ But Lia.. what if they find out you told her?- _ Alise asked and she shrugged.

_ Then they find out, but Miss Mills doesn’t deserve that. _

_ No, I agree.. I mean..nevermind.. We’re not gonna tell anyone, besides, they deserved it. Miss Adams was fuming! _

_ Not as bad as La Rue. He lost it on them- _ Clyde informed and Talia shook her head. Ravi just sent the sad face emoji.

_ They’re gonna hate us now because we weren’t idiots like them and got into trouble too-  _ he responded.

_ Doubt it-  _ Alise told Ravi.  _ I heard their parents are gonna find out about it and they’re more scared about that than anything else. The whole freaking semester is what they flunked. Not one class, but the semester! That’s epically stupid...I’m just glad none of us did it. _

_ It wasn’t just us..  _ Clyde told the group.  _ I got a call from the college and they wanted to have a meeting.. I guess they’ll call you guys later or something, but I got in and they asked if I know why I was called and I said no and they said as long as I keep doing what I’m doing, I’ll pass my semester with really good marks. I asked about where I stood and the Dean showed me a list.. There’s fifteen of us in total. I counted.. I don’t remember all the names, but the guys who deliver the mail, two of the copy room guys and the other ones who work with Lia are in there somewhere.. Ravi’s whole department flunked out and so did mine. _

_ What about mine?-  _ Alise queried and he took a moment.

_ I really don’t know. I think it might just be you, Keef and maybe three other people, but that’s it.. Fifteen all up. That’s the only set who end up graduating after this. _

_ Soooo, are we planning to rally around Lia so no one finds out?-  _ Ravi queried and Talia was about to respond, but Alise- Keefer, and Clyde responded in succession.

_ Hell yeah, we have to. _

_ Of course, Ravi! What do you think! _

_ Duh, Rav. She’s our friend..and Heyyyyy, Keef! Where’ve you been, I’ve missed you. _

_ Man, you  _ **_just_ ** _ saw me like fifteen minutes ago.-  _ Keef told him. Talia rolled her eyes. Give these two anything and they’ll make it a telenovela. 

_ Annnnd? I still miss you, duh!-  _ Clyde responded and it was cut short.

_ Okay- not to stop your bromance, but focus on how we protect Lia-  _ Alise told them. The group took pause.

_ I’m pretty positive no one suspects her.. Like literally no one. _

_ Yeah, but we need a backup just in case. _

_ I suggest bubble wrap so that if they punch her she can just laugh when it happens-  _ Keefer had said and Talia laughed.

_ We really have got to get you away from the spongebob episodes-  _ Ravi had mentioned but Clyde came to the rescue.

_ To be fair, Spongebob was a sponge… Lia’s..well…-  _ he’d trailed off.

I _ ’m what? _

_ Too pretty for someone to wanna hurt you and too sweet for anyone to suspect you, but I second the bubble wrap idea. _

_ Me too-  _ Alise agreed.

_ Really, Lise?-  _ Talia deadpanned.

_ It’s literally our only option. We’re not meant for the spy shit.. You know that. _

_ This is literally you just just creating a cover for me- nothing spy about that! _

_ Hey- listen here, tattlepaddle! You did this and we are offering our protective services to you. Take it or leave it. _

_ I’d rather leave it XD _

_ Dis bitch!-  _ Lise said and a succession of lols in random formation had followed.

_ I’m still on tattlepaddle-   _ Ravi declared and a new wave of giggles hit the group chat.

_ All in love-  _ Talia told them and Keefer sent a heart.

_ Clyde, when are you coming over- we haven’t finished our talk. _

_ Keef, wrong conversation, man!-  _ Clyde said to the man and Keefer sent an evil face.

_ No, right conversation.. When are you and I gonna tell them about our ..man love _

God damn it! We kissed once! ONCE!

Uhhh, not to bust in on your relationship problems.. But you motherfuckers kissed and didn’t tell us!

_ There’s a number of things my Dear Alise, that Clyde and I have done, that NO ONE should know of _ \- Keef told her before he sent the halo and Alise sent him the middle finger.

_ I love how you guys focus on me for like five seconds, decide to bubble wrap me and call it a day.- _ Talia sniped jokingly.

_ Hey- at least we know it’s safe packing if we gotta ship you in a box to like.. Uruguay for what you did to them _ \- Clyde told her and she bristled.

_They did that to_ **_themselves_** **,** _Clydanne_!- Talia argued and for a second, she thought she may have overdone it until so many comments rolled through.

_ THAT’S WHAT HIS REAL NAME IS!-  _ Alise belted

_ O.MY-GOD!!!!!!11!!!1-  _ Keefer managed, clearly overly surprised by the new information.

_ It is a very unisex name-  _ Ravi admitted, being the only levelheaded commenter right then and there

_ Seriously LIA! _

_ I’m not the least bit sorry-  _ Talia had admitted with a new evilness in her tone and she could physically feel Clyde rolling his eyes.

_ Clearly _ …. _ Keef, don’t come over anymore. _

_ What? Why! _

_ Because- you … nothing, just don’t come over... _

_ Clyde, come on. I was serious about seeing you. Seriously, if this is about your name, we don’t care about that… We’re all just finally happy we do know your  _ **_real_ ** _ name, man. You kept saying how embarrassing it is and Lia’s been telling us for years it’s not as big a deal as you make it. You two have been friends since you were kids and we believed her over anything else. She knows you better than the rest of us.. Your name’s no big deal. _

_ Keef’s right, Clydey boy. We really don’t care, besides, Clydanne sounds pretty kick ass. Like some bit of land out there yonder that people would battle over.- Alise had said and Ravi added on to that. _

_ I think you mean like a great plain-  _ Ravi interjected.

_ Exactly!-  _ she agreed.

_ I’m still mad at Lia for spilling it though.-  _ Clyde informed.

_ I’m sorry I blurted it, but I’m not sorry they know, Clyde. I kept telling you, your name’s pretty cool. But I get it. I blabbed and I’m sorry I did it when I was upset. _

_ Nahhhh, it’s fine, Li. Besides, you always call me that when I upset you anyway.. Thank fuck you don’t call me the whole thing all the time though, makes me feel like you’re my mom or something. _

_ Dude, I don’t think anyone would take her seriously if she shouted Clydanne Grace Norton- _ Keefer told him.

_ No matter how kick ass it sounds-  _ Lise added.

 

The group talked on and on for a while longer until Talia had to get going. She was heading towards her friend’s place. The one who she’d suggested to Clara was a very good sitter and knocked on the door.

“Lia- hey!”

“I’m sorry I’m late, Farrah,” she apologised with a soft blush as she took her scarf off her neck. 

“Oh no! You’re good, we were actually watching a movie anyway, besides, you know it’s no big deal for me. He’s an absolute angel,”

“Most of the time,” Talia jokes and Farrah smirks.

“All the time,” Farrah defends and Talia rolls her eyes with a laugh.

“If you say so… how was he today, though?”

“He was good for the most part. He had a bit of a nightmare during his nap, but other than that, he’s alright,”

“Did he tell you what it was about?” she asked and the woman shook her head.

“No, he didn’t..” she admits and Talia nods. “He’s this way,” she waves her over and Talia follows before she sees the child sat up ramrod straight, completely entranced by the movie he was watching.

_ “Tulio- the hips! The hips!” _ Talia heard one of the characters yell and she remembered that voice from a really old Disney movie she’d ended up watching when they came to this world.

“Road to El Dorado!?” she says with a smile around her question.

“It’s a classic,” Farrah defended, but Talia laughed this time.

“I know…” she whispers before creeping further into the room and sitting directly behind the child. Talia slips her fingers over his eyes and waits for his reaction. He turns around immediately and when he registers her face, he tackles her with a hug and lays on top of her.

“Mommy!” he shouts and she encases him in her arms.

“Hey Jax.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I smell food,” Kohana comments as he and his brother walk through the door just after nine. Henry sniffs and nods.

“Me too, and it smells like-,”

“-Lasagne!” Kohana says excitedly, eyes widening. He’s practically vibrating where he stands and his older brother just shakes his head and grins. Henry sets down their things in the foyer and Kohana follows behind him and straight into the kitchen where his mother and grandmother are. They stop to watch as mother and daughter make cookies because Regina thought it would be a nice thing to do and a nice distraction for them both. Cora had flour on her cheek and some in her hair but it was clear that by the way she had her hands in the cookie batter, nothing else mattered to her in that moment. Regina had also put her in a plain t-shirt and left her in her diaper and some footie socks because she was more than positive she’d have to give her a bath when she was done anyway. She neither Cora took notice that Henry had been recording them for the better part of it all and Kohana had disappeared upstairs to go and have a shower of his own before he ate. Henry watched the way his mother handled his grandmother with care and praised her even when she didn’t exactly do something perfectly. He watched how Cora grinned with excitement as she watched Regina form the cookies and then let her use the cookie cutter to make the shapes Cora had wanted. And then little Cora decided to eat some of the batter and laugh when Regina gasped at her. She had then lifted her mother up high and tickled her, watching her eyes gloss over with joy and excitement. Regina had then held her close and sang to her. The song had been one she’d sung to Henry when he was this age, but he had no clue that when Regina was younger, her mother had sung that exact same song to her.

“You know, this is gonna make good memories,” Henry found himself interrupting, garnering both their attention. His mother blushed before she set his grandmother down, dusted her hands and looked at her son once more.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to put this on a DVD for later,” he admits, waving his phone and she smiles. Henry walks towards her and hugs her. “How was today?” he asks as they hold on to one another.

“Eventful. Granny has officially seen my mother, gave her two cookies and claims she’s cuter than you were at this age,”

“I feel like I’m losing that battle because of her  _ and _ Hana,”

“You probably are,” his mother agrees. They release each other before Henry is the recipient of more love from his grandmother. She’s so taken with him that it doesn’t even surprise Regina anymore.

“You makin’ cookies, nana?” he asked her and she nodded eagerly.

“ov’n,” she says quietly as she points and he follows her line of sight before he smirks.

“It’s in there?” she nods. He walks towards the oven and bends down before he asks. “You wanna watch?” and she grins at him. Henry gets comfortable on the floor with Cora in arms as they sit there and watch the cookies bake, him asking her questions throughout the ordeal because he’d just remembered they’ll take about fourty minutes to bake. Regina finishes cleaning up before she heads upstairs and bumps into her youngest along the way. He’s only so tall and yet still, all growing man. That right there she can’t get over. Kohana looks over and smiles before he waves at her as she walks towards him and bends to give him a hug as well.

“How was today?” he asks and she thinks something’s up.

“Your brother asked me the exact same question. Did you two plan this?” she asks him, not quite letting him go and he laughs.

“Not even.. Maybe we just noticed how you were without mom around,”

“Oh!?” she both comments and questions.

“Yeah.. you kinda turn into a hermit I guess,”

“I hardly believe hermit is the right description-”

“-well, it’s better than saying depressed, mom,” he combats and she supposes she may as well take that as it is..

“I would be inclined to agree with you,” is what the woman then says and Kohana has to laugh at how easily she’d just given in. He shakes his head as she lets go of him before she notices his attire.

“Your mother and I were concerned you hadn’t quite kicked that habit yet,” she’d commented and Kohana smirked.

“You gotta admit, it’s freeing,” he tells her and she smiles.

“That it is, and you’re very lucky you can still pull that off..” she admits. He lovingly rolls his eyes before heading into his room and putting his towel away. Regina stands in the hallway and just watches him.. Someday she’ll be forced to let this little boy go...and that hurts more than anything that the way he’s meant to go, isn’t one she’s willing to let happen. At all.

“Mom, you’re staring,” he comments and Regina snaps from her daze.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I was just thinking,”

“Well, don’t think so hard will you? That vein in your forehead is threatening to release itself… besides that, what’s for dinner?” he asks eagerly and she can’t help but to smile at him before motioning to the staircase.

“You’ll see.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Another long day and yet it definitely is another one she’s grateful is over. Much like the night before, Emma releases herself from her jacket and shoes and tosses her keys into the dish in the foyer before she walks into the living room. This time around, people are there and surprisingly, they are all awake.

“Ma!” Henry greets happily, causing the rest of the group to turn their heads. Kohana is up and over to her in seconds, grinning his excitement as she hugs him back.

“Kid Junior,” she says before lifting him up and hugging him. He allows it because.. Well, like he’d admitted to no one, he enjoys being this spoilt. Henry goes over to her as well before he’s hugging her and she’s hugging him back. “Kid, I missed you guys,”

“You better, it’s been two days,” one of the boys tells her and she blushes.

“Sorry, duty calls,”

“Can it not then?”

“Sadly, it’ll be weeks before that goes back to nothing to do and no crime to deal with,” she tells them and one of them sighs gently. “But, I’m free on the weekend,”

“And you’d probably sleep most of it,” Henry tells her and she bobs her head.

“I’d hope not,” she answers before letting him go and putting Kohana down. Emma spots Regina who is just looking at her lovingly and she’s grateful for it as she makes her way to the love of her life and sits beside her before they share a kiss. Emma feels a hand to her face and it’s not a hand that belongs to Regina but one that belongs to little Cora who’s probably trying to tell her stop swallowing Regina’s face. Emma lets up and puts space between them before she’s smiling at the two year old and pinching her cheek.

“Did you behave today, Cora?” she asks and the little girl grins and nods. Emma kisses her forehead and nods back. “Good.. no one gave my wife trouble today, so that’s good,” Emma comments before Regina snorts. “What?”

“I’ll tell you later,” is what Regina says before she stands with her mother in arms. She turns to Emma and asks, “Are you hungry?” for which, the woman nods.

“You have no idea,”

“Follow me, then,” Regina tells her and she does as she’s told. They head into the kitchen and Regina sets Cora in Emma’s arms before she moves around to reheat Emma’s dinner. Emma’s busy bouncing Cora, too busy to notice that Regina’s watching her with a smile on her face and awe in her eyes. If this is what Emma looks like with the baby version of her mother and she’s already falling in love with her all over again, she can only imagine what it is going to be like with their little girl. Cora is absolutely floored with Emma and her silliness and that makes Regina smile more than anything else. Emma’s an absolute natural with children and it shows, she just never believes it for herself. Yeah it was a rocky start for her with Henry, but that was because Emma was too busy thinking she couldn’t do it, too worried that Regina wouldn’t let her do it and too busy fighting the sexual frustration between her and the woman.. Unless that was also just in her head. Regina set the woman’s food down before her and idly ran her fingers through blonde hair before kissing Emma’s cheek. Emma leaned into Regina’s touch and lips, revelling in the moment that she knows for a good while will be few and far between. The brunette attempts to take her mother from Emma, but Emma shakes her head.

“I got her... “ Emma says before she begins eating, offering Cora some as well and noting that the little girl really will eat anything. Emma moans in appreciation before asking, “Is there any leftovers.. I kinda wanna carry some for lunch,” and Regina nods at her gently.

“It’s in the oven,” she tells her and Emma nods before she’s eating again. 

“So.. you wanna tell me what happened at work today?” she’d asked around a mouthful of food and Regina couldn’t help the reprimand on her tongue.

“Finish eating your mouthful first and then ask me your question,” she says and Emma glares at her playfully. “Fine-,” Regina caves. “- I found out some not so good news from an employee who had ended up finding out from one of her friends about why my stress level at town hall is the way it is. Granted that was after Clara had said something seemed off about them,” Regina rambled.

“I take it you can’t name names?” she asked her love and Regina blushed.

“Sorry. Talia had told me one of her friends in another department had overheard a rather large group of their … whatever you’d like to call it, secretly discussing how they intended to pull one over on me and I wasn’t even the slightest bit aware of it,” Regina says and she sees Emma immediately turn a shade darker, more so with anger than anything else. She is quick to ease it with a hand to the woman’s shoulder. “Sweetheart, it’s fine,”

“It’s not fine.. That is vile. This is a summer internship, it’s something that’s important for their future and they do something as stupid as that,”

“Trust me when I say the Dean wasn’t very happy about it either,” she informed her blonde counterpart only to have Emma sigh. The blonde ate some more of her food and shifted Cora in her hold as she asked,

“So, what happened? What did you do?”

“The only thing that was conducive to salvaging what was left of my office. I fired them…” she admitted and at first it hurt her to say it, but then the thoughts came back about what those students had done and Regina wrote it off. Emma noticed, but she didn’t say anything. She’d wait for Regina to tell her. “I’d called an impromptu meeting for specifically that reason. I asked for the Dean, the department directors and the lecturers for each corresponding class. And as it turned out, what Talia had told me was the truth. Each lecturer identified that the students they’d highlighted, listed or circled were in the wrong departments...there was only a select few who hadn’t done this-,”

“-that being Talia and I guess her friends?” Emma asks and the woman nods.

“And a few others.. In total, there were only fifteen students left who hadn’t engaged in the act. But as it turns out, I was informed a few hours later that they had failed the semester,”

“WAIT! They flunked an entire semester?”

“Yes, that’s what I was told,”

“OHHHH, that’s bad!” Emma said loudly and Regina blinked rapidly.

“Why is that bad?”

“Well, because they have to retake every class that they’d had for this semester-  _ and _ then they have to redo their internship. They didn’t just flunk one class.. They flunked a multitude of them,” Emma tells her and Regina pauses before commenting with a soft,

“oh..”

“Yeah, but.. Don’t do something stupid to have backlash that’s worse, that’s how I see it,” Emma then commented with a slight roll of her shoulders. “But, I’ll tell you this..any of them come after you and I can’t promise I won’t injure someone,” Emma said defensively and Regina softened as she kissed her cheek.

“I don’t think you need to worry about that,”

“Let me decide that,” the blonde said before taking another bite of her food. Regina let her have that moment before she sat next to Emma and held her arms out for Cora who had decided she wanted to be in Regina’s lap now. Emma let go of the little girl and ate silently for a bit until she looked over to see how Regina interacted with the child and the blonde ended up with that dreamy sigh in her features.

“You’re staring, darling,” Regina teased only to have Emma blush.

“Can’t help it.. It’s hard not to when you catch a glimpse of what your family might look like with another baby,” she admitted and now Regina was blushing.

“A baby that is just as much you as she is me?”

“Definitely,” Emma admits before she yawns lightly and Regina rubs her back.

“We need to get to bed, it’s late,” she tells her and Emma nods weakly before standing and washing her dish. She and Regina work to pack her lunch for tomorrow and prepare whatever else is needed. Emma grins when she sees that bottles, snacks, and everything else for a little baby named Cora, have also been prepped.

“Did you or dad in there do this?” she asks, holding up one of the bottles. Regina smirked.

“We both did. Besides, I couldn’t handle him telling me I was putting too little or too much formula in her bottle,” Regina waved off and Emma, even as sleepy as she is, laughs loudly. Regina rolls her eyes at the blonde, only to be on the receiving end of Emma’s lips to her throat. She shudders on contact and sighs gently. “Don’t start something you can’t finish,” Regina warns and Emma growls against her.

“Who tells you I won’t?” Emma challenged only to see brown eyes darken and pupils dilate.

“ _ Miss Swan _ , if you intend to make good on promises- or challenges, I suggest you start now,” Regina tuts seductively and Emma loses it. She quickly picks Cora up and carries her to Henry, claiming she and Regina need to do some..talking. No one believes that, but the boys let her leave just as quickly as she’d come. Regina was already on the steps waiting, and losing pieces of clothing as she went up. Emma, like a hound- picked up every article of clothing, her eyes trained on Regina’s slow arriving, naked appearance. Once they’re in their room, their lips meet heatedly. Emma has no idea what part of Regina she gets to taste first, but it’s all the same, because it’s sweet and salty all at the same time. Regina always tastes like some dessert that Emma can’t put her finger on, but tonight, she’s hellbent on putting her fingers everywhere, especially in Regina. They stumble around and laugh as their lips connect once again, Emma’s hungriness wins out as she bites Regina and backs her against the bed, falling on top of the petite woman. She hurriedly tossed her shirt off of her body and yanked her pants down before she carnivorously climbs onto the bed and watches as Regina backs away to give her space. Emma looks down at smooth thighs and in her mind she says it, but vocally- it’s growled.

“Fuck foreplay right now!” she says as she pulls Regina by her thighs, to the edge of the bed. Emma steadies herself on her knees before draping both of Regina’s legs over her shoulders. All that registers in her ears is Regina moaning her name and pleading.  _ That came fast _ , she thinks as she licks the inner part of Regina’s thigh before her tongue trails downward and between a soft tuft of curls that allows her entrance to Regina’s sex. The brunette stutters out a guttural plea as her hands slide through Emma’s hair and keep her there. Emma begins the menstruations of flicking her tongue in intervals, jarring spasms of pleasure from Regina as she did so.

“E-Emma,” Regina tries to call her but she swallows thickly just after. “ _ Emma _ ,” Regina groans lovingly as Emma’s tongue just gently grazes her clit and Regina’s entire body loses air. She coughs to get it back, shuddering as the cool touch of the woman’s fingers nearing her most treasured piece brings her back to the edge once more. Emma’s actions slow somewhere in there as she pulls away and kisses up the side of Regina’s torso back to her lips. Regina lies on her back as Emma continues to worship her body with ease. It’s the simple touch, or the way she trails her fingers across the woman’s body or the way Emma looks on in awe at Regina’s every curve, her every imperfection. Emma’s eyes glaze over as she looks on at Regina, still shy in it all, still innocent and still, so damn beautiful. She hadn’t realized it until now that Regina talked a lot, challenged her a lot- but she was a mess of a woman when she came undone. She was so ‘cute’ it was hard to want to be rough with her. She was so sweet, it was easy to just want to make love to her for four hours straight, not fuck her mind raw… Emma realized that as much as she would do without foreplay because she was more than eager to taste every single thing on Regina’s body, she would give this woman foreplay without a second passing. Regina’s body was to be appreciated in ways that Emma had learned to do with her.. She wanted to remind Regina that her body wasn’t just an object, but one of her affection and adoration. So, she stops and sits up straight before she pulls Regina into sitting position and stares her deep in the eyes. Regina seems worried enough, but the moment she notices Emma’s smile, she’s alright-smiling back just the same. Emma’s thumb strokes at her cheek and down her throat before she pulls her in and kisses her with the love she continuously tells the woman she has for her. She feels Regina melt against her, mould to her and stay with her as their bodies move in tandem. Emma whispers something incoherent across her lips and she stops.

“hmm?” the brunette asks softly and Emma just smiles.

“Nothing.. I was just thanking whoever put us together for doing it when they did,” she admits and the brunette gives her that megawatt smile that almost always makes her wonder where Regina’s beauty hides for so many hours out of the day.. “..aaand, I don’t think I can finish tonight,” she then admits, only to see Regina smile at her.

“Surprise,” Regina jokes as Emma rolls her eyes. “You shouldn’t try to do that when you’re sleepy,” Regina reminds her and Emma shrugs.

“That’s.. In part- some of the reason,” she admits. “But, I need to talk with that little human inside of you.. So- I’ll go take a shower and then I’ll come deal with that,” Emma tells her and Regina nods.

“Just don’t fall asleep in there,” Regina then says and Emma laughs.

“I’ll try not to.”

  
  


Emma climbs off the bed and heads for her shower. She takes her time to allow her body to actually feel the pulsating water droplets relax her skin before she actually begins to wash herself and get out. By the time she’s dressed and back in the room, Regina’s looking at her with a confused expression.

“What is it?”

“..it’s nothing, I suppose,” 

“Sweetie, with that knot in your forehead, it’s something,” Emma tells her and Regina blushes. Emma makes her way to the bed and kneels down before she begins to kiss Regina’s stomach. Regina shivers because it didn’t matter the weather, Emma’s fingers were always cold, but her lips, always warm.

“I was just thinking about how long you have to do this project for and I’m not exactly thrilled about it,” she finally managed and Emma paused to respond.

“I imagined you wouldn’t be, but it’s gonna be a good while before I can come home  _ with _ you and not a long time after you,” she says before she kisses Regina’s stomach some more.

“How long is it supposed to be?” Regina asks and Emma stops before she sits back on her calves and sighs.

“Well, he did about twenty poles today. Twenty poles- five days a week is about two weeks and some change,” Emma tells her. Regina merely nods, but Emma can see that she’s not very happy about it. Regina says nothing because there isn’t much she actually can do about it. So, her biting the inside of her cheek and nodding is something she does do because she can control that much. Emma rubs a thumb over her cheek and she wonders why for a moment until it registers that her cheek is actually wet. Regina frantically rubs at her face, confused that she’s crying to begin with but it’s obvious, Emma’s got a hold on her she never expected to feel. She says nothing- Emma says nothing, so it’s awkwardly silent for a moment until the blonde begins to kiss her stomach more, making good on the promises she’s been making to their daughter from day one. And look how far they’ve come. It’s the end of yet another month and Regina feels even more in love with this blonde woman than she ever thought she could.

“Do you think you’ll be able to see Doctor Keaton this weekend?” she then asks and Emma thinks for a moment before nodding.

“Yeah, I shouldn’t be too tired.. You wanna talk to her about Henry and tell her we figured out what it was?” Emma asks and Regina nods. “Yeah, okay. We can go this weekend then.. But when are we gonna start training him- not that I’m very well versed in magic at this stage,”

“Whenever we can get everything together, but I’d hoped that over the weekend we could. I just don’t want you going to work any more tired than you already do,” Regina says and Emma nods.

“It’s okay. I’ll find the energy somehow. If that’s what you wanna do, then we’ll do it. I don’t have a problem with that,”

“I do,” Regina says and Emma shakes her head.

“Don’t. It’s okay. I can function off less sleep. I’ve just been sleeping more because it all feels good when I do.. here at least,”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, this feels like home and because it feels like home, I sleep so much more and so easily that I don’t  _ want _ to get up...”

“But-,”

“-Sweetie, trust me when I say, I can function without sleep. I’ve done it times before. And I’d do it a million times over knowing it’s for you and our kids. Sleep doesn’t matter to me unless you’re safe,” Emma says before she kneels up and kisses Regina's cheek. When she pulls away- Regina’s just smiling at her almost sadly.  “May I?” Emma then asks as she motions to Regina’s stomach and Regina gives her an almost unnoticeable nod.

Her head tilts back and her eyes shut as she listens to Emma talk to Egg and somewhere in that, Emma’s done, in their bed and pulling her down to hold her. She drowns in it with ease and accepts it without fight because that’s what safety felt like.. That’s what home felt like. That’s just what Emma felt like.

 

Forever.

  
  



	28. Waiting on this... Waiting on that... Back to Normal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we get through some things and on to other things.

July 3rd. Friday.

 

“Focus!” Kohana snaps at the teen before him and hears an immediate groan come from Henry as they stand in the backyard of the mansion and practice on curbing Henry’s craft. Kohana had suggested that he help Henry begin before he has to deal with his mothers the next day and it’s worse for him, but now, he’s not so sure that agreeing for his little brother to teach him was any better. Kohana was…well, not short tempered. He was just antsy if that made any sense. The four of them had agreed on this decision together, but Henry seemed to be regretting it almost immediately.

“I am trying,” Henry responded with a huff as he looked over at the younger boy and shook his head.

“Not hard enough,” Kohana argues and Henry groans once more. The younger boy raises his hands and speaks. “Just watch what I do and follow me.. And try not to make nana sneeze  _ again _ ,” he scolded and Henry pursed his lips at his brother.

“Technically, she _ needs _ to sneeze, this might help,” he says in defense but Kohana rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, but not because you screwed up your magic. I asked you to do one thing and you make her allergic to you,” he continues on in grumbling. Kohana had simply asked Henry to make Cora’s headband disappear and he had managed to do that; but he’d screwed up somewhere along the way and caused the two year old to sneeze the damn thing back out somehow. Kohana had to hurriedly make sure she didn’t sustain injury like a nosebleed or something.

 

Kohana waved his hand gently and his grandmother was floating over to Henry who held out his arms for her immediately. She landed softly into his grasp, giggling at the magic that was surrounding her as she was settled.

“It’s that easy,” Kohana said confidently, earning a look from the teen.

“It’s really not,” Henry told him.

“It is. It’s emotion and focusing on the object of your actions… but that’s enough for today, and for right now. Mom and ma’ll teach you more tomorrow,” Kohana tells him before leaning up against his mother’s apple tree. Henry watches him for a moment before he comments.

“You age tomorrow,”

“Yeah,” Kohana nods.

“How do you feel about that?” he queries as he nears the young boy and sits next to him, holding his grandmother steady as he did so. He lets her go and she pretty much stays in her spot, she’s just too busy grabbing at grass to care about everything else.

“It’s life… have you ever been afraid to die?”

“Well, considering I almost did but was in a coma… I’ll be honest. I wasn’t, I didn’t have time to be,” Henry says before he looks up at the sky, but Kohana interrupts his relaxing to further his question.

“I mean whilst you were fully aware of it. Have you ever been afraid to die?”

“I have a fear of the unknown… not death. I’ve met death and he’s not very scary, but the unknown is where I draw the line… are you afraid of death?” he questions with a tone of intrigue.

“No,” Kohana says shortly and bluntly. It’s honest and Henry can tell just by the way he shifts his gaze to look at the teen that he means those words. “I don’t have a reason to be. I know where I’m going when I die. I guess it’s just like you said.. Fear of the unknown. Things in which we cannot control-,”

“-Like death,”

“Yeah, but that’s different. And, at least you know what death’s purpose is,”

“What’s that?”

“To rid the world of an untimely existence.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

“You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to the weekend,” Emma said as she paced the station. She’d actually been blessed with no paperwork today and figured that she’d call Regina and check in. The brunette grinned.

“You won’t really be able to enjoy your weekend until after we see Belle and Keaton and begin Henry’s magic lessons,” Regina reminds but Emma doesn’t care about all of that. She’s still grinning, still happy.

“That doesn’t matter. The point is I get to look at you for more than a collective ten minutes a day,”

“And I you,” Regina agrees. “Did you get those twenty poles looked at today?” she’d then found herself wondering and Emma hummed.

“Yeah, he did ‘em pretty quick today. Consistently tells me there’s nothing wrong with them but that it’s apart of his job and it’s a mandatory thing, so,” the blonde shrugs though she cannot be seen.

“It is,” Regina says before sighing. “The office is so quiet now,” she comments and Emma grins.

“Well, you did flunk well over fifty students,” she recalled only to hear Regina groan.

“They flunked themselves, Emma,” Regina had defended but now Emma was just giggling at her.

“Yeah, but you exacted revenge on them. I thought you were a queen and a bit more refined?” she stated her question jokingly.

“Me sending out letters is refined,” Regina had said confidently, but a hint of joy was somewhere in there. Playfullness Emma loved so much. “ If I wanted to be as barbaric as you are, I’d have publicly shamed them all,” Regina teased as Emma continued to giggle.

“Alright, fine… I gotta get going,”

“Duty calls?” Regina asks softly, a gentle sigh escaping her lips.

“Actually, no.. not yet at least. We’re taking a ride into the neighbouring towns to get a tour of the other police stations. Some crap on expanding our own because it’s not conducive to a properly functioning town, with only three cells,” she mutters angrily, but Regina doesn’t think to comment on that because she and Emma know.. They don’t get  _ crime _ . Just Leory being drunk as usual and that became more of a show than a threat to the people.

“Hmmm, bring me a souvenir,” Regina said almost a little bit too seductively for Emma not to catch that.

“I’ve got one in mind, but it’s not for prying eyes,” the blonde countered and Regina gasped.

“Sheriff Swan! I am an engaged woman,” she tittered.

“Come on. What’s a little bit of a scandal between the mayor and the sheriff,” Emma joked.

“Enough to embarrass and scar our children for the rest of their lives,” Regina tells her even though she too is enjoying this.

“Okay, so they learn that we live a little,” Emma shrugged and Regina just laughed.

“Go to work, officer. And come home to me in one piece. I love you, even if you are this cheeky.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

“Wait!” Emma said loudly as she stepped into the house. She’d smelt something the second she walked into the foyer and it smelt greasy and not homemade. Emma toed her boots into the corner of the foyer before she continued to speak. “You ordered pizza?” she questioned Regina who looked at her as if she should know better. And she should. She really should. Emma looked on at the group. Her boys surrounding the box and Regina watching them as well as the tv.

“No, I didn’t. The boys did. I on the other hand had a craving for pasta,” she admitted and Emma smirked.

“Yeah, mom’s been complaining for like half an hour over it now,” one of them said.

“She wouldn’t even eat a slice,” another one of them said and Emma rolled her eyes at them.

“And neither of you thought to be nice enough to make your mom dinner.. Or I don’t know- order out for her?” she countered and they went silent, both with their mouths full of pizza at the current time. Cora was sat on the couch, quietly eating hers and Emma nearly forgot she was there. She quickly kissed the top of the child’s head and asked her how she was doing, grinning when she saw Cora take pride in just mashing the crap out of her cheesy slice. “Anyway.. What kind were you in the mood for?” Emma then asks, steering the conversation back where she wanted it to be.

“Seafood Alfredo,” Regina admits and Emma nods.

“Sounds good,” she says before she brings the bag from behind her back and Regina gapes at her. She grins at the woman and continues. “Soooo, I’ve been practicing my magic. Most specifically the one you were telling me about where I could see you pretty much anywhere-,”

“-Eavesdropping,” Regina corrects with a grin that has Emma hissing her shushes.

“Shhh, there’s a better word for that,”

“Yes, and that’s called spying.. Voyeur-,” the brunette adds and she scowls petulantly at Regina but the woman is merely smiling back at her. “-I’m sorry.. Go on,”

“As I was saying-,” Emma began again. “I practiced my magic and heard you talking to yourself about what it was you wanted for dinner and well… yeah,” Emma blushed, but now her sons are the ones rolling their eyes and gagging at them until both women threw a flurry of pillows in their direction. This causes baby Cora to just lose it giggling and clap at this frenzy of pillow abuse. She laughs even more when Emma picks her up and tosses her in the air, careful not to toss her too high in case she blew chunks, and then they get themselves situated with a move and somehow, Cora’s passed out before they get ten minutes into it. Emma of course was on the receiving end of loving kisses after she’d hugged her boys and caught up with them for a little bit. Regina had many ways she could thank her, but settled for kissing her every so often and whispering how much she loved her. Emma had gone ahead and taken it a step further by catering to this woman hand and foot through the rest of the night, and as tired as she was.. When it was for Regina- she had all the energy in the world. She was determined to have that sort of family time. It didn’t matter how she had to do it. She was going to have it.

 

And then the topic of the end of the week family dinner came up and immediately that megawatt smile had turned into a dim bulb. Emma had admitted she didn’t want to go and for good reason. She was still pissed at her father and couldn’t stand to be around him right then and there.. But if the boys wanted to go and if Regina wanted to go. She’d go. She’s just pissed that even after she told him what Regina went through.. They hadn’t bothered to call, not once. And when Emma later comments, in the privacy of their bedroom that,

“I guess that proves how much he cares,” Regina merely reminds her,

“They love you, Emma.. not me. But that doesn’t matter to me… We’ll do whatever makes you comfortable,” she realizes.. Happy endings aren’t always what they appear to be, and hers.. might just not involve her parents.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

Saturday, July 4th.

 

Saturday is just full of it. Absolutely full of it.. But in a good way at least. It’s her world’s independence day, but she never actually celebrates it.. She prefers the Miner’s day celebration that the town has instead. So, StoryBrooke looks like it always does on July 4th. A very quiet town with nothing much to offer but vast land and fishy smells.

Emma wakes with the joy of knowing that she has this weekend solely for her and her family and that’s all that matters, curses, contracts and fears be damned. She lays there staring at the ceiling, smiling to herself as she thinks on and on and on about some things that just make her cheeks red with happiness. She can’t wait to marry Regina. She can’t wait for their little girl to come..She can’t wait to name her because she didn’t get to with Henry... Emma can’t wait for many things, but it’s okay because the longer she waits, the more perfect the outcome will be.  Henry’s birthday is very soon, her proposal to Regina requires a little bit more of a grande gesture to really seal it and December is apparently supposed to be the time in which that little wispy hair daughter of hers is supposed to pop out of Regina.. Did she mention she couldn’t wait for her little girl to come? Like, she genuinely couldn’t. But it was only July and it was a Saturday. A Saturday she had now to be as lazy as she could afford to be.. and that started with her making breakfast for everyone.

Emma slipped out of bed and pulled on a robe, Regina’s robe. Since she and the brunette have been more intimate with one another, Emma would usually sleep in a cami and underwear and Regina would sleep in very revealing, thin strapped and silken night dresses that bared more legs than it did her cleavage. Regina would never admit it, even though Emma knew this was a truth, but the brunette had grown fond of seeing Emma wear briefs. She didn’t know why, but Emma’s ass looked amazing in them and they looked comfortable as hell. And Emma had begun to lay claim to Regina’s robe, causing the woman to forego covering herself as they’d sit to eat breakfast together. Initially, when Regina had first had her doubts and was yelling at Emma a couple of months back about Henry seeing her the way he might, Emma knew it was mostly because Regina herself felt like she always needed to be covered, but Henry was a teen who quite literally did not care. His mother could be walking around in shorts and he’d still love her. He’d probably turn into her father, but he loved her.

Regina turned over and sighed gently as she woke. She stretched and yawned before reaching out behind her to see if Emma was there. She wasn’t and the brunette smirked as she shook her head. She pulled the blanket off and pattered her way into their bathroom before she washed her face and fluffed her hair. Regina then brushed her teeth and rubbed at her still tired eyes as she blindly reached for her robe, laughing at the fact that it was missing once again. She shook her head before opening her bedroom door and going across the hall to check in on her children and her mother. None of them were in the rooms, so Regina went downstairs and stopped just shy of the last few as she heard music blasting, laughter going and the sounds of happiness emanating from the kitchen. One of those voices had yelled,

“Cora- no!” And then her mother sprinted past her, with yet another spoon full of batter.

“ICK DA POOOOOOOON!” she cried out in joy as she seemed to be convinced she was leading an army of warriors, or at least- Ermis. And then Kohana came out sprinting after her, dressed in only his underwear, still.  _ At least it wasn’t superman this time  _ she thought to herself as he gave her the quickest look, shaking his head and laughing as he went after the two year old who was running back into the kitchen from the other side and attempting to run out into the backyard. The brunette just watched, she wanted to see who’d be stopped first. Batter Bandit Cora or trackstar Hana. They seemed equally matched until Cora squealed and flailed and giggled, indicating to Regina, someone had caught her. As she neared the kitchen she watched on as Emma held onto her mother and tickled her mercilessly, causing herself to be covered in batter by the time she put the writhing little girl back down. Hnery was stood at the stove, waving puffs of smoke away from his face as he coughed and fanned as hard as he could to get them away from him. Emma rolled her eyes and took the pan off the stove and the spatula away from him.

“I told you to just put it in the oven, kid,” she somewhat scolded but her son had a response. Regina watched as Henry huffed before explaining,

“Yeah ma.. I know, but I wanted to learn to do it the hard way, not the easy way where you just put it on the rack and that’s it,”

“The rack way isn’t easier. It’s healthier, besides, your mom barely eats bacon as it stands. She’s carrying your little sister, I wanna make sure she eats as much healthy food that’s still got good fat in it so that she has a healthy baby,” Emma explains and Henry sighs gently before he nods.

“Do you really think you guys are gonna be able to have her?” he questions and it’s a first for the teen who is usually so positive about anything and everything.. Regina supposes he has his reasons though. Nine months really is kicking on by and they haven’t had a sign of anything that there is a baby present. The only thing they’ve gotten is him in the hospital, Kohana trying to protect them from… things and Regina’s mother turning into a baby. And now, faced with the fact that Henry’s had magic all this time and it was just dormant is yet another thing- on top of the weird fact that they all share the exact same chromosome for it as well.

Emma puts a hand to her son’s shoulder and rubs gently before she reaches out and turns the music down.

“Kid, with all the honesty I can give you. I have my doubts, my fears and my worries, but I never have my disbelief and trust me when I say.. I believe we can and we will. Your sister may come a week from now, a day from now or months from now. We have until December, but what your mom and I agreed on was that we’ll let life bring her to us. We’re going to let fate decide the day she’s born because we don’t want her to be born out of anything but love,” she tells him and his face now seems crestfallen.

“Like I was,” he comments and she’s quick to shake her head at him. Regina flinches to move and ease his pain as well, but she notices Emma has it under control. It’s the moments like these where Regina sees how much of a mother Emma can truly be if given the opportunity.

“Henry.. Listen to me okay. Your dad and I were in love to a degree. I knew I loved him and was in love with him and that was for very different reasons that I’m in love with your mom..” she begins and trails off. Regina’s breath hitches at the admission. “Neal was my first love and he hurt me more than you could ever know, but I want you to know something. You were born under the guise of joy. I did what I did because I was miserable at that stage and I was still in prison for some petty theft crime. I couldn’t give you anything even after I got out, but I knew someone else could and that was your mom. I had more faith you would end up in better hands than I did and I don’t know what it was that made me believe that, but I knew that there was someone who would love you unconditionally. I loved you then and I love you now. I just couldn’t love you and watch you suffer because I kept you with me. You were born of love, Kid. I loved you and I knew if your dad was a different person he’d show you how much he loved you, too. Don’t think that your sister will be different from you in the way you came into this world. I was ten years late in getting to know you, but it was a closed adoption and your mom had every right to deny me access to you, but she let me in anyway.. And I haven’t admitted this out loud yet, but that night I met her… Kid, I’m positive it was the night I fell for her. As much as we argued and threatened each other, there was always something about her.. I just had to hide it, though. I couldn’t act on it because I saw the way everyone else was either drooling over her or out to kill her. I got scared and pushed those feelings away and then they got even more messed up when I saw these false images of her killing Archie… I know she may deny it, but there was pain in her eyes to know I didn’t believe her.. To know that the love she was more than aware I had for her, just vanished. And I reliazed that day too, that it’s why I had to fight so hard to keep proving it to the two of you. You are loved kid. You always have been and you always will be. Mya’s story might be a bit different from yours with her having both of us, but that’s only from who physically exists within that moment. Know that I loved you then as I love you now and the same will go for her, okay?” she asks and he nods. Emma smiles at him before pulling him in for a hug and rubbing his back. She then speaks. “Regina, you can come into the kitchen now,” she says and the brunette appears a little shyly as Emma lets Henry go and then walks towards her to kiss her good morning. “How did you sleep?” she queries and Regina smiles softly as she nods.

“Better,” she admits and Emma hums.

“Good, but we need to eat so we can deal with Keaton and Belle. I called earlier to let them know we’ll be there in like an hour.. That was before your mother went on a miniature rampage of screaming,” she recalls and Regina laughs.

“She did the same thing the other day with Talia,” Regina tells her and Emma smirks.

“Talia saw her in this state.. How’d she take that?”

“She’s in love with her already,” Henry comments before he moves to hug his mother.

“It confuses me how in this state, your mom is even more nuts, but she’s just cute with it and in her older state- she’s just flat out nuts, and slightly less cute with it,” Emma adds and Regina shakes her head.

“Emma, there are things that even I am still surprised by.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Good to see you guys,” Belle commented as the five of them filed into the back of the library where she and Keaton were sat, still pouring over their files.

“Good to see you too, Belle,” Emma commented as she guided Regina to a chair and sat on the arm next to her. Cora ran in giggling and looking around, awed by the many things she saw. Kohana tried to keep her from touching what was untouchable, but Rumple had merely shrugged it off. They’d passed him on the way in and he shook his head at the fact that Cora had yet to sneeze and change back to her adult self. Belle and Keaton both raise their eyebrows as they look at the child before them, most specifically the not so red haired, little girl.

“Who’s that?” Belle asked with interest, confusion and worry.

“That’s my grandma, be nice,” Henry scolded and Belle shared a look with Keaton that was unmatched by most.

“ _ How? _ ” 

“She sneezed,” they all commented and the two women shared yet another look.

“It was poppies and pixie dust,” Regina then clarified. “But that’s not important. What is important is that we know what that particular chromosome is we all share…” she admitted and that grabbed their attention. Keaton sat up straight and Belle cleared her throat.

“What is it?”

“It’s a healing gene,” Regina said immediately and Belle huffed as she rubbed her head.

“What? What is it?” Keaton queried.

“I can’t believe I was so stupid not to see it before,” Belle muttered.

“Belle? Belle- what are you on about?” Keaton pushed.

“It was so obvious,” she says a little louder.

“What was?” Keaton asked her again.

“The reason their cells don’t die. It’s a contact gene.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“A contact what?” Henry piped up and Belle shook her head.

“A contact gene,” she repeated, seemingly excited to tell all of the new information that clearly a good few of them did not know. “Regina, do you remember your encounter with David?” Belle then asked and Regina nodded. “That’s why it’s a contact gene. I was always told stories of the great battle that happened before the curse was enacted.. By Rumple of course, but Emma didn’t exist then to be your true love. It wasn’t until you were hellbent on setting the curse, that she did. You came into contact with your true love the day you and Charming battled,” Belle said and Regina understood what she was saying, but everyone else still seemed lost.

“I don’t follow,” the blonde finally said with a weird shake of her head and Belle turned to her.

“When you were a baby, your father fought Regina as he held you in the other arm. The reason Regina’s ‘True Love’ partner ended up being Robin was because she inadvertantly put her actual true love in a tree… granted, she didn’t do it physically but because she wanted to hurt your parents, she ended up forcing you out of the picture and fairy dust isn’t very trustworthy, but had you been able to stay in the enchanted forest and grew up there, you would have been married to Regina by now. Fairy dust chooses at random who you end up with if something dire happens to your original true love. Daniel was meant to be Regina’s love, but Emma.. you are her true love…”

“That doesn’t explain how Henry got the gene…” Emma trailed off.

“He got it from both of you. Magic doesn’t need phsyical contact for things to be passed on. The simple fact that you were in the same room as her is what caused that gene to end up in your system. That carried on until you had Henry-,”

“-Wait.. So that means?” Emma just questions because saying it out loud isn’t quite sinking in. Belle nods.

“Yeah.. Henry is biologically Regina’s child as he is yours and Neal’s. It’s not the same in Lily and Casey’s case. Regina’s True Love Chromosome activated in their cases, because you are her original true love.. It’s not required... but, in yours- the healing gene which is yet another rare one is one that manifests in such a way that it … well, it helps you get over all of the past pains in your life. It evolves.. But it also helps you to physically heal someone’s wounds…”

“I seriously don’t understand this,” Emma then said and Belle nodded.

“It is rather hard to explain.. But the point is. Henry is Regina’s biological child because this particular healing gene exists. It mends a broken heart. It helps you forget all the wrongdoings in your life and it heals you physically,”

“But why couldn’t she heal him when he was in a coma?”

“Because it was meant for you to break, not her..and it takes his magic being active as well for it to work. Regina can heal you and Henry fine, but if it were anything more detrimental like the time his heart was taken from him, then she could do nothing. She is able to see things and know things and feel things now because his magic has been activated.. Had it not been, she may not have realized the heightened sensitivity amongst other things. The healing gene will be in your daughter’s system as well. Like I said, it is a rare gene, but it lasted for more than fourty years and it still manifested into Henry,”

“That’s why even when he was angry he could still heal me,” Kohana commented from somewhere and Emma spun around.

“He healed you?” Keaton asked and Kohana nodded before pulling down his shirt.

“He was mad at me, but when the blast hit me- I flew into the wall.. I didn’t feel anything and the scar was gone,”

“How did you activate the gene?”

“I dunno., I just did.. It’s part of my purpose,” he explains.

“Your purpose?”

“Yep. I’m here to protect the baby, and help Henry’s magic come to life and tell mom and mom here, different things at the end of every week.. After I age six years of course,” he rambled on. “ I can tell you all of that now because they already know or it’s already happened… but you kinda didn’t explain the whole point of the gene, Belle,” he then says and the woman blushes. “I’ll break it down. Mom and mom’s magic is like an invisible wire. When mom and mom were in the same room and mom was battling grandpa, not the rage, but the hurt she was still feeling from Daniel and being married to … him, manifested in her anger. Being a baby at that time.. I don’t know if you guys ever heard how they say that babies, much like animals can sense distress.. Mom sensed the pain and the distress and the hurt.. Even as an infant. That’s when the cord/wire connected. That’s when the ‘healing’ process began. Mom wanted to fix your problems even from a baby and you just wanted to get over them, however best you could… when she made that wish on her birthday… it wasn’t just her wish. That was a wish that existed from she was a baby. She didn’t want you to be alone, so in essence, she took that pain over into the real world and that’s why she ended up being alone too. You guys have been attached since the day she was born.. Literally. Every moment of being alone was orchestrated because of mom wanting to heal your pain and you just wanting to be loved… when she showed up that night that Henry brought her back.. You felt something, but you didn’t know what it was. It was a threat, but it was also safety. Safety you’d convinced yourself you didn’t want, or need.. And that was the same with mom. You guys have always done things in tandem. Down to the threats. And for the past five years of you guys knowing each other, you finally realized what it was you ran away from for so long. Mom didn’t know why she always kept going to you all the time, but.. Now you know.. And Henry’s going to have to do the same thing later.. For Grace. That’s why he has the gene too.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was early afternoon when this happened. Much too early in the afternoon for it to happen, and yet.. It did anyway.

“That might have just been  _ the _ absolute worst aging moment I’ve felt so far,” Kohana groaned as he lay there on the living room floor. Since the visit with Keaton and Belle, it had taken a good while for them to get Emma to not freak out and just accept the information for what it is.. Something good. And by the time she had accepted it fully, post questions and just full on shock- she was more happy to know that Henry had ended up with Regina because of the information she now had. It would also put a stop to that now stupid notion that Regina wasn’t Henry’s mother as much as Emma was and the blonde couldn’t wait to rub that into people’s faces.. Well, people who knew magic existed at least. “Dear God, Henry- don’t go to college! God! That hurt...agggh, why am I having anxiety and feeling like my health suffered greatly?”

“That’s what college life does to you.. Actually, High School starts that and College finishes you off. You are feeling what is known as.. The end of the world.” His brother had stated and he whimpered even more.

“Christ!” he blurted in agony. “My brain is overloading right now! Is this seriously what the educational system turned into!?”

“....yep,” Henry told him, feeling pain for him as he looked on. Kohana groaned yet again.

“Make it stop.. Sweet Jesus, make it stop!” he pleaded and all his brother could do, was rub his head..and his temples.

They’d opted not to have that end of the week family dinner- get together for specific reasons. Turns out, it’s a good thing they didn’t because this happened, but that wasn’t the original reason… still. They had to go and begin teaching Henry how to control his magic and that’s genuinely all he wanted to learn. He didn’t want to learn any spells or anything like that. He just wanted to learn how to control it and that boy is very smart, but when it comes to magic… he’s a trainwreck that wasn’t waiting to happen, he just ran straight into a wall. And then there was the fact that Emma simply did not want to go and Regina had told her if she didn’t want to then she wouldn’t have to and neither of them would. It did get a little less happy when her mother called and she lost her temper more than once on them.. Not for anything else other than the fact that with the given information, they still hadn’t bothered to check on Regina. That was now her main concern. How much less could you honestly care for someone that you make it that obvious.

“I agree,” Emma muttered as she lay there as well, curled into the fetal position, rocking from side to side. Kohana’s six year age increase came randomly after Henry’s session and it was much more earlier than the last time he did age.. This one was also a pain in the ass.. Literally.

A trickle of blood dripped down Emma’s face from her nose as she now began to audibly complain instead of mutter in her head. Regina wiped her face and held her as she let the aftershocks of whatever the hell that was, leave her system. Kohana’s nose hadn’t sported a bleed and that worried the boy more than the pain he was feeling did. His pain had slowly decresed, but Emma’s seemed to be getting worse and he didn’t know why.

“Mom.. you’re gonna have to use your magic,” he tells Regina and she seems hesitant. They all knew it wasn’t wise to attempt to use magic to rectify the change, but Kohana telling her this right in that moment had her second guessing everything.

“Sweetheart-,”

“-no.. I’m serious.. I don’t think this one’s from the aging.. I think it’s something else,” he tells her and she nods quickly before waving her hand and watching Emma’s face contort from pain to relaxed and then the blonde breathed deeply and opened her eyes before she spoke.

“Thank God you did that.. That was the worst stomachache I’ve had in months,” she gets out with a grin before Regina purses her lips at the woman and pushes Emma off her lap. Emma rolls over and falls to the ground with a thud as she muttered obscenities at Regina about dropping precious cargo. The brunette shook her head at the woman and stood up from the couch.

“We thought you were dying and you had a stomach ache? Seriously, Emma?” she asks incredulously and Emma looks so lost.

“What I do?” the blonde questions with all the surprise her face could muster. Reigna rolls her eyes.

“What was with your nosebleed?” Regina questions her with that hint of angered sarcasm that has Emma smirking.

“Sorry…. But the nosebleed wasn’t from the stomach ache. It was from before. I’m good with pain, but I’m not good with pain. Too much pressure and I can end up with a nodebleed. It’s not serious.. But the kid’s tougher than I am. He’s engineered for that stuff, I’m not. That stomach ache was probably from something I ate that didn’t sit well with me,”

“Emma, you eat everything.. Everything sits well with you and  _ in _ you,” Regina rolled her eyes once again and shook her head.

“Clearly not today,” Emma told her before she stood up and tilted her head as she watched Regina. The brunette seemed more upset at her than anything else and that confused her. “What did I do?” she finds herself asking but Regina shook her head.

“Nothing-.”

“- Regina.. You won’t even look at me.. What did I do?” she asks again only to be on the receiving end of an eye roll from Regina.The eye rolls were a common thing that had literally become Regina’s crutch reaction. It no longer made Emma worry muc that she’d truly upset the woman. And this occasion proved, she’d still managed to stay within Regina’s good graces. 

An almost too painful smile tugged at Regina’s lips as she answered.

“You worried me.. I don’t like to be worried,”

“You know I don’t mean to,” Emma told her before she bent down to kiss the woman who returned it.

“I know,” Regina said after they pulled apart. “What are we doing for the rest of the evening?” she had then asked and Emma went blank for a moment before it clicked.

“We were supposed to start helping Rumple with his proposal for Belle,” she said and Regina’s eyes went wide just slightly.  _ She must have forgotten.  _ “I mean, if you’re up for it, we can start tomorrow, because after that, it’ll be a good bit before I can do anything else,” she told the woman and Regina nodded quickly.

“It’ll have to do.. It’s your turn to pick the movie-,”

“-Nothing gorey, ma,” Henry told her and Kohana shook his head as Emma now rolled her eyes. It was becoming contagious.

“I don’t see how you’re not afraid of anything else you’ve been through and experienced, but fake blood and equally fake monsters that are CGI’d to the core, scare you.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Tuesday. July 7th

“Talia?” Regina called from behind her desk and was surprised the young woman arrived as quickly as she did.

“Yes ma’am?” she answered and had to hold back a smirk at Regina’s scrunched up face on being referred to as a ma’am.. Sadly, it was just Talia’s manners. Very appreciated ones at that.

“Sit for me, please,” she said and the young woman did so. She fidgeted slightly as Regina looked on at her for a moment, studying her and taking her in like she could quite possibly kill her, eat her.. Or fuck her.. She knew the last one was a stretch but Regina made many people think many things, this wasn’t new. Regina licks her lips before speaking, her eyebrow just slightly raised in question. “How is your time here at Town Hall?” she asked the young woman and that threw Talia for a loop because how do you answer that? “I want your honest opinion. Spare me no detail. I just want to know if it’s been accomodating for you or stressful and which areas may need improvement,” Regina further told her and she swallowed as she thought for a moment.

“In all honesty, Miss Mills- I love it here. It’s quiet most of the time, but I like that too. It helps me focus because of certain things.. Things I’m sure you’ve read about me by now,”

“If you’re referring to your medical files, I’d denied myself access to reading them. I’d wanted to ask of your permission, not be given your world in a handful of papers,” she assured her and Talia managed to smile at that.

“Thank you.. But you can read them. It’s kind of important that you do..though, you may never want me around your mom after that, and I’m sorry if you end up feeling like you let her be around someone like me-,”

“-Sweetheart,” Regina had said. Usually this term of endearment was reserved for her family, but- Talia was like a kicked puppy. A little girl in someone else’s overly sized shoes… she was fighting to be somebody and being someone else who kept kicking herself down.. She needed this version of affection, Regina thought. And the brunette would give that to her to drive home a point. “There is genuinely nothing I could read about you that would deter my opinion of you. Nor would there be anything remotely vile enough for me to deem you unworthy of seeing my mother. Besides that, I’ve told you- she is a grown woman and your dealings with her are your own. As protective as I am of her, she has taken a very deep interest in you and I don’t mind that at all.. Minus that, you’re speaking to a woman who was labelled as a mass murderer. Granted, I have killed many, but it’s not as much as people think- I don’t know why they push the buck on that one… and the others aren’t dead, I have their hearts. If I wanted them dead, they would be already… there’s a fine line between sadistic and flat out heartless… so, you were telling me of your experience here??”

“Right, yeah- ummm, it’s good and quiet like I said because it helps me focus,” she repeats. “But, it’s also kind of lonely.. And that’s only because of where I am. I’m the receptionist and I know this is only my internship for training so that I can move into doing what Miss McMillan does, but.. I was wondering if there was anyway I could be.. Closer to you or something… I get that I have to greet people when they come in, but that hall is massive and being right at the end of it.. It echoes. It’s kind of scary being alone out there all the time and everyone else in the back.. I don’t know about them, but I kind of.. _ need _ someone else near me. I frighten easily,” she admits dejectedly, anxiously pressing her nails into her flesh. Regina sits up straighter as she clasps her fingers together, watching Talia’s hands. She stands abruptly, frightening the girl.  _ She does frighten easily _ . Regina makes her way over to Talia and makes her stand up before she pulls her hadns apart and guides her out of the office. They stand, staring at the hall and Regina then speaks.

“Are any of your colleagues interested in doing what you do, right now?”

“Umm, no ma’am, but I think I may have a friend who needs something to do for the summer.. At least in the day, she works at the Rabbit Hole at night,” Talia rambled and Regina nodded.

“Tell her to bring a resume.. And I will interview her,” Regina nods and Talia swallows. “Now.. you said something about being closer to where I am. Is it simply to be able to see me, or is it a comfort thing that you require in order to know you are safe?”

“It’s a bit of both.. More so the comfort thing though,”

“Very well.. Pick a location and I will get a desk in for you tomorrow,” Regina tells her simply and she balks.

“Are you..” she trails off and Regina tilts her head, expecting her to finish.

“Am I?”

“Nothing.. Thank you, Miss Mills.. I’m sorry if this seems like a weird thing or something. I just-,”

“-It’s perfectly fine. I’d prefer it if you were all comfortable than knowing you weren’t and not doing something about it. Whichever location you pick- let me know and I’ll get Marco to stain a new desk for you and I’ll have it installed. Just call whichever company it is you’d like,”

“Well, there’s StoryBuilders.. But I don’t really like Mister Crafter.. He wasn’t very nice to my parents,” she recalls as she shook her head. “Is it possible Marco could install it?” she’d then asked and Regina smiled.

“I don’t know. That something you’ll need to ask him. This is your desk,” she told her and Talia read that confidence that Regina had in her and it made her blush. She bowed her head and walked back toward her desk, Regina watching her with a soft smile and a gentle easing of her heart. “Talia?”

“Yes Miss Mills?”

“The other fourteen people I will need you to inform them that I’d like to see them as well and figure out ways to improve their time here. If all goes well, you all just might be permanent fixtures to the government here,” Regina tells her with a dip of her head and Talia nods happily.

“Of course,” she says quickly before typing out a text to the work group chat.

 

_ Okay, listen up everybody. Miss Mills wants to see the next fourteen of you one at a time so that she can speak with you personally on your time here.. Who’s done with their work?-  _ She’d asked and one of the IT guys responded.

_ I am.. For right now at least _

_ Well then, you’re up.. Whoever finishes next, let me now. I have to make sure you guys get in and out as fast as possible, she’s got other things to deal with today. _

_ Bossy -  _ Clyde teased.

_ Yeah, well.. It’s mandatory right now.. Besides.. _ \- she trailed off before heading to her own personal group chat.  _ I’m getting my own desk.. She actually let me change where my desk is.. She’s so nice. Why is she so nice? _

_ Probably because she’s human and she’s always been nice.. She’s had bad stuff happen to her, so.. You kinda end up not being nice when people do bad things to you.- _ Alise had said and Talia nodded.  _ Speaking of Mills women. We haven’t seen Cora in a while, is she okay? _

_ She’s fine, she’s just currently indisposed _

_ As in? Ravi asked _

_ As in.. she’s a child right now because she smoked poppies and pixie dust a good while back, sneezed and turned herself into a two year old.  _ Talia answered and she waited for her best friends to let the laughs roll in. She vocally heard it first and knew it could only be Ravi. Ravi had a loud laugh for such a softspoken young man.

_ I don’t wanna know _ \- Clyde told her and she grinned.

_ Trust me.. I couldn’t explain it if I tried, buuuut, I got this _ \- she said before sending an attachment.

_ Whose cute kid is that!-  _ Ravi queried

_ Take a guess… _

_ no...FUCKING-WAY. LIA! THAT’S CORA?!  _ Clyde said disbelievingly

_ Yep _ \- she responded and Alise couldn’t respond to the group, but Keefer just mashed the fuck out of his keys to respond.

_ Akdjsafhuiavhrvsirnu..where she at! I wanna cuddle her- _ Keef admitted

_ Don’t be creepy, Keef. Besides, you’re supposed to cuddle me.. And our french puppy. _

_ Clyde… I cuddle you everyday _

_ More like coddle _ \- Alise teased

Up shut, Lise.. and we don’t have a french puppy. I don’t want anything french unless it’s the fries.

You do know they aren’t **actually** _french made right?_ Ravi just had to ask and Keefer went mute for a minute as the rest of the group pretty much knew he went to go research it.

_ You just had to say it, didn’t you, Ravi! _ Clyde scolded.

What?

_ He’s going to cry when he finds out _ \- Talia comments and Ravi panics

_ I don’t do well with crying _

_ WE KNOW!  _ A collective set of texts rattled through the chat one right after the other. There was the sound of the door opening and one of the interns smiling as he nodded at Regina.

_ IT guy’s done.. Who’s next? _

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

“Henry?” Rumple had questioned him with confusion as his grandson made his way into the pawn shop.

“Hey, grandad.. I actually wanted to ask you about something,” he’d said and Rumple nodded before he got from behind the counter and motioned for Henry to sit.

“What is it you think I can help you with, son?”

“Well, I’m nearly positive you know by now that I have magic,”

“I do,”

“Well.. I was wondering if you’d.. You know. Teach me how to control it. That’s really all I wanna learn how to do,” he admitted and Rumple smiled sadly at him.

“Henry..” he managed before sighing. “I am not the best person to ask that sort of request.. Given my history and what I’ve done to two generations of Mills women.. I do believe my time to teach anyone magic has come to an end.. yes, I may be a differnet person now, however the magic I know of is solely dark magic, even if I use it on rare occasions for light magic purposes,” he expressed and his grandson huffed.

“I just wanted to learn how to control it though,”

“I understand that, but still- dear boy.. I need you to listen to me when I say I am not the person to learn that from. What I know of magic is not under the best circumstance and what I’ve been taught myself was not done in a very orthodox way. I would have loved to teach you, however… your mothers may not agree, your grandmother may not agree. Belle most certainly wouldn’t agree, and I would hate to be the cause of a third generation Mills heir, turning into a monster because of me. My intentions may be right, but the nature of my magic is wrong. You will need to be taught by someone else..and as much as it makes me want to gag to suggest this.. The Blue Fairy would be thrilled to teach you,”

“Grandpa.. No offense, but I’d rather be strangled to death before I let her teach me anything after what she’s done,” he says very bluntly and very angered and Rumple cannot blame him. He knows many people have their reservations about her. She was shady as shit.

“Very well.. Then, might I sugest..Maleficent,”

“Isn’t she considered a villian too?”

“Not as one would think. Her magic’s rather… daisies and poppies. It’s her dragon powers that would lead you to believe she’s even more dangerous than I..” Rumple told him as he trailed off. Henry smirked as he stood, his grandfather following suit. In a show of gratitude, the teen rushed him with a hug and that surprised Rumple beyond measure.

“Thanks, grandad.. I’ll let you know how it goes.. Tell Belle I said hi,” he waves over his shoulder and Rumple’s stunned joy at seeing the face of his now deceased son in the face of his grandson.. Makes his eyes water.

“I will. Be safe, Henry,” he tells him as he watches him leave only to feel arms wrap around him and hold him close.

“Seems Hook was wrong about you changing your scales,” Belle commented and Rumple would have taken it a little better, but the mention of that stump for a hand man just made him queasy.

“Darling, as much as I appreciate the sentiment.. Can we not mention the walk bag of semen?” he queried and Belle really tried her hardest to hold back on laughing but she couldn’t do it, she sputtered out a laugh at Hook’s expense as she buried her face into Rumple’s shoulder.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Okay.. I’m confused,” Mal said honestly as she stared at the teen who stared back at her.

“I need your help,” Henry said nearly a little too simply and Mal eyed him weirdly.

“My help? With what?”

“Magic,” he tells her and her head tilts back.

“Ahhhh. Yes…” she says before sniffing. “Yours is just fresh off the boat,” she comments. “But, why would you want my help with magic. You have two mothers who know magic.. And I’m nearly positive by the news of another member of your family, he does as well. As does your grandmother,”

“Nana’s.. Indisposed right now,”

“Has she fallen down a well,”

“No-,”

“-well, she’s not indisposed.”

“She’s two. That counts as indisposed,” he tells her before sidestepping his way into the house. Mal rolls her eyes and shuts the door.

“Very well then. Why exactly do you want my help?”

“Grandad suggested I ask you… that was after he nearly threw up and tried to tell me to ask the Blue Fairy,” the teen recalled.

“Rumpelstiltskin suggested you learn magic from someone else?” Mal had asked beyond surprised and even more impressed.

“Yeah, he said he wasn’t the best person to learn it from considering what he did to nana, my mom and my aunt.. And he didn’t want for his dark magic ways to...you know,” the teen said and Mal nodded. “He also said that your dragon powers are what’s dangerous, not your magic… they’re poppies and daisies to be exact,” Henry recalled and Mal once again rolled her eyes but she laughed.

“I suppose he is right about that. I’d learned magic at a young age, much like post people do, however, I never bothered to use it after I found out I was a dragon, but this doesn’t explain why you don’t get help from your mothers,”

“They’re both really busy and we just had a session on Saturday, but the only thing I wanna learn is how to control it. I don’t care about anything else. I just wanna be able to control it,” he admits and she nods.

“That’s understandable...okay, I will teach you,” Mal tells him and he grins happily. “Though, I don’t know how well you can handle pain,”

“I’ve got piercings, I think I’ll be fine,” Henry tells her and she smirks before shaking her head. Mal gets Henry something that looks like salve and a bark, probably for him to wave? Maybe?

No.

“This type of pain isn’t like a piercing, Henry. This version of pain makes your entire body question if it’s being ripped from the inside out.. The way you learn to control your magic is by reversing the trajectory of your magic,” she tells him and he’s lost. He has a right to be lost.

“By that you mean?”

“By that, I mean that you quite literally would be changing the course of where your magic has been directed. When you magic reacts or you decide to use it and as you say, just to control it- it is imperative that you change the direction of it- its course persay. You would be inverting the damage your magic would inflict on something or someone else, on yourself,” she tells him and he swallows thickly.

“I-I.. you mean-,”

“-yes, the direction of the damage would be internalized and that is why I said the pain does not feel like a piercing. It feels as though acid is alive and well in your system as someone tickles it annoyingly with even more chemicals. Magic is dangerous and in an internailzed state, it mimics toxins that can kill an average person. Since you contain magic, you can sustain yourself long enough to deal with it that you don’t die… but come rather close to it, but that is only for the first few times,” she lets him know and he’s shaking his head, swiftly.

“No.. nooooo, no.. umm, isn’t there,” Herny begins but he just shakes his head again. “Don’t you have like something else.. Some other way to teach me,”

“This is what it takes to control your magic, Henry. This.. or time. Your choice. I’m sure your mothers have said that before,” she answers.

“Well.. yeah-a few times, but then mom always pushes ma to learn faster,” he says and Mal laughs.

“And that’s because she  _ has _ to, Henry. She has to be prepared, even if she is convinced that grilled cheese could be a secret weapon. Her method of battling me was beyond seethrough,” Mal rambled and Henry squinted.

“She pierced you with a sword,”

“Actually.. She’d just managed to get that god forsaken, glowing stone out of my chest.. It was some magical tracking stone they’d implanted in me after I destroyed Arendale,” she admitted and Henry swallowed.

“That’s-,”

“Bad. I know.. But they’d deemed me evil. So, I figured I’d live up to the accusations,”

“But why?”

“I got tired of trying to clear my name for all those years prior. They wouldn’t listen and I don’t like to make people liars,” she drawled with a solemn look and a deadly smirk.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“How’s it looking up there?” Emma questioned the man she could now put a name to.

 

Evan.

 

“Well-,” he began with a grunt. “- this one’s good.. Just like all the rest of ‘em. And I’m led to believe they all are, but still-,”

“-You gotta check ‘em all. Yeah, I know,” she finished for him. Evan grunts again before he lowers the arm of the truck lift and hops out. He dusts his hands before speaking.

“How was the romantic gesture from last week?” he then asked and Emma didn’t even realized they ahdn’t talked about that. He’s doing it to cheer her up as well, but she hasn’t realized that either. Emma smiles.

“She loved it,”

“That’s good,” he nods. “Not gonna lie, but even I was impressed by what you showed me the other day,” he compliments and he means that.

“Well, she’s worth it.. every . single. Penny,” Emma informs and Evan nods once more.

“Good. I’ll try to get you out here as quick as possible today.. We’re almost done,” he says and she sighs gently.

“Actually, you may as well just take your time. I have a crap ton of papers to deal with later and some proposals to look over for the Police Station,”

“What’s that about?”

“Some stupid expansion on more holding cells for our sector.. “

“Oh?” he queries, rather interested. “You guys only have like three of ‘em, don’t ya?”

“More or less, yeah. But the crime here is literally nonexistent. It’s not a big deal, and yet… they see the purpose of expanding it when I don’t…” she trailed off before a thought hit her. “Then again-,” she begins before Evan catches it, a grin splitting out across his face as he finished her thought.

“-you do have to see your soon to be about it..  _ Alot _ .”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Seriously!” Henry commented, clearly annoyed by the news he’d been given. After his session with Maleficent, he’d gone back home decided that his grandmother needed to do something outside of the house, the office and quite frankly- their disjointed family schedule. Kohana had agreed and suggested they just take her to the YMCA and now, here they were- ready to leave her there to do whatever it was she got up to.. Only problem was, he couldn’t leave her there.

“I’m sorry, but it’s mandatory, Henry,” the girl behind the counter had told him. He and Kohana had then shared a look of absolute confusion. He couldn’t leave either Kohana or his grandmother there by themselves without some form of parental signature.

_ How in the hell do I get my  _ **_dead,_ ** _ great grandmother to sign a permission slip for my two year old grandmother? _

He huffed before turning around to face Kohana..an idea popping into his head. One his brother could see from a mile away.

“Don’t do it,” his brother warns. He knows Henry’s immediate thought by the way the teen is staring at his hands. But Henry is his ma’s kid. Stubborn as crap. He eyes his little brother who is shaking his head at him as he words,

“Don’t do it,” once again. “Your magic isn’t even formed properly. You don’t know what you might do,”

“Isn’t magic just emotion and focusing on the object of your actions,” he counters smartly and Kohana groans as he rolls his eyes at him.

“Fine, turn her into a frog and see if I help you turn her back,” Kohana tells him shortly and at first, that makes the young man falter. Henry stops and swallows as he looks at his grandmother who is sat on top of the counter and she’s so distracted that she’s playing with the girl who had just told them they couldn’t very well be left alone. He then looks at his hands and shudders at the thought of accidentally changing the teen before him into an amphibian. But he’s defiant, and defiant is as defiant does.

He turns back to the girl and shuts his eyes. Henry focuses deeply before he waves his hand in her general area. A moment passes before he decides to peak at the girl and he sighs gently.  _ She’s not a frog _ . But, as if luck would be on his side that day, she starts blinking and then she’s smiling at him and then she speaks.

“Hi, Welcome to the Y. What do you need today?”

“I-I’d like to sign them up for some activities,” he says to her and she nods before getting the clipboard and passing it to him.

“YMCA summer program?” she questions and he nods. The girl behind the counter rifles around before she hands him two sheets of paper. “Sign those and pay the fee and they’re all ours,” she grins and Henry grins back, mostly because of his triumph. Kohana looks on, impressed that he managed to pull it off as good as he did. Henry signs his name as the parental contact for his grandmother and lists his mothers as Kohana’s before he slides the clipboard back to her and she nods with a soft smile. He then shoves his hand into his pocket and pulls out his wallet before paying the 30 dollar fee for both of them, praying as he does so that nothing goes wrong with either of them, specifically his grandmother.

“Is that it?” he then finds himself asking to be sure and she nods.

“Yeah, you signed, paid and left emergency contacts...Okay.. they’re all ours,” she grins turning to put the clipboard away and file the sheets of paper with the otehrs. Henry manages to nod at her, something in him making him rethink leaving Cora there, but he shakes it away. He then has to talk to his grandmother and explain to her that he’s leaving her there, but that she will have so much fun and meet new friends and all the things you’d tell a child as if it were their first day of pre-school. She scowls for a period of time, but he promises he’ll see her soon and tells her some beautifully weaved story about how she’s going to feel like a princess.. Truth be told, it’s not far from the truth at all; there was a make believe section and all the other amenities one would require to be a prince, princess- king or queen. That’s what seemed to work for her because she slowly stopped scowling and managed a soft smile. He gets his hug from her and kisses the top of her head, not missing the way the girls pretty much coo over him and comment on how he’s,

‘Such a good father.’

That both boosts his ego and makes him nervous because this is the second time around that someone’s assumed he already had a child.

“Your little girl is so cute, what’s her name?” one of them asks him and he falters for a split second before he just throws caution to the wind when he says,

“Cora,” and breathes in relief when they all grin and swoon and coo some more. The same girl who’d asked him the question commented back,

“Awww, that’s cute, you named her after your grandmother,” and he nodded like hell was after him as he responded,

“Yeah.. it’s kind of a family thing.” She’s impressed, if her folding her arms and smirking was any indication. She then holds out her arms to take hold of Cora and the little girl goes without much of a fuss. Henry hands over her bag and the young teen takes it. She puts it on her shoulder and tells Cora to wave bye-bye to Henry, which she does. He must have that parental worry look on his face becuase the girl then stops to tell hims omething.

“Don’t worry, I’ll watch her myself.. I’m dealing with her age group. I’ll keep an eye on her for you... _ dad _ ,” she enunciates and Henry snaps from his daze. He nods but stops her just once more to hug and kiss the child and then he lets them go. Kohana levels him with a look that doens’t have him feeling the least bit annoyed, under scrutiny or embarrassed. The look is one of understanding. It was a look he wasn’t even aware he’d see until he had a biological child of his own, but within that space of time, his grandmother had become his child. She always wanted to be with him. She only stopped crying if he was there. She mostly believed what he said over what anyone else said… and that was saying a lot.

And then he just signed her off to the care of some strangers… what in the  _ hell _ was he thinking?!

“Henry?” Kohana had called him and by the way the tone came to him, he must’ve been trying to for a good while.

“mm?”

“I said, she’ll be alright. She’s a tough cookie,” his brother tells him, nudging his arm and Henry nods albeit, distractedly.

“I hope so,” he finally says with a sigh and Kohana nudges him again until he’s looking at him.

“Trust me..” he says with a dip of his head. It was the way he did it that gave Henry pause. Kohana had magic. Magic he would no doubt use to protect her with, but that head dip was a solemn promise that even without magic he’d look out for her. That head dip was an assuring one that let him know Cora had more than one person who cared about her wellbeing and he’d monitor everything that happens. Kohana moves to hug him and Henry hugs back, listening to his brother tell him he’ll see him later and that he really needs to not worry so much about Cora. Henry lets out a gentle sigh but he nods anyway and he’s happy for that extra bit of affection from his brother. They release one another and the teen watches as his brother disappears into the sea of children. He scratches the back of his head before turning and leaving… He had no idea what to do with himself now, but he supposes he could start by seeing if Nick was really back to… well.. normal.


End file.
